Use 2 Types Of Sugar To Upgrade Your Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is a classic among breakfast cocktails as it combines the morning cup of joe with the gratifying warmth of whiskey. The base is freshly brewed hot coffee — any that you like will do, but a medium roast is optimal for balancing the other flavors without overpowering them. You will also need a bottle of Jameson or a similar Irish whiskey, some whipped cream, plus sugar. And to elevate the sweetness factor, we suggest using two types of sugar, granulated sugar and brown sugar.

While you have a few options when it comes to sweeteners such simple syrup and sugar cubes, using these two kinds of sugar achieve the optimal sweetness without creating a drink with a cloying aftertaste. Using a little bit of brown sugar will bring out the malty warmth of the alcohol, while a small amount of granulated sugar can give the beverage that saccharine element you crave.

For a 6-ounce Irish coffee, you will need to start by pouring approximately 3 ounces of hot coffee into a glass. Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of lighter, granulated sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved into the coffee. Next, add 1 ¼ quarter of Irish whiskey until it's fully mixed.

Irish coffee is typically topped with whipped cream, which if store-bought, can often contain added sweeteners. As a result, this could offset the perfect balance of flavor you have already achieved in the beverage. To avoid this, you can opt to make your own unsweetened whipped cream at home by lightly whipping some heavy cream. If you want to add some additional flavor without overdoing the sweetness, add a few drops of vanilla extract to the mix. 

Once it's made, gently spoon the cream onto the coffee so that it sits on top. Don't stir it in, as that will lower the temperature of the drink. Instead, let each sip be a combination of mellow whipped cream, hot coffee, whiskey, and the perfect sugar duo.