Hello dear reader, and welcome back to YCC, Shopify, coffee blog. We’ve been through a lot of changes together, haven't we?
February gave us a sneak peek at our future holiday offerings and promotions. Additionally, there's a wide variety of flavors to come! January saw the triumphant send off of our beloved Dude’s Roast, and curious spotted bird with an affinity for psychedelics perched in its place.
Speaking of the Dude’s Roast, I’m happy to report on the return of The Big LeBREWski Fest. Chances are, forthcoming April 1st and 2nd is going to see the streets of NE Ohio crawling with boomers dressed in bathrobes and bowling shoes. What’s amazing is 90% of them won’t be in cosplay as Jeff Bridges, that’s just Spring vogue.
Anyway, BirdFish Brewery has a great line-up of Beers on tap, including the return of their tremendous White Russian Imperial Stout! Additionally, Roast Master Luke is already hard at work, brewing a very special Cold Brew, extracted from our Dude’s Roast 2.0. This unique Cold Brew will be on tap at multiple venues and is made exclusively for the festival.
Go with the flow, come celebrate the 1998 film that spawned the Church of the Latter-Day Dude. For more information on venues and times, click here.
Moving forward, let’s take some advice from those non-doctrinal, Doaist, Dudest-Priests (yes, that is a real thing) and be in the present. With our heels still hot off the trail of 2021, we find ourselves in the year of our Lord 2022, budding the ides of March, on the cusp of St Patrick’s Day.
God be praised.
Let’s get into the spirit of the holiday, with a spot of our Chocolate Bourbon coffee, or some of the finest whiskey infused beans on this side of the Highlander Grogg. Authentically roasted and bagged by our resident ginger.
Actual picture of Luke moments before he hands me a womdigous towel whipping
Not to mention if you’re reading this between March 10-17 both flavors are currently 20% Off!
But I digress. If you’re looking for the authentic Irish experience, look no further than the Foynes Irish Coffee Recipe.
But as per usual, a brief history.
Like a speck on a map, Foynes is a tiny, West Coast town in Limerick, Ireland. With a population of only 600 today, you wouldn’t expect much. But It’s here that commercial air travel was born.
During World War II, Pan Am’s famous flying boats carried a diverse range of people, from Ernest Hemingway, John F. Kennedy to refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe.
Today there exists the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, tucked away by the roadside. All but a massive Clipper plane outside that usually tips people off. Inside, there are a range of exhibits, as well as a replica B314 Flying Boat that you can board and explore.
But if we wind the clocks back to 1943, the runways are active and the base is swinging. Since the airbase was usually a stop over for longer flights to refuel, and oftentimes due to weather, passengers would need to stay for the night. The Foynes airport was appointed a new Catering Comptroller and a new restaurant was created to cater to these dignified passengers.
One day a young man by the name of Joe Sheridan came to fill the position of Chef. Slipping the Comptroller an application that read, “Dear Sir, I’m the man for the job…”
Like a Docta, ladies and gentlemen! Brendan O’Regan, the Comptroller, is impressed and my man Sheridan gets the job.
That winter, mid way through its journey a flight had to turn back to Foynes due to a storm. Chef Sheridan, seeing the cold and downtrodden passengers went into the kitchen to concoct a drink to brighten their spirits.
As the story goes, you could hear a pin drop as everyone tasted the now renowned Irish Coffee. All hail the man who fused a stimulant and a depressant into the same cup. God I love the Irish.
I implore you to read up on the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum. Their website further details the lives of Sheridan and O’Regan, the worldwide takeover of Foynes’ Original Irish Coffee and much more. I had no idea the backstory of a beverage recipe could be so heartwarming.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to homebrew myself one of Chef Sheridan’s creations. It is March in the midwest after all, and I need something to warm my bones.
I’m going to use YCC’s Breakfast Blend, which as a daylight saving promotion is also 20% Off until March 14th! How about that. Below, I’ve also posted the steps as directed, all credit goes to Foynes and Sheridan:
Step One: Preheat your Foynes Irish coffee glass by filling it with boiling water for 5 seconds, then pour the water out.
Step Two: Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and a good measure of Irish whiskey into the warmed glass.
Step Three: Fill the glass to within 1 cm of the brim with hot, strong black coffee. Stir well to dissolve all the brown sugar.
Step Four: Carefully pour lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the coffee.
Step Five: Do not stir after adding the cream; optimal flavor comes from drinking the coffee and Irish whiskey through the cream.
Have yourselves a magical, cut-loose St Paddy's Day and be safe folks.
sources : https://www.flyingboatmuseum.com/meet-chef-joe-sheridan-inventor-irish-coffee/
https://www.flyingboatmuseum.com/meet-dr-brendan-oregan/