How To Try Two Of The Most Famous Irish Coffee Recipes At The Same Time
The two bars that serve the most lauded Irish Coffees in the world are joining forces for one night in celebration of Irish Coffee Day.
Cocktail history can often be a bit murky and disputed — which makes sense given there’s alcohol involved — but it’s pretty much accepted that the Irish Coffee was first created in Ireland and then popularized by two bars in the United States: the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco and The Dead Rabbit in New York.
The drink first appeared at the Foynes Flying Boat port near Limerick, Ireland in 1943 by bartender and cook Joe Sheridan, who was looking for a way to warm up some stranded flyers, said Tim Herlihy, the founder of Lost Irish Whiskey.
Foynes was later closed and replaced by the Shannon airport, which served as a hub for transatlantic flights. In 1952, travel writer Stanton Deleplane told Jack Koeppler, the then-owner of the Buena Vista Café about the drink and the pair tried to recreate the drink, but couldn’t get it to taste “quite right” and they had trouble getting the cream to float to the top, according to the Buena Vista Café.
Koeppler went as far as to travel to Ireland to try the drink himself, and worked with the San Francisco mayor, a dairy farmer, to get the cream right, which involved letting it age for 48 hours and then frothing it. The bar started serving it in a heated 6-ounce glass, and over the years, what went from being a niche drink some people had tried in Ireland exploded in popularity.
The Buena Vista Café, near the San Francisco Bay, remains a must-visit for lovers of Irish whiskey as well as the drink.
“The Buena Vista isn’t just known for its Irish Coffee, it’s known for its bar theater and showmanship. The first time I went to the Buena Vista, the bartender Larry was making a dozen Irish Coffees at a time at rapid pace. Larry was as much a talented bartender as he was a talented magician and would entertain guests with a series of magic tricks in between serving Irish Coffees.” Herlihy said. “A belter of an Irish Coffee and must visit iconic bar.”
Across the country, the Dead Rabbit, a bar that opened nearly a decade ago and has racked up numerous awards, began serving a version of Irish Coffee that has also become famous. Founders Jack McGarry and Sean Muldoon created their version after a customer came in asking for one, and it didn’t go well, according to Jillian Vose, who wrote “Paddy Drinks: The World Of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails” along with McGarry and Muldoon.
According to a blog post from Vose, Mudloon told her: “We called ourselves an Irish bar but we just weren’t set up to serve this simple, classic drink. It was a catastrophe. There was hot water and sugar and cream everywhere. I would make one and the next one would be terrible. It was a nightmare.”
The version they finally settled on takes advantage of a sous vide machine and a protein shaker, although they have a recipe for a home version (see below) as well as a complete guide to the Irish Coffee available for purchase.
The one-night only pop up featuring Lost Irish Whiskey, an Irish whiskey with a global feel, that is a combination of three styles of whiskey and aged in casks from six continents. Tickets to the event, which is January 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Dead Rabbit are available on Resy. For $150, guess will get both the Buenva Vista and The Dead Rabbit’s versions, along with Frozen Irish Coffee and an Irish Whiskey Espresso Martini, along with passed hors d’oeuvres.
For those who can’t make it, here’s how to make both versions:
The Dead Rabbit’s Irish Coffee
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
6 oz Georgian coffee glass (very important)
1 oz Lost Irish Irish whiskey
0.625 oz (2:1) Rich Demerara sugar syrup
3.5 oz freshly ground and brewed Dark Roast Coffee
Thumb of prepared Heavy Cream
Freshly ground nutmeg, to garnish
Method:
1. Pre-heat a 6-ounce, heatproof glass by filling with hot water. Once warm, empty the glass.
2. Add whiskey, sugar syrup and coffee to glass, and quick stir to combine ingredients.
3. Float a thumb layer of freshly whipped cream over the top.
4. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Buena Vista’s Irish Coffee
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
6 oz Georgian coffee glass
1.75 oz Lost Irish Irish Whiskey
2 cubes of C&H Sugar
2 oz Peerless Organic Coffee
2 oz Heavy Cream
Method:
1. Pre-heat a 6-ounce, heatproof glass by filling with hot water. Once warm, empty the glass.
2. Add sugar cubes to glass followed by the coffee.
3. Quick stir to combine ingredients and finish with a whiskey pour.
4. Float a thumb layer of heavy cream over the top.