Irish coffee: what a proper one looks like

An Irish coffee is hot, sweetened coffee with Irish whiskey, topped with lightly whipped cream that floats on the surface. You drink the coffee through the cream rather than stirring it in. When it is made well, it looks like a pint in miniature: dark below, white above, with a clean line between them.

Because it is a drink with only four parts, there is nowhere for a poor one to hide. Here is how to tell what you are being served.

What goes into it

Four things: hot coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey and cream. The sugar is stirred into the hot coffee and whiskey until it dissolves. The cream is poured over the back of a spoon so that it settles on top and does not mix. Some places use a little brown sugar for depth.

The coffee should be strong enough to stand up to the whiskey and the cream. A weak, watery coffee makes a thin drink.

The cream is the test

The cream should be lightly whipped, so that it is thick enough to float but still pours. Too stiff, and it sits in a lump you have to spoon. Too loose, and it sinks and mixes into the coffee. A good one has a smooth layer with a slight dome.

If the cream comes from a can, it will be airy and dissolve quickly. Fresh cream whipped by hand is richer and holds its line.

How to drink it

Do not stir. Sip the hot coffee through the cold cream, so that each mouthful has both. Stirring spoils the contrast. If the glass is tall and handled, hold it by the handle, because the bowl is hot.

What the glass should be

A stemmed or handled glass, made to take heat, is traditional. It should be warmed first, so that the coffee stays hot. A cold glass cools the drink quickly. A paper cup is a sign the place is serving fast, not slowly.

Choosing the whiskey

Irish whiskey is used, and different brands give different notes. Some are smooth and sweet, some drier and spicier. If you have a preference, ask what is behind the bar. A place that can tell you what it uses is paying attention.

Without alcohol

If you do not drink alcohol, ask whether the place can make a version with no whiskey. Some do, and call it a decaf or a cream coffee. Do not assume an "Irish coffee" can be made without; ask first.

Where to order one

An Irish coffee is a drink for the end of a meal, a cold afternoon or a late evening. Pubs, hotels and restaurants all serve it. Check whether a place serves it during the day, because bars sometimes do not make hot drinks outside certain hours.

Making one at home

If you want to try it yourself, warm a heatproof glass with hot water first and tip the water out. Add a spoon of sugar and a measure of whiskey, then pour in very hot, strong coffee and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Whip cream just until it thickens and falls from a spoon in a ribbon. Pour it slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats. The two things people get wrong are cream that is whipped too stiff and a glass that was never warmed.

When to order one

An Irish coffee works as a dessert, as a nightcap and as a reward after a cold walk. It is less good as a morning coffee. If you are driving, remember that it does contain alcohol, and a place will not mind if you ask for the cream coffee without it.

Finding one on Mosey

Where diners have photographed and named the drink, it can have its own page. Look at the glass, the line of cream and the colour of the coffee before you choose.