Irish Whiskey

another world

Ok, I´m almost certain I know this but I´ll just double check with some people a lot more knowledgable on this than me.

Going to be preparing Irish Whiskeys for non-irish people this weekend and want to get it as close as possible to the real thing. The way I remember it (from many moons ago) is:

Whiskey
Boiling water
Lemon
Cloves

Is there anything else in it? Any particular issues with the process?

Cheers

Random

Don't do what my Mam got in some fancy restaurant one night ... they heated the whiskey and delivered it in a glass

Ponster

Slice the lemon and stick the cloves into it. That prevents them from floating in the glass and people picking them out of their mouth.


edit: you mean hot whiskeys don't you?


edit 2: you forgot the sugar !

Brockagh

Yes, as Ponster says, you need a bit of sugar. Brown if you have it. And it's a hot whiskey or hot toddy. Also, I think you should use Powers Gold Label whiskey.

another world

Thanks! Yeah, I meant Hot Whiskey. I knew I had something wrong with the name because nothing was coming up on google that looked like what I was thinking :rolleyes:

Sarky

Honey makes for an interesting replacement for sugar. Worth a try.

shanel23

Sarky wrote: »

Honey makes for an interesting replacement for sugar. Worth a try.

I always use for honey for that added medicinal benefit

another world

shanel23 wrote: »

I always use for honey for that added medicinal benefit

Sounds good with honey. I´ve also seen it with a cinnamon stick in there. Maybe that could be good too...

Brockagh

And... don't forget to use a glass that's heat-proof...

another world

Brockagh wrote: »

And... don't forget to use a glass that's heat-proof...

mmm... that could be my biggest problem!!

Jersey Girl

Hot Irish Mist is also very nice. No sugar or cloves needed. Try it you won't be disappointed.

Fallen Buckshot

Ahh dont forget the pipes tobacco with yer whiskey punch for real authenticity

Davidth88

And... don't forget to use a glass that's heat-proof..

I wouldn't test the theory , but I was always told to have a teaspoon in the glass and this will prevent the glass from shattering .... might be an old wives tale of course.

I always use Paddy Whiskey TBH , no idea why though.

With the onset of this flu pandemic perhaps how to make this should be put onto the HSE's FAQ about flu :-)

Ponster

Davidth88 wrote: »

I wouldn't test the theory , but I was always told to have a teaspoon in the glass and this will prevent the glass from shattering .... might be an old wives tale of course.

Nope. It's actually science

The metal spoon will draw heat away from the glass decreasing the chances of it cracking when you pour boiling water into it.

Davidth88

Thanks Ponster , I wanted to say that , but I didn't dare , figured I might have a lawsuit flying my way if the glass shattered or somehting .

Brockagh

Ponster wrote: »

Nope. It's actually science

The metal spoon will draw heat away from the glass decreasing the chances of it cracking when you pour boiling water into it.

I have heard that too, but I'm a scientist and can't really see how that works. If you put boiling water in a cold glass, a spoon isn't going to affect the temperature increase in the glass by very much at all.

If you pour boiling water over your hand and then repeat the experiement while holding a spoon, I don't think you'll notice much of a difference.


Maybe it does work, though, or there are other forces at work.

the beer revolu

+1 on the honey.

Also a couple of thin slices of fresh ginger is very nice too!

Red Sleeping Beauty

Ponster wrote: »

Nope. It's actually science

The metal spoon will draw heat away from the glass decreasing the chances of it cracking when you pour boiling water into it.

Yeah this will also cool down the whiskey a bit so you can drink it rather than just getting it to luke warm and then having to knock it back before it cools.

I leave the spoon in the cup when I'm doing an "Irish coffee" as well. I don't bother with extra stuff with a hot whiskey though. Must try it.

Brockagh

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Yeah this will also cool down the whiskey a bit so you can drink it rather than just getting it to luke warm and then having to knock it back before it cools.

I leave the spoon in the cup when I'm doing an "Irish coffee" as well. I don't bother with extra stuff with a hot whiskey though. Must try it.

If the purpose of the spoon is just to cool the liquid, why not just use cooler liquid in the first place?

Töpher

Brockagh wrote: »

If the purpose of the spoon is just to cool the liquid, why not just use cooler liquid in the first place?

The temperature of the liquid initially affects the flavour (just try making a cup of tea with warm water!)

Red Sleeping Beauty

Yeah what Topher said.

Brockagh

Töpher wrote: »

The temperature of the liquid initially affects the flavour (just try making a cup of tea with warm water!)

But the liquid is being cooled by the spoon, so the theory goes. So you're back to where you started with cooler water, regardless of whether it's a spoon that cooled it or time that cooled it. If the spoon cools the water enough to protect the glass, it will also affect the flavour.

Fallen Buckshot

Brockagh wrote: »

But the liquid is being cooled by the spoon, so the theory goes. So you're back to where you started with cooler water, regardless of whether it's a spoon that cooled it or time that cooled it. If the spoon cools the water enough to protect the glass, it will also affect the flavour.

i think wot they tryin to say when ya meat is cooked in dont matter if it gets cool its still cooked

ladhrann

If you wish to serve Irish whiskey, then place it in a glass and serve. Any 40% vol. spirit worth its salt should be palatable at room temperature.

Re: Hot whiskey, use the cheapest stuff you have (as you are adding and changing the flavour). You can also pre-heat the glasses as you would a tea-pot so that they do not shatter.

Davidth88

I like the idea of ginger !

My grandmother , who was English used to drink scotch whisky and ginger wine , a conconction that would blow anyone's head off .

On the spoon debate, I was taught it when I was a kid , and I have never broken a glass making a hot whiskey ( yet ) , no idea of the science behind it , maybe the metal is a better conductor of heat or something ?

Ponster

Brockagh wrote: »

Maybe it does work, though, or there are other forces at work.

I didn't go deeper into it as this is the Beer & Wine a Spirits forum but you are probably correct.

Glass and metal have different thermal conductivities (Metal absorbs heat 16 times more effectively than glass) so it should help when you first pour water in but I believe that the spoon acts to deflect the water and avoid it being focused on one spot in the glass.

Brockagh

Fallen Buckshot wrote: »

i think wot they tryin to say when ya meat is cooked in dont matter if it gets cool its still cooked

Sorry for sidetracking the discussion. There may very well be something to this spoon thing, but I think my point is being missed. Every hot whiskey I've seen is mixed in the glass. People seem to be saying that when the hot water goes into the glass, the spoon conducts away the heat from the glass so that it doesn't break, but, magically, it doesn't conduct the heat away from the ingredients it's supposed to infuse.

Much more important than a spoon, I'd say, is making sure the glass is not cold when you put the hot water in, so the expansion of the glass is more even and less rapid. Rince it with warm water first. Glasses break because of rapid thermal expansion.

Anyway, I've bored everyone enough already with this. My apologies.

the beer revolu

Davidth88 wrote: »

I like the idea of ginger !

My grandmother , who was English used to drink scotch whisky and ginger wine , a conconction that would blow anyone's head off .

On the spoon debate, I was taught it when I was a kid , and I have never broken a glass making a hot whiskey ( yet ) , no idea of the science behind it , maybe the metal is a better conductor of heat or something ?

MMmm, that's a Whisky Mac - very nice.

You quite often see Stones Ginger wine in pubs here.

Lapin

ladhrann wrote: »

If you wish to serve Irish whiskey, then place it in a glass and serve. Any 40% vol. spirit worth its salt should be palatable at room temperature.

Re: Hot whiskey, use the cheapest stuff you have (as you are adding and changing the flavour). You can also pre-heat the glasses as you would a tea-pot so that they do not shatter.

This is quite possibly the best post I have ever had the good fortune to read on this site.

I agree with it thoroughly.