How Much Alcohol Is In Baileys Irish Cream?

As a tasty indulgence during the holidays or waiting on standby in the fridge for a regular treat, Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur is one of the world's most classic alcohol brands — even better-known than Ireland's iconic Guinness stout. While Guinness may be Ireland's most valued export, Baileys is actually the country's most internationally recognizable, according to the consulting firm Brand Finance. Its sweet, creamy flavor just begs to be savored slowly — you can almost hear the slow glug, glug pour of the thick liquid from the bottle.

But it tastes so sweet and rich that you may barely taste any alcohol at all. So just how much alcohol is in Baileys, exactly? 

Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur is 17% alcohol by volume, a little more than the 14% alcohol content of an average glass of wine. Baileys is a liqueur, meaning it's a mixture of distilled spirits (liquor) with other ingredients, so they're generally lower in alcohol content than your standard vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, or tequila. Those are usually around 40% to 55% alcohol, while liqueurs are usually between 15% and 30%. 

While Baileys' recipe is proprietary, it's a mixture of Irish whiskey and spirits, dairy cream, sugar, vanilla, and chocolate. Although produced in Ireland, Baileys was actually developed in 1973 outside of London, initially as an Irish Cream Chocolate Liqueur. Before taking it to market, chocolate was removed from the description, as the team behind it felt that, especially in the early '70s, the word didn't denote a premium liqueur. And, to this day, the flavors of Baileys blend so seamlessly together, it may come as a surprise that it contains chocolate at all.

Because the blend is so thoughtfully comprehensive, Baileys is perfectly delicious served on its own — chilled, on the rocks, or even at room temperature. It does, however, mix beautifully in cocktails, like the classic mudslide, or as an added touch of extra creamy sweetness in a white Russian or espresso martini. Baileys will help take your Irish coffee to the next level and is a wonderfully unexpected addition to a bourbon and cola — like a boozy ice cream float.

But dessert is where Baileys truly shines. It makes an amazing after-dinner indulgence poured over ice cream or sipped along with it. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, salted caramel, mint — Baileys pairs easily with almost any flavor. Or dive further into the Irish theme and impress your guests with a Baileys Irish soda bread ice cream recipe. Whatever your purprose, Baileys is a nice addition to the liquor cabinet for a complex cocktail or sweet and simple treat.