With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on Saturday, in lieu of green beer and other kitschy attempts at (gaaack) green cocktails, our thoughts often turn to some version of what lots of folks call an “Irish Coffee”.
There’s probably some genuine history to the term (I’m sure there is, actually, I believe related to the earliest trans-Atlantic air travel), though some of the modern riffs on the cocktail seem a bit more interesting today.
Take The Charleston Breakfast Coffee Cocktail for instance, sent in a week or so ago from Justin in Charleston (ironic). He mentioned its presence in the Southern Foodways Alliance Guide to Cocktails, co-written/gathered by Jerry Slater and Sarah Camp Milam.
This particular cocktail is Slater’s brainchild, he being a noted chef and all, and is based upon a strong, dark-roast, brewed coffee and a Southern sorghum whiskey.
It’s probably time to put a uniquely Southern spin on your Irish coffee this year.
2 parts High Wire New Southern Revival sorghum whiskey
1/2 part simple syrup
8 parts strongly brewed dark-roast coffee
1 cup heavy cream, as cold as can beGarnish: whipped cream
Just before mixing, pour the heavy cream into a pint-sized Mason jar, seal tightly, then shake, shake, shake until the cream thickens but remains pourable.
Ideally using an Irish Coffee mug, pour the whiskey and simple syrup in, top with the coffee, and stir to combine.
Pour the perfectly thickened whipped cream on top, forming a layer roughly 1/2-inch thick.
Cheers.
