Irish Coffee — The 1943 original — hot coffee, Irish whiskey and brown sugar under a collar of lightly whipped cream, lifted with cocoa bitters

Irish Coffee

The 1943 original — hot coffee, Irish whiskey and brown sugar under a collar of lightly whipped cream, lifted with cocoa bitters

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 2 dashesCocoa Bitters
    A modern touch echoing the roast
    Substitute: Chocolate or aromatic bitters
  • 4 ozHot Coffee
    Freshly brewed, strong
    Substitute: Filter coffee
  • 1 ozHeavy Cream
    Lightly whipped so it still pours, floated over a spoon
    Substitute: Do not over-whip
  • 1 1/2 ozIrish Whiskey
    A smooth blended whiskey
    Substitute: Any Irish whiskey
  • 2 tspBrown Sugar
    Dissolved in the hot coffee
    Substitute: Demerara or white sugar

Instructions

  1. Warm the glass with hot water, then empty it

    Pre-warm so the drink holds heat

  2. Add 2 tsp brown sugar and 4 oz hot coffee, stir to dissolve
  3. Stir in 1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey and 2 dashes cocoa bitters
  4. Float lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon and grate nutmeg on top

Technique Notes

Warm the glass, dissolve sugar in the coffee, float cold cream over the back of a spoon

Why the Irish Coffee Works

Cocoa bitters bridge the coffee and cream, pulling the whole glass toward mocha; keep the cream barely whipped so it floats as a collar rather than sinking.