Where did Irish coffee originate and how is it made at home?

Irish coffee began in 1952 at an airport bar in western Ireland. American journalist Stan, stranded by a flight delay in bad weather, asked the bartender for a cocktail suited to the conditions. The bartender combined local whiskey with hot coffee and topped it with whipped cream, creating the drink.

After returning to San Francisco, Stan shared the recipe with the owner of Buena Vista Café, who replicated it and spread the drink across the United States. A safer home version skips the alcohol lamp and works through coffee extraction, then syrup and whiskey, then the cream topping, keeping the hot-and-cold layers intact.

The birth of a cup of Irish coffee originated from a flight delay at an airport in western Ireland in 1952. American journalist Stan asked the bartender at the airport bar for a cocktail suitable for the bad weather. The bartender combined whiskey with hot coffee and topped it with whipped cream, creating this heartwarming classic drink. After Stan returned to San Francisco, he shared this experience with the owner of Buena Vista Café, who successfully replicated it, making Irish coffee widely known in the United States. Today, it is not only the star of its dedicated glass and alcohol lamp stand, but also a highlight of international coffee and spirits competitions. This article will take you through its origin story and share a safer home method that omits the alcohol lamp, from coffee extraction to the pairing of syrup and whiskey, and then to the cream topping, step by step recreating this drink with its hot-and-cold layers and rich complexity.

Regarding the origin of Irish coffee, multiple versions circulate, among which the most credible one is related to a flight delay.

In 1952, at an airport in western Ireland, due to rapidly deteriorating weather, all flights were forced to delay takeoff. Journalist Stan (Stan delnplane), who had planned to return to the United States that day, could only stay stranded at the airport, waiting for the weather to improve.

He walked into the cocktail bar inside the airport, intending to pass the idle time with a little alcohol. Anyone familiar with cocktail bars knows that, in addition to the fixed options on the menu, guests can also directly communicate with the bartender and ask them to improvise a drink based on their mood or taste.

Stan then said: "I want a cocktail suitable for this terrible weather."

The bartender immediately understood what he meant and got to work: heating the liquor, brewing the coffee, whipping the cream. After a series of smooth movements, a steaming cocktail was pushed in front of Stan.

After tasting it, Stan was greatly surprised. Although it was an alcoholic drink, it made people feel warm from the inside out. He asked the bartender what this cocktail was called, and the other replied: This is made by combining coffee and locally specialty whiskey. We habitually call it Irish coffee.

After flights resumed, Stan said goodbye to the bartender and returned to San Francisco in the United States, where he told the owner of a café he frequented—Buena Vista Café—about what he had seen and experienced at the Irish airport, hoping the owner could replicate the cup of coffee he had drunk at the airport.

The owner of this café indeed did not disappoint his expectations and successfully recreated Irish coffee. After it was launched, this drink became deeply loved by the American public. It can be said that most Americans' understanding of Irish coffee was established by this café, and this shop therefore became one of the famous tourist check-in spots in the United States.

To this day, Irish coffee already has its own dedicated glass, dedicated alcohol lamp stand, and dedicated competition. In internationally renowned coffee and spirits competitions, Irish coffee is a highlight product. Contestants who make it to the finals need to make two Irish coffees and two other freely creative drinks, which shows how important its status is.

How to make Irish coffee?

The key reason Irish coffee can become a highlight of competitions is that it tests contestants' understanding of whiskey and coffee. Both whiskey and coffee have many varieties. When different types and different flavors interweave with each other, completely different Irish coffees can be born.

Next, we enter the production stage of Irish coffee. This time we share a relatively safe method that omits the alcohol lamp. Items to prepare: one glass (about 200ml), whiskey (30ml), hot black coffee (140ml), any syrup (10ml), cream (any amount). It is worth mentioning that there are no restrictions on the coffee used as an ingredient, as long as it is black coffee (pour-over coffee, espresso, and moka pot are all fine).

First, make the black coffee:

For espresso, you can use 18g of grounds, extract 36ml of liquid in 30 seconds, then add 100ml of 65°C hot water and stir evenly.

For pour-over coffee, use 15g of beans, then brew at a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:10.

After making it, first pour the syrup and whiskey into the glass.

Then pour in the pour-over coffee, or espresso and hot water (140ml total).

Finally, use cream to top it off, and it's done!

One sip down, it feels like a Dirty, with hot and cold layers. Without stirring, as you take more sips, the taste and mouthfeel will change, and the layers are very rich! Moreover, as long as you use different beans to extract the coffee, the Irish coffee you drink will be completely different! Those who have the conditions can try various combinations at home~ But friends who do not drink alcohol should still drink it with caution~

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.