As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States this week ordered companies to remove caffeinated alcohol drinks from their shelves,worries were expressed, but Irish coffees have been deemed safe.

The controversy came to a head just weeks ago when nine university students in Washington passed out and had to be hospitalized after drinking a popular alcohol-caffeine drink called Four Loko.

Robert McKenna, Washington state Attorney General, said “We didn't see these kinds of incidents when people were drinking Irish coffee or drinking regular energy drinks and adding alcohol”.

The FDA sent warning letter to four companies: Core High Gravity HG, Moonshot, Joose, Max and Four Loko. Some of these premixed drinks contains the equivalent caffeine of two or three cups of coffee and the alcohol of three cans of beer.

Obviously not a good idea when you put it like that, I hear you say?

Here’s a recipe for the perfect Irish Coffee, which of course should be drank responsibly, but is highly unlikely to cause major palpitations and hospitalization if drank if moderation.

As the saying goes – if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and this recipe certain ain’t broken.

IRISH COFFEE

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. of Jameson Irish whiskey
5-7 oz. hot coffee or 2 shots of espresso
1-2 tsp. brown sugar
cream

Method:

Run hot water slowly over a glass mug until it’s at room temperature or hotter, and then dry it.
Add brown sugar to mug
Pour in whiskey
Add coffee or espresso, leaving room at top for whipped cream
Stir until sugar is completely dissolved
Turn over a spoon above the glass and pour the cream slowly over the spoon into the coffee