Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to find that old green shirt you wear once a year to avoid getting pinched. There’s a variety of ways to celebrate the Irish holiday, but of course our favorite revolves around coffee — Irish coffee that is.

For those of you not entirely familiar with the cocktail, here’s the classic recipe.

Simply put, it’s a delicious mixture of freshly brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream. The story behind Irish coffee dates back to 1942, when a new chef at the restaurant Joseph Sheridan, decided to show some Irish hospitality to Americans arriving by boat in the cold winter months. It was common in Ireland to put a little whiskey in tea to keep warm, but knowing American’s affinity for coffee, it dawned on the chef to mix coffee and whiskey instead, and thus Irish coffee was born.

Ten years later the Buena Vista restaurant in San Francisco decided to recreate the Irish classic, but it was no easy task. It took several attempts to finally become satisfied with their American version of Irish coffee, but the persistence was well worth it. Currently, the restaurant serves about 2,000 Irish coffees daily.

Today Irish coffee is fairly well known in America, so naturally, restaurants and Irish coffee enthusiasts alike have created their own twists on the signature beverage. Some people use espresso instead of coffee. Be warned, this might overpower the smooth taste of the Irish whiskey but we’ll let you be the judge.

Other alterations include adding small amounts cinnamon and nutmeg, for simple-yet-flavorful touch. Another suggestion is to add chocolate ice cream and chocolate fudge for a decadent sweet treat.

No matter which flavors you choose to emphasize in your cup of Irish joe, be sure to use premium coffee blends for the base of the drink. Our quality k-cups are the perfect ingredient for your Irish coffee endeavors, and they’ll be delivered to your doorstep hassle free. Happy brewing, and Happy St. Patty’s Day!