Bushmill is the oldest distillery in Ireland, as well as the world,
dating back to 1608 when a Grant to
Distill was given. It is generally
believed that monks distilled a brew at least 200 years before that.
Bushmill’s oldest facility is on the
edge of the town by the same name, but the facility at Midleton, part of the
Jameson Heritage Center, is the largest of its several distilleries. Each facility produces a different brand of
Irish whiskey, and most are blends.
Jameson distilled Ireland’s famous whiskey
over 200 years, from 1791 until 1975 when distillers merged to form Irish
Distillers. Today the old Jameson distillery houses a museum and offices in Dublin, and the old brick 185-foot
tower has been topped with a two tiered glass enclosed viewing platform
providing a magnificent 360 degree panoramic view of Ireland’s capital. It is
part of Smithfield Village, a recreated Victorian era outdoor museum in the old
Haymarket.
In 1971 Gilbeys of Ireland set out to
create a uniquely Irish drink that would embrace two of the country's finest
products: fresh dairy cream and Irish whiskey, and celebrate one of Ireland's
finest traditions - just passing time and chilling out with friends. No one had
managed to blend cream and whiskey before, and it took years of patient work, plus a little
chocolate and vanilla, to create the truly amazing taste.
Finally, on November 26th 1974 a new
type of drink was born: Baileys® Irish
Crème, a cream liqueur. Now it is
the best selling liqueur brand in the world.
Baileys® uses the finest fresh cream from local dairies and whiskey from
Ireland’s most renowned distillery. The alcohol in Baileys® preserves the cream
in a wholly natural way and guarantees its freshness for long periods.
In 1759 Arthur Guinness took
over the defunct St. James Gate Brewery. At that time the brewing industry was
at a low ebb. In rural Ireland beer was virtually unknown as whiskey, gin and
poteen were favored drinks. Today the state of the art Guinness facility,
covering 65 acres, is the largest brewery in Europe and worldwide is second
only to Anheuser Bush in St. Louis. Initially Arthur brewed ale, but by the 1770s
a new drink, a strong black beer called porter, was being exported from London.
Arthur decided to brew this new beer himself, and the rest, as they say is
history. Guinness is a black beer called stout that is known for its
distinctive malty flavor and smooth creamy head. A pint of Guinness, 4.3% alcohol and shy of
200 calories, takes 119 seconds for the foam to settle after being poured.
In 1929 Guinness advertising
proclaimed, “Guinness is good for you.”
From 1939 to 1945 air travel from
America was by flying boats that landed at Foynes, Limerick after a long 18-hour flight. The
passengers, chilled by the boat trip from the seaplane to the terminal, often in
cold, damp weather conditions, appreciated a hot cup of coffee or tea on
arrival. The youthful manager of the Foynes catering service believed that
passengers would welcome something stronger. The head Chef at Foynes rose to
the occasion, developing, after some research, what is now known as Irish Coffee.
To
make a cup of Irish Coffee put:
1teaspoon of sugar in a cup, add a jigger of whiskey, fill with hot coffee. Stir then
turn a hot spoon
over placing at the edge of the cup,
barely above the coffee,
pour light cream over the spoon until it forms
a layer of white over the coffee. Enjoy.
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