The Irish Coffee Origin Story: From Foynes to Fame
Irish coffee might look simple – coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, cream – but behind that cosy glass is one of the best origin stories in cocktail history.
This is the Irish coffee origin story: where Irish coffee was invented, who came up with it, how it travelled from a tiny airport in County Limerick to San Francisco, and how to make it the traditional way with Jameson today.
What Is Irish Coffee, Really?
At its core, an Irish coffee is a warm whiskey cocktail built on four key ingredients:
- Hot, strong coffee
- Irish whiskey (we’re obviously biased towards Jameson)
- Brown sugar or Demerara sugar
- Lightly whipped cream, floated on top
The magic isn’t just what goes in the glass, but how it’s put together. The sugar and whiskey are stirred into the hot coffee, then the cold cream is floated on top so you sip the hot coffee through the cool cream, rather than stirring everything together.
That little “coffee through the cream” moment – plus the inevitable white moustache – is what separates Irish coffee from every other coffee cocktail out there.
Where Was Irish Coffee Invented?
If you’ve ever wondered about the exact birthplace of Irish coffee, the answer is pretty specific: Foynes Airport, County Limerick. The scene: a freezing winter night in the early 1940s.
Back then, Foynes was one of the world’s key hubs for transatlantic flying boats – a major refuelling stop where passengers travelling between Europe and North America would pause, refuel and brace themselves for the next leg of the journey.
How Irish Coffee Came to Be
On one stormy winter night in 1943, a flight bound for North America turned back to Foynes because of brutal weather over the Atlantic. The passengers arrived back wet, cold, tired and in need of something stronger than tea.
In the terminal restaurant, head chef Joe Sheridan decided to improvise:
- He brewed strong hot coffee
- Added a generous measure of Irish whiskey
- Sweetened it with sugar
- And topped it with a thick layer of cream
When someone asked if it was Brazilian coffee, Sheridan replied: “No – that’s Irish coffee.”
Just like that, Irish coffee was invented – and a new Irish classic was born.
Today, you can still visit the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, which tells the story of those early transatlantic flights and celebrates Foynes as the official birthplace of Irish coffee.
Who Invented Irish Coffee?
That credit goes to Chef Joe Sheridan.
Sheridan was born in 1909 in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, moved to Dublin as a young man, and later took the job as chef at the Foynes terminal restaurant in 1943.
As head of catering, he was responsible for feeding everyone passing through – crew, dignitaries and exhausted passengers. When that weather-battered flight returned to Foynes, he combined Irish hospitality with a bit of creative thinking: whiskey, coffee, sugar and cream, served piping hot.
His “one cold night at Foynes” creation is now recognised worldwide, and Joe Sheridan is remembered as the man who invented Irish coffee – a drink that’s since gone on to sit comfortably alongside the Martini and Mojito as a true cocktail icon.
How Did Irish Coffee Go Global?
Irish coffee may have been invented in Foynes, County Limerick, but its fame really took off once the story travelled west across the Atlantic.
From Foynes to Shannon
When Foynes Airport closed in 1945, its operations moved to the newly built Shannon Airport, and the Irish coffee tradition moved with it. Passengers, including American travellers, continued to discover the drink while waiting for flights across the Atlantic.
From Shannon to San Francisco
Enter Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. After tasting Irish coffee at Shannon in the early 1950s, he couldn’t stop thinking about it and convinced Jack Koeppler, owner of the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco, to help recreate the drink back home. There was just one problem: they couldn’t get the cream to float properly.
After many failed attempts (and more than a few late-night tastings), the Buena Vista team eventually nailed the technique and began serving Irish coffee on 10 November 1952.
Irish coffee might have stayed a local curiosity in the west of Ireland, but thanks to that Shannon-to-San-Francisco connection, it became a global classic. Today, the Buena Vista is known for serving millions of Irish coffees over the decades, all inspired by that first glass at Foynes.
Joe Sheridan’s Original Irish Coffee Recipe
You can read a dozen Irish coffee recipes, but the heart of the drink hasn’t changed much since Joe Sheridan first served it.
Here’s how to make an Irish coffee at home in the classic style, using Jameson Irish Whiskey:
Ingredients
- 35 ml Jameson Original Irish Whiskey
- 90 ml hot, strong coffee (or an espresso topped up with hot water)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or 10 ml Demerara Sugar syrup
- 90 ml of cold (very important), lightly whipped cream
Method
- Warm the glass
- Pre-heat a heatproof Irish coffee glass with hot water, then empty it.
- Build the base: Add the Jameson and sugar (or sugar syrup) to the glass, then top up with hot coffee, leaving space at the top.
- Stir and settle: Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved and let the mixture settle for a few seconds.
- Float the cream: Gently pour the cold, lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon so it sits in a distinct layer on top.
- Sip, don’t stir: The golden rule of Irish coffee history: never stir in the cream. Sip the hot, sweet coffee through the cool cream and enjoy that first sip the way Joe Sheridan intended.
If you look at our current Jameson Irish Coffee recipe, you’ll recognise Joe Sheridan’s original template with the same coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar and cream.
But with this recipe (the classic you’ve probably encountered in a pub), there’s also an optional flourish of vanilla and nutmeg. Add those extras if you want to update the classic, or leave them out to honour how Irish coffee would’ve been served (back when vanilla wasn’t exactly easy to come by on a stormy night in Foynes).
How to Enjoy Irish Coffee at Home
Irish coffee might have been invented to warm up weary travellers, but it’s just as at home on your own kitchen counter.
Start with the classic Jameson Irish Coffee – the one that mirrors Joe Sheridan’s original, with the option to add vanilla and nutmeg for a slightly richer, dessert-like twist (link this name to ).
From there, you can explore a few modern takes:
- Jameson Cold Brew Cold Irish Coffee – a chilled riff made with Jameson Cold Brew, iced coffee and cream, perfect when you want the Irish coffee flavour but not the hot mug (link this name to ).
- Jameson Stout Edition Irish Coffee – a richer, roasted take that uses Jameson Stout Edition for a subtle stout character, ideal for late-night sipping or after a big meal (link this name to ).
Whether you keep it classic or play around with Cold Brew and Stout Edition, the basic ritual stays the same: good coffee, good Irish whiskey, a little sweetness and that all-important layer of cream on top.
Where to Enjoy Irish Coffee in Ireland Today
While Irish Coffee’s origin story started at Foynes and Shannon, you can easily find it today in pubs and bars all over Ireland.
If you’re in Dublin, Jameson Distillery Bow St. is one of the best places to enjoy an expertly made Irish coffee, alongside tours, tastings and cocktail experiences that bring the wider history of Irish whiskey to life.
Down in Cork, the Midleton Distillery Experience lets you dive even deeper into Irish whiskey heritage – the perfect starting point before heading home to warm up with your own Irish coffee.
And of course, for anyone obsessed with the Irish coffee origin story itself, a visit to the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum on the Shannon Estuary lets you stand in the place where Irish coffee was invented and see how one small act of hospitality turned into a worldwide tradition.
A Final Toast
From a stormy night at Foynes to a million late-night toasts around the world, Irish coffee has come a long way – but it’s still built on the same simple idea: a little warmth, a little comfort and a generous splash of Irish hospitality.
If this Irish coffee origin story has you in the mood to experiment, explore more Jameson cocktail recipes or dive deeper into the Jameson whiskey range to find the perfect bottle for your next Irish coffee, nightcap or celebration.
Sláinte to Joe Sheridan, and to whoever you’re sharing your next Irish coffee with.
