The History Behind Irish Cream Coffee

Irish Cream Coffee, simply called as Irish coffee, is a dreamy concoction of coffee and Irish whiskey topped with thick, succulent cream. It is actually a cocktail drink, which commonly served at parties or taken as an after-dinner beverage.

This delightful Irish beverage was created in 1943 by Joseph “Joe” Sheridan, a head chef working for a restaurant at Foynes, County Limerick, which is near the Shannon International Airport.

One winter night, Joe served coffee laced with whiskey to a group of American passengers. The passengers asked the chef is they were being served Brazilian coffee, to which he replied, “That’s Irish coffee.”

The beverage was popularized in the U.S. by Jack Koeppler, who was the owner of Buena Vista café in San Francisco during the 1950s.

Travel writer Stanton Delaplane is one of those passengers who tasted Joe’s creation, and when he arrived in San Francisco, he described the beverage to Jack Koeppler, who traveled all the way to Ireland to ask Joe the proper way of making the drink. Since then, he served Irish Coffee in his bar and made the beverage famous in the U.S.

Preparing Irish Cream Coffee is easy; there are no complicated coffee blends necessary to perfect the flavor. You only need a one measure of strong black coffee, which will be poured in a heated glass. Then add one measure of Irish whiskey and one or two teaspoons of sugar. Adding sugar is very important; it is essential for making the cream float on top of the drink. Then pour thick cream over the drink; pour it into a spoon rested just on top of the drink’s surface so that it will float on top of the coffee without mixing. Remember, do not use whipped cream. The Irish are very particular about it.