While working at The Interval, not far from Buena Vista Cafe, Mary Palac and the bar team talked frequently on the topic of Irish Coffees, a signature of the nearby bar. What began as a joke—a play on an Irish Coffee made with spiced chai—eventually became a bestseller at Paper Plane. For the drink, Palac combines Irish whiskey, cold brew and a chai syrup and tops the whole thing with chai spice–flavored whipped cream. “This,” she says, “is one of those drinks that I’d call a banger.”
Chai-Rish Coffee
Mary Palac, Paper Plane | San Jose, CA
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey, preferably Powers
- 2 ounces cold brew, preferably Academic Coffee
- 1/2 ounce chai syrup (see Editor’s Note)
Garnish: chai whipped cream
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a double rocks glass over ice.
- Stir to integrate.
- Garnish with chai whipped cream.
Editor's Note
Chai Syrup:
Brew 4 tea bags of chai in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and add 8 ounces of sugar. Dissolve and chill.
Chai Whipped Cream:
1/4 ounce Chai Syrup (see above)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 ounces heavy cream
Combine all ingredients in a protein shaker, and shake until you reach a rich, creamy consistency.