Cold Weather
Drinkin’
by Dylan Thaemert
I
t’s that time of year again when the cold weather adds extra
incentive to warm the bones with some tasty spirits. I’m
a whiskey guy, but we all need some variety to break up the
monotony of the fall and winter months. This issue marks this
publication’s fifth year. In honor of that milestone and in keeping
with its numerical significance, here is a lineup of five delicious cold
weather drinks sure to brighten the long dark hours ahead.
Since it’s still early we’ll get started with a True Irish Coffee. I’m
not sure who all in town does it this way but when our (Jake’s)
owners came back from a trip with the recipe for a “real” Irish
coffee, it was love at first sip and instantly replaced the staid CoffeeJameson-Bailey’s combo on our menu.
In a warm glass mug, add Irish whiskey (we use Jameson) and
coffee (we use locally roasted Beansmith) to a packet of raw sugar
and stir until it’s dissolved. Then in a shaker “vigorously” shake (is
there any other way?) heavy whipping cream and drizzle over the
underside of a spoon to float about a half inch of cream on top of
the coffee.
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On first sip, the taste and sensation of the sweet hot coffeewhiskey coming through the thick cold cream is one to be savored
and offers something that the pleasant and comforting other version
just doesn’t have. As you sip, the cream starts to get mixed in and
the drink becomes cooler and creamier. Whether you’ve got to go
grocery shopping, watching sports on TV or studying, this drink
is a great way to start your day. Pair with bacon and eggs, birthday
cake or a cigar.
Next on the menu is stout. Whether it’s Guinness, the old dry
Irish standby, or one of the many varieties of delicious stout being
made by America’s mighty microbrews, the dark, toasty flavors of
stout are a great companion on a cold day.
In addition to the warming sensation the alcohol in stout
provides, many are brewed with familiar, comforting ingredients
like cocoa, coffee, milk and oatmeal. Some are aged in oak barrels,
which provide additional woody, vanilla flavors. Though some
consider Guinness a heavy beer because of its malty flavors, it’s
actually low in alcohol by volume compared to most American
stouts on the market.