The Best Boozy Coffee Creamer Is Appalachian Sippin’ Cream
Because I, like many Americans, rely on a caffeine boost to get through the morning, I’m constantly on the lookout for new and creative ways to jazz up a boring cup of coffee. Despite the hype surrounding fruity flavours and nutty aromas, coffee is primarily used to wake me up, not to provide a delectable flavour experience. That is, until I became acquainted with Appalachian Sippin’ Cream.
Made with unaged whisky (read: legal moonshine), this sweet cream liqueur is a modern take on traditional Irish cream. Flavors include butter pecan, banana pudding, and “electric orange.” I’d never heard of Appalachian Sippin’ Cream, which is made by Sugarlands Distilling in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, until my mother stuffed a small jar into my Christmas stocking. I poured a slug into my morning coffee on her advice and now I can’t stop.
As much as I enjoy a classic shot of french vanilla Coffeemate, Appalachian Sippin’ Cream is superior to anything available in the supermarket. Sippin’ Cream imparts sweetness, velvety texture, and the tiniest hint of booze to even the most miserably brewed coffee, transforming it into something creamy and delectable. It is free of the strange emulsifiers and high sugar content that give regular flavoured coffee creamer its thick, strange mouthfeel. And because it’s only 40 proof, a tablespoon or two in a mug of coffee provides only a mild buzz for even the lightest-weight drinkers, which is preferable in the morning when we’re expected to do annoying things like “commute to work” and “perform labour for money” as functional members of society.
If any amount of alcohol in the morning seems excessive to you, it’s worth noting that Appalachian Sippin’ Cream is also quite delicious in the evenings, stirred into a mug of black tea or hot cocoa and enjoyed while lounging with a book. Additionally, the distillery’s website features a number of recipes that incorporate the libation into desserts such as bread pudding and pound cake, both of which sound absolutely incredible.
Additionally, I enjoy the connection between this boozy coffee creamer and one of the most absurd reality shows in American television history — Discovery’s Moonshiners. Set in rural Tennessee and other Appalachian locales, the show chronicles the exploits of moonshiners such as the legendary Jim Tom Hedrick as they make illegal booze in the mountains. Numerous cast members have entered the legal whisky market with their own branded moonshines through Sugarlands Distilling, including Jim Tom’s unaged rye and a cinnamon-flavored’shine created by moonshiner Steven Ray Tickle.
