What's the recipe for Irish coffee? Why is Irish coffee the perfect winter coffee drink? How to make whiskey coffee?

10°C! That's the lowest temperature in Guangzhou today. If there's one hot coffee drink most suitable for such cold weather, FrontStreet Coffee believes nothing fits the role better than "Irish Coffee."

Although Irish Coffee is named after coffee, it contains not only coffee but also cream, sugar, and whiskey. Just from its ingredients, we can understand that it provides enough calories to resist the cold winter. Indeed, it was created precisely for this purpose. The origin of Irish Coffee has several different versions, but without exception, all these stories are set in a winter in the mid-20th century, at a bar in Dublin Airport, Ireland. A bartender enthusiastic about cocktails specially created this winter-warming drink—Irish Coffee—for a certain individual (whose identity varies depending on the version of the story).

Earlier, because the functions and uses of coffee and alcohol overlapped to some extent, many establishments at that time combined coffee, alcohol, and food. Most classic drinks that combine coffee and alcohol were born during that period. For example, the Coffee Martini we shared recently. Speaking of which, although we rarely see Irish Coffee in physical stores, its reputation and status are actually much higher than we might imagine. Among globally renowned coffee events, there's a competition called "World Coffee and Spirits Championship," which combines two completely different worlds—coffee and alcohol.

In the finals of this competition, contestants need to prepare four drinks made with coffee and alcohol within a specified time, with two of them being designated drinks—Irish Coffee. The ingredients for making Irish Coffee can only include: coffee, whiskey, cream, and sugar. So we can understand that Irish Coffee is the highlight of this competition, and its status should not be underestimated. Since Irish Coffee doesn't specify which type of coffee to use—black coffee will suffice—whether it's single-origin black coffee or black coffee made with espresso machines, moka pots, or other methods, all can serve as the base for Irish Coffee. This gives this drink considerable versatility. People can not only choose different coffee beans but also use different extraction methods to create coffee with various characteristics. Combined with different ingredient combinations, the possibilities are endless.

How to Make Classic Irish Coffee

As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned earlier, the ingredients for classic Irish Coffee are very simple to obtain: 150ml black coffee, 30ml whiskey, 5g sugar, and some cream. However, to make it delicious, we need to pay attention to the use of the ingredients themselves, mainly the most prominent ones—whiskey and coffee. As for whiskey, it goes without saying that authentic Irish Coffee should naturally use Irish-produced whiskey! Everyone can choose their own, but the focus is on the coffee aspect. Since alcohol, sugar, and cream account for a considerable portion in this drink, the coffee needs to be slightly more concentrated and have a stronger flavor to balance with the other ingredients.

Here, FrontStreet Coffee has selected Brazil Queen Estate beans. Its dark roast provides a richer "coffee flavor." Meanwhile, the inherent nutty and creamy notes of Brazilian beans complement the aroma of alcohol perfectly, achieving a 1+1>2 effect. Using pour-over method with the following parameters: 15g coffee beans, ground at EK43 setting 10.5 with 75% passing through a #20 sieve, water temperature 88°C, coffee-to-water ratio 1:12, using a Kono filter cone, and three-stage pour-over brewing method.

Skip the brewing process, and set the brewed coffee aside. Then pour 30ml of whiskey into a prepared glass, add a sugar cube, and heat it with an open flame until the sugar completely dissolves.

FrontStreet Coffee would like to remind you here that since Irish Coffee is mostly served hot and is served in a glass, if you want to follow the classic procedure of heating the whiskey and sugar cube in the cup, it's best to choose a heat-resistant glass and pre-warm it to reduce the risk of the glass cracking due to heating.

After heating is complete, we can pour in 150ml of black coffee and mix it evenly with the whiskey.

Finally, top with whipped or unwhipped fresh cream, and the Irish Coffee is ready! If you feel it needs more flair, we can also add caramel biscuits, cinnamon sticks, or other "decorations" for embellishment.

The Experience

With one sip, you'll experience the hot and cold layering similar to a dirty coffee. Hot coffee and cold cream intertwine in your mouth. The rich cream and whiskey both enhance the coffee's texture, making it incredibly smooth. As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned, because the inherent flavors of Brazilian coffee complement whiskey perfectly, both aromas are amplified and very prominent! As you continue drinking, the cream gradually decreases while the coffee becomes stronger, creating a truly rich and layered experience!

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473