Once you start, you just can’t...erm...stop?
(note- find a better strapline)
Guess which one I garnished- hint- it doesn't involve FLIPPING COFFEE BEANS.
Irish coffees should be easy. Really, it's only three (plus sugar) ingredients, yet every bartender will have flubbed one in the middle of a busy service, and it generally comes down to the cream not sitting right, which while not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things is an absolute bollock of a nightmare at the time. Because then you’ve got to make it all over again. Hopefully, this guide should allow you to knock out the perfect Irish coffee everytime.
Knock On Effect
Irish Coffees are a drink no bartender ever makes one of in a night. There’s such a knock on effect with them- make one, and the visual appeal of it will have such a knock-on effect that you’ll end up making twenty without missing a beat, in much the same way as a good Guinness causes everyone in the bar to want a Guinness.
This can be an absolute pain in the arse if you’re not prepped and set up properly for it, so this article is mostly about my favourite subject- prep is king.
So, what to do in advance for a busy night-
1. Cream- have half a litre minimum of cream (double) shaken up in advance. It's always easier to thicken up smaller amounts of cream, so pour it into a small bottle (with a tight seal), shake it up and leave it in the fridge. No-one should be prepping cream by the drink, this is such a massive waste of time. And always toss it at the end of a night, no-one wants yesterday’s cream in their drink.
If you have the tools, 30 seconds with an electric whisk will sort your cream out perfectly without the strain on your arms. It's a little cheaty, but if you're making 100+ cocktails in a night a little kindness early on goes a long way.
2. Coffee- Filter coffee is your absolute best friend for making any liqueur coffee. It's always a consistent strength and slightly thicker than an Americano, making layering your cream easier. Anyone turns their nose up at this, just remind them this is exactly how the Dead Rabbit does it, and they sell hundreds of these a day. Instant coffee actually is surprisingly decent in a pinch, use an extra half a teaspoon of granules per cup to create a good viscosity and strength.
3. Sugar- it’s all about sugar syrup. Don't bother with granulated or cubes, just toss in a good splash- 10ml or so, and stir in. Your cream will sit right every time. And again, for the complainers, Dead Rabbit did it first (with brown sugar syrup, which is an excellent idea if you want to up your game).
4. Whiskey- well, it wouldn't be an Irish Coffee without Irish whiskey. Jameson's, Bush or Roe and Co., any of these will make a beautiful drink. I’m a massive fan of Black Bush in here, the honeyed tones make for a slightly different, richer drink.
Ingredients
35ml Irish whiskey
75-100ml coffee (depending on glass size)
10ml sugar syrup
Double cream
Method
Add all but cream to preheated glass. Stir, and then pour shaken cream over the back of a spoon into your coffee to layer it on top. Garnish with a spray of Angostura bitters- flame with a blowtorch to release the scent and add a really savoury and moreish smell to the drink. Easy as that.
Alternatives
Basically, add any other spirit. As a brief overview-
(lose the sugar for all these, it's really only needed with whiskey)
Cafe Royale- brandy
Italian coffee- weirdly, either sambucca or amaretto.
Calypso- Tia Maria or Kahlua
Baileys- Unsurprisingly, Baileys. Derp.
Russian- Vodka
French- cointreau
Jaimican- Rum (or Cuban, depending on where the rum comes from)
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