Cold Brew Irish Coffee Recipe

Make cold brew

Combine 1 cup coarsely ground coffee with 4 cups cold filtered water in a large jar or pitcher. Stir to ensure grounds are fully saturated. Cover and steep in the refrigerator (or at cool room temperature) for 16–20 hours.

After steeping, strain the concentrate through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. Yields roughly 3 to 3 1/2 cups of cold brew concentrate. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Infuse whiskey with coffee

Place 2 tablespoons coarsely ground coffee in a clean jar. Pour 1 cup whiskey over the grounds, stir briefly, cover, and let steep at room temperature for 1–4 hours depending on desired intensity (1 hour = light, 4 hours = bold).

Strain the whiskey through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth into a separate container to remove grounds. Discard grounds. Reserve the coffee-infused whiskey chilled or at room temperature. (Can be made ahead and stored up to 2 weeks.)

If using sweetener, measure 2 tablespoons simple syrup or maple syrup. Adjust sweetness to taste when assembling the drink. No heating required.

Whip the cream

Chill a small bowl and beaters for 10 minutes in the freezer if possible. Pour 3 oz cold heavy cream into the bowl, add 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip by hand or with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form—cream should be thick but still pourable (about 1.5–3 minutes). Keep chilled until assembly.

Build the Cold Brew Irish Coffee

Fill a chilled rocks glass or Collins glass with about 1 cup ice cubes. Add 2 ounces (60 ml) cold brew concentrate (or dilute to taste with cold water for weaker coffee — roughly 1:1 concentrate to water), then add 1.5 ounces (45 ml) coffee-infused whiskey. Add 1–2 tablespoons of simple syrup or maple syrup if you prefer sweeter. Stir gently to combine.

Using the back of a spoon, gently float about 1.5 ounces (45 ml) of the chilled Chantilly cream over the top so it rests as a creamy layer. Alternatively, pipe or spoon the cream to create a neat crown.

Finish with a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg or a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of finely ground coffee over the cream. Serve immediately with a straw or small stirring spoon so the drinker can sip through the cream or stir to incorporate.