National Irish Coffee Day

The story

The story of Irish coffee began in the 1940s in Foynes, Ireland, a town known for its busy transatlantic airbase. One stormy night, passengers aboard a Pan Am flying boat, turned back by bad weather, found themselves at Foynes’ terminal.

There, chef Joe Sheridan decided to lift their spirits by creating a warm, comforting drink: strong coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and freshly whipped cream. When one American passenger asked if it was Brazilian coffee, Joe famously replied, “No, that’s Irish coffee.”

The drink quickly became a hit at Foynes, warming weary travelers. After the war, when the airport closed, Joe brought the recipe to Shannon Airport, where Irish coffee became the airport’s signature drink.

Irish coffee might have remained a local treasure if not for Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer who tasted the drink at Shannon Airport in 1952. Back in San Francisco, he shared the recipe with Jack Koeppler, owner of the Buena Vista Cafe.

Together, they perfected the drink, overcoming the challenge of getting the cream to float just right. After a trip to Ireland for a lesson from Joe, they succeeded.

Now a global sensation, Irish coffee has inspired countless variations. Some add vanilla, swap in brown sugar, or top with chocolate shavings.