As we continue celebrating Long Beach Last Call 2026—a 10-day, multi-event celebration of our city’s rich bar culture and the people who make it happen—we will offer a series of features that highlight events like this feature on The Auld Dubliner’s annual Irish coffee class… All in order to lift a glass to a social and economic driver that rarely receives the love it deserves: our bar industry. For more information on Long Beach Last Call, tap here.
Despite having been here for 20 years, the vast majority of visitors to Long Beach’s Auld Dubliner don’t know just how properly Irish the space is. Which is precisely why we host an annual Irish coffee class at the DTLB pub for Long Beach Last Call.
Wait—what makes Auld Dubliner so “properly Irish”?
Led by Limerick native David Copley, The Auld Dubliner isn’t a space in which cheap Irish decorations were thrown up onto a space that could have otherwise been any bar. The entirety of the space was designed in Ireland by John Heverin of Òl Irish Pubs. And when I mean the entirety, I mean each piece was designed and fabricated for the space and imported from Ireland for the build out. The result? A simultaneously hyper-traditional and thoroughly Long Beach pub.
The Dub is not only a space where there is a perpetual play between American and Irish cultures. It is also a direct reflection of when the beauty of immigration is met with the opportunity America has. (Or, at least, has for some.) And how that can make a local environment flourish. The realness of that opportunity is something Copley is not remiss to directly address continually, despite having arrived decades ago.
So what is this Irish coffee class all about?
Many poor souls believe an Irish coffee is simply coffee and Irish cream liqueur—and they couldn’t be further from the source material. There’s a rich history behind the drink that eventually became famous Stateside thanks to the Buena Vista in San Francisco, where heavy cream, dark as can be coffee, and Tullamore D.E.W. whiskey are combined to create a drink that is as special as it is downable.
This year, we have a new brand representing the event as Tullamore D.E.W. steps away: Lost Irish Whiskey. The brand’s story—an ode to the many Irish people who were forced to leave the island in order to find more opportunities—is one that is perfectly resonant with today’s climate.
Even more? Tim Herlihy, renowned Irish whiskey expert and co-founder of Lost Irish Whiskey, will be directly on hand to talk about the brand. Lost Irish was launched in December 2021 alongside Neil Sands and Casa Lumbre. Previously a brand ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W., Herlihy developed this brand to “reflect modern Ireland and the Irish diaspora, featuring a unique blend of grain, malt, and pot still whiskey aged in casks from six continents,” per David Copley.
Following, we will have a “Split the G” competition, where drinkers can win prizes for taking a single gulp of Guinness from a Guinness glass and do their best to assure the top line of the beer matches with the center of the “G” on the glass.
Tickets to this event are $30 and there is a limited capacity. To purchase your ticket, click here.
Wait–you mention Long Beach Last Call 2026. What is it?
Long Beach Last Call was born following the success of my restaurant week, Long Beach Food Scene Week, and serves as a 10-day toast to the bars, bartenders, and cocktail creatives that define Long Beach’s drinking culture.
Designed as both a celebration and a spotlight, the citywide event highlights the craftsmanship behind the stick—from meticulously built classics, like the special NOLA-centric menu at The Ordinarie this year, to boundary-pushing original creations, like those at Olive & Rose—while encouraging locals to explore neighborhood institutions and hidden gems alike.
At its core, Long Beach Last Call isn’t just about cocktails; it’s about community, storytelling, and honoring the independent spaces that give the city its distinct flavor after dark. And Marlena is a part of that—so go order a drink
Hence, Long Beach Last Call 2026. And The Auld Dubliner is a part of that—so go order a drink.
The Auld Dubliner is located at 71 S. Pine Ave. The Long Beach Last Call Irish coffee class will be on Sunday, Mar. 8, from 11AM to 12:30PM. For tickets, click here.
