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National Irish Coffee Day is celebrated on January 25, and all of us at Bar Crawl USA think that it’s the perfect occasion to warm yourself up with a tasty, boozy treat. Continue reading to find out the History of Irish Coffee along with a simple recipe so you can join us in celebrating too! Most importantly, don’t forget to grab your tickets to one of our St. Paddy’s day themed crawls! Dates, cities, and ticket links are listed below. Cheers!

HISTORY OF NATIONAL IRISH COFFEE DAY

The Irish Coffee was created in the winter of 1943 by Joe Sheridan, a humble chef at Foynes Port near Limerick, Ireland. The village of Foynes was an airbase for transatlantic flights at the time, often being the landing spot of many prominent figures and celebrities, normally as a layover and refuel spot for longer flights. Passengers would often need to spend the night in Foynes and a hub of new accommodation, bars, and restaurants was created to service the travelers. 

One day, after a plane abandoned its trip and turned back to Foynes, Joe whipped up something to help the passengers forget about the cold and their disappointment.  Legend has it that everyone drank their drinks in total silence, savoring the unique taste as it passed through their lips. One person eventually spoke up, asking Joe if they were drinking Brazilian coffee, to which he heartily replied “No, that’s Irish Coffee.”

Irish Coffee became a huge success and an airport specialty. Irish Coffee was introduced to the United States in 1952  by travel writer Stanton Delaplane. He brought it to the attention of Jack Koeppler, a bartender at the Buena Vista Hotel in San Francisco, and persuaded him to recreate it. 

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar, to taste

  • 4 ounces strong, hot coffee

  • 1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey

  • 1 ounce heavy cream, lightly whipped

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the brown sugar into a warm Irish coffee glass, mug, or other heatproof glass.

  3. Add the coffee and Irish whiskey.

  4. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

  5. Float the lightly whipped heavy cream on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon.

  6. Do not stir. Instead, drink the Irish coffee through the cream. Enjoy.

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