My Bar Bible / Cocktails / Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee cocktail in a wine glass

Irish Coffee recipe

IBA officialBuiltWine glassNo ice9% ABV280 kcal

The Irish Coffee is a built whiskey cocktail from the UK and Ireland, made with Irish whiskey, hot coffee and fresh cream, served in a wine glass. It is creamy and coffee-rich. It is an official IBA cocktail, in Contemporary Classics.

Strength: about 8.9% ABV in the glass, roughly 16 g of alcohol and about 280 calories per drink (an estimate; brands, sugar and dilution vary).

Joe Sheridan, Foynes airbase in Ireland, 1940s, for cold transatlantic passengers. San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe brought it to America in 1952.

Irish Coffee ingredients

Brown sugar1 teaspoon
Irish whiskey50 ml (1¾ oz)
Hot coffee120 ml (4 oz)
Fresh cream50 ml (1¾ oz)

Measures for one serve. Open the drink in Bar Bible to scale it to a batch or switch to ounces.

How to make an Irish Coffee

  1. Warm the glass with hot water, then empty it.
  2. Dissolve the sugar in the hot coffee and add the whiskey.
  3. Float lightly whipped cream on top over the back of a spoon.
Glass
Wine glass
Ice
None
Garnish
None
Open Irish Coffee in My Bar Bible

Part of

IBA official cocktailsCoffee cocktails

Irish Coffee: quick answers

How strong is a Irish Coffee?
About 8.9% alcohol once the ice has melted in, roughly 16 g of alcohol per drink. That is an estimate: brands and dilution vary.
How many calories are in a Irish Coffee?
About 280 calories per drink, from the alcohol and the sweet and fresh ingredients. An estimate: brands and the amount of sugar change it. Compare every drink in the cocktail calorie chart.
What glass is a Irish Coffee served in?
A wine glass, with no ice in the glass.
How many ingredients does a Irish Coffee have?
4 in total: brown sugar, Irish whiskey, hot coffee and fresh cream. Simple enough to make at home.
Irish Coffee recipe card: Brown sugar, Irish whiskey, Hot coffee
Save this recipe card to Pinterest

Cocktail calorie chart: compare all 1,471 drinks

Drinks you might pour next