As the weather starts to get colder and people are getting ready to spend more time indoors, one drink also begins to gain popularity. Irish coffee is an exceptional drink any time of the year, but since it’s a hot drink, it gains particular attention in the fall and winter. Irish coffee is a cocktail made from hot coffee, Irish whiskey and brown sugar stirred together and topped with thick cream. One of the best things about learning how to make Irish coffee is that each of the many Irish coffee recipes is just a little different, but still very enjoyable.

While the traditional Irish coffee has been around since the 1940s, there have been many variations of the drink. Most people prefer using hot coffee, but in recent years, iced coffee has been used as well to make it more of a summer drink. Another common variation is substituting the regular, or whipped, cream for Bailey’s Irish Cream. This popular twist makes the drink a little bit stronger and keeps the great Irish theme of the drink intact. Whatever your preference, this delicious drink will surely become a favorite if you experiment with different recipe options.
Click here for a great Irish coffee recipe to try tonight.

Irish Coffee

One thing few people substitute when making an Irish coffee is the whiskey. Using Irish whiskey is really what makes it an Irish coffee and keeps the traditional flavor prominent. As long as you’re using a good Irish whiskey, pretty much anything else can be tried to create a great tasting drink. Many people have used different flavored coffees to give their version of the Irish coffee a unique taste. Many of the flavored coffees available today have a nice subtle flavor to them, so it does not overpower the drink but alters the taste just enough to make it unique.

Using top quality, gourmet coffee when making this drink is considered by many to be important. Coffee is the base of any Irish coffee, so make sure you choose the brand and strength you like best. Most people simply grab the same coffee they are used to out of the cupboard when they have a craving for an Irish coffee and that is typically a great idea. Sticking with what you know will taste good is a great way to start with this drink and then you can always make some small changes to tweak the drink to fit your individual tastes.

Many people who have never tried an Irish coffee before don’t think they will taste very good. Mixing whiskey and coffee seems like quite an odd combination and alone, it would be. The trick is to add in the cream on top. Irish coffee is meant to be sipped through the cream, which gives it the unique and delicious taste people around the world have fallen in love with. Traditional Irish coffees are supposed to have non-whipped cream, but many places today are using the whipped variety for a slightly sweeter taste. Whatever your preference, you really can’t go wrong with a well made drink like this.

Another great reason to give Irish coffee a try is because it is a great beverage to enjoy while outside on a cold night. The hot coffee alone is enough to warm you up a bit, but as everyone knows, nothing makes you feel warmer faster than a nice shot of whiskey. Enjoying the warm combination of coffee and whiskey is a surefire way to allow you to enjoy the outdoors for hours on end without feeling cold. As a great sipping drink, an Irish coffee can be enjoyed for an hour or more before having to get a refill.  Even when you do run out, this delicious drink is simple enough to make that you can have a new one ready in just a few quick minutes. There are no complicated steps to take like some more modern cocktails require and you still get the amazing and complex taste.

The best way to make a traditional Irish coffee is by starting out with Irish coffee glasses. These glasses are typically going to be wide mouth glasses with a short stem. If you don’t have this type of glass, virtually any glass or mug will do, or even a regular coffee cup. Since everything gets mixed together first before adding the cream on top, there is no wrong type of glass to make an Irish coffee in! But if you’re a stickler for fancy presentation, or if you are serving guests, an Irish coffee glass will really complete the experience.

In general, all you have to do is pour freshly brewed black coffee into the glass. Pour the desired amount of whiskey and at least one teaspoon of brown sugar into the glass next and mix it up. Depending on the specific recipe you choose, there may be more brown sugar or a different amount of whiskey. Top it off with either whipped or non whipped cream or even Bailey’s Irish Cream and you are done. As you can see, this is a very easy to follow process and despite the extensive number of possible alterations you can make, most of them are just this simple.

Irish coffee is a fun drink to make and even more fun to enjoy. It is perfect for virtually any occasion because it can help keep you warm or be enjoyed indoors all year around. Most people love the unique flavor and texture of Irish cream because of the mixture of hot coffee, good whiskey and a smooth cream. There is really no other drink quite like it and most any Irish coffee drinker will tell you, this is the perfect drink to enjoy any time.