Irish coffee
I have strong feelings about the Irish coffee. Every single citizen of this country should know how to make one perfectly. There should be a test for it on the Leaving Cert. If you are in a licensed premises that serves food and your waiter doesn’t offer you an Irish coffee at the end of the meal, that waiter should be fired and the restaurant should be fined.
Seriously, though, the Irish coffee is literally one of the most popular cocktails on the planet. It showcases two of our best exports: booze and dairy. Yet in most bars and restaurants in Ireland, when you go to order one, you’ll either be met with disgust that you’ve even asked for such a thing or you’ll be served something awful. We need to take back ownership of the Irish coffee, and if that starts at home in the kitchen with the following recipe, then that’s as good a place as any. Here’s my step-by-step guide.
Next why not try more cocktail recipes from the House & Garden archive?
Recipe extracted from Irish Kitchen Cocktails by Oisín Davis (Nine Bean Rows, £15.50)
How to make Irish coffee
Yield
Makes 1
Ingredients
Methods
Step 1
Try to get a Georgian Irish coffee glass. It’s the ideal size, perfect for the ratio of whiskey to coffee. You can pick them up online, or if you live near a catering store, swing by there. If you can’t get one, use a small wine glass or a glass coffee cup instead. Heat it with some boiling water.
Step 2
Use Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey 35ml of it, to be exact. You need an Irish whiskey that has some pot still in its blend. Powers ticks that box while still being universally liked. Pour out the water from the preheated glass, then pour in the whiskey.
Step 3
Add 100ml of a medium roast coffee made using a French press. Don’t use dark roast as it’s too bitter and don’t use light roast as it’s too fruity. And don’t use an espresso shot as it’s too strong, nor should you use instant coffee as it tastes gick.
Step 4
A teaspoon of brown sugar brings out the nutty, spicy character of the whiskey with the coffee. It also adds a richness to the drink that you won’t get with white sugar. Drop a teaspoon of it into the glass and stir it all up for 5 seconds.
Step 5
At this stage, the glass should be nearly full. Here’s where you bring in the lightly whipped cream. The best way you can do that is to get a wee bottle of cream, pour half of it out and set it aside. Then get the lid back on the bottle and give it a good shake for 10 seconds. Holding a spoon upside down over the top of the glass, slowly pour the cream onto the back of the spoon so that the cream sits on top of the coffee rather than sinking into it. Fill to the top of the glass and if you like, garnish with some freshly grated nutmeg.
