“Dry January” is coming to a timely end. But we’re still deep in winter and the weather… isn’t great. The end of alcohol abstinence and cold weather calls for a warming and fun drink that’s a low lift to make. The progenitor of the espresso martini — the Irish Coffee — is perfect for that. It’s vibrant, full of caffeine to keep you going, and has just the right kick of whiskey goodness.
The boozy mix of coffee, alcohol, and whipped cream topping dates back to the coffee houses of Vienna in the 1800s. The drink was wide-ranging — with tons of different alcohols used, depending on the coffee house denizens’ whims — and hugely popular. The version we recognize today traces back to a bar at an airport in Ireland. The mix was served to American tourists in the 1940s arriving in Ireland on a Pan-Am flight after a long trip over the Atlantic. The rest, as they say, is history.
Below, I’m going to break down how to make this deliciously invigorating and creamy drink. It’ll warm you up during the cold winter days and ease you back into “Not Dry February.” Let’s dive in!
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Irish Coffee
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. espresso
- 1.5 oz. Irish whiskey
- 1 oz. heavy cream (32%)
- Optional: Nutmeg dusting garnish
The key ingredient is Irish whiskey. I’m going a little deeper and using a good Irish-American whiskey, Four Walls. That mixing whiskey uses a nice dose of American rye whiskey, adding a drier and spicier depth than your average honeyed Irish tipple. It truly works wonders with the coffee and cream.
The rest is pretty easy. If you don’t have an espresso machine at home, you can easily grab a double shot from Starbucks and bring it home. Or you can use regular coffee from your machine. You won’t have the same consistency (pure velvet), but you will have a nice drink.
Lastly, I like to use a milk frother for the cream. It gives it the right light airiness without making the cream too dense. You want to be able to easily sip through the cream without it blocking the boozy coffee beneath it. That said, you can use a whipped cream canister in a pinch. But a Milk Frother is like $6 on Amazon — so it’s a worthwhile investment anyway.
Quick note:
Sometimes recipes will call for a half-ounce of simple syrup as a sweetener. I tend to lean away from that as the whiskey is sweet enough. That said, if you really need sweeteners in your coffee, then add a little bar syrup. In the same vein, you can also add flavored sweeteners like hazelnut, cinnamon, cherry, almond, vanilla, or whatever syrup to take the drink in those directions. Just make sure to keep it under a half-ounce.
What You’ll Need:
- Irish Coffee mug (or regular 8 oz. mug)
- Jigger
- Barspoon
- Milk frother
Method:
- Warm the Irish Coffee mug with a hot water rinse.
- Add the espresso and whiskey to the coffee mug and stir a couple of times.
- Froth the cream with the milk frother and use the barspoon to add the cream to the top of the coffee, it should naturally float on top of the coffee/whiskey mix.
- Dust with nutmeg if so inclined. Serve.
Bottom Line:
This drink just hits perfectly right now. It’s warm and creamy with a nice espresso bite. The frothed cream is easy to drink through and gives you a nice finish of silkiness by the end of the cocktail.
The whiskey shines through nicely and matches the nuttiness of the espresso with a touch of clove, cinnamon, and allspice countered by a soft caramel sweetness. It’s a delightful sipper and pairs amazingly well with a freshly fried glazed doughnut.
