Baileys Drinks: From Baileys Coffee to the Flat White Martini
Baileys Irish Cream is a liqueur made from fresh Irish cream, Irish whiskey and cocoa, launched in Dublin in 1974. It is drunk neat over ice, in coffee, and in cocktails such as the Flat White Martini.
What is Baileys and how did it come about?
Baileys was the very first cream liqueur in the world. It was developed by a team led by David Gluckman for Gilbeys of Ireland, and the first experimental version was reportedly mixed from whiskey, cream and Cadbury drinking chocolate powder. The liqueur has 17 percent alcohol, and a year's production takes the milk of more than 30,000 Irish cows. Thanks to a patented process, an opened bottle keeps for up to two years without refrigeration.
How to drink Baileys the simple way
- Over ice: the simplest way, with the chill bringing out the chocolate notes.
- Baileys Coffee: 50 ml of Baileys in hot coffee instead of sugar and milk, with an optional layer of whipped cream. Irish Coffee's gentler sibling.
- Baileys Hot Chocolate: stirred into hot chocolate, the perfect winter drink.
Baileys cocktails worth trying
- Flat White Martini: Baileys, vodka and espresso shaken with ice, served in a cocktail glass with a foam like a flat white. A modern classic of recent years.
- Mudslide: Baileys, vodka and coffee liqueur, sometimes finished with chocolate. Dessert in a glass.
- B-52: a layered shot of coffee liqueur, Baileys and triple sec, named after the bomber. The layers hold thanks to the liqueurs' different densities.
What to avoid with Baileys
Cream liqueur curdles when combined with acidic ingredients, so steer clear of citrus, tonic and prosecco. And because it contains real cream, an opened bottle belongs somewhere cool and shaded, not on the windowsill.
At Little Island in Frydek-Mistek you will find Baileys Coffee and other creamy drinks on a list of more than 30 cocktails. Come and taste them at tr. T. G. Masaryka 1129. The full menu is at /napojovy-listek.