A day of luck, of celebration, and everything green - and then some. St Patrick's Day comes but once a year, although the parties and revelry can last several days. If you play your cards right, and with a little luck, you can check off every St. Patrick's Day drink your heart desires. Just not all of them...nobody wants to be green with a hangover.
Whiskey Tea
A sweet and slightly tart combination of Irish whiskey, tea, and lemon, this easy sipper is delicious. Don't fear this tea, it's a balanced drink that won't leave you staggering like a Long Island iced tea.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce peach schnapps
- 4 ounces iced tea
- Ice
- Lemon wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add whiskey, lemon juice, peach schnapps, and ice tea.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lemon slice and mint sprig.
Nutty Irishman Iced Coffee
The Irish coffee gets a makeover with a little ice and the sweet, nutty flavors of hazelnut liqueur to kick this riff to the next level.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces whiskey
- ¾ ounce hazelnut liqueur
- ¾ ounce Irish cream
- ½ ounce amaretto
- Iced coffee to top off
- Cream, to taste
- Ice
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice and Irish cream.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, whiskey, hazelnut liqueur, and amaretto.
- Shake to chill.
- Pour over ice and Irish cream.
- Top off with iced coffee.
Classic Irish Coffee
Put a little Irish pep in your step with the beloved and fan-favorite Irish coffee. It's perfect for warming up before you head out into the March weather.
Irish Mule
It's St Patrick's Day, so the regular Moscow mule just won't do. Hop a flight to Dublin to twist it into an Irish mule that's a perfect fit for this holiday.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Crushed ice
- Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or copper mug, add ice, whiskey, and lime juice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.
Baby Guinness Martini
Typically served as a shot, this cocktail tastes just like a Guinness without the fullness after the last sip. Drink it slow, otherwise this will really sham-rock you.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces coffee liqueur
- 1 ounce cold coffee
- ¼ ounce brown crème de cacao
- ½ ounce Irish cream
- Ice
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add coffee liqueur, cold coffee, and brown crème de cacao.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Slowly pour Irish cream over the back of a spoon to layer on top, creating a look similar to beer foam.
Baileys Thin Mint
There's more to green St. Patrick's drinks than food coloring to reach your end goal. The Baileys Thin Mint martini delivers on the chocolate mint flavors, but any Baileys Irish cream recipe will add a little something extra to your St. Patrick's Day.
Irish Eyes
A stunning blue-green cocktail, this drink is nearly tropical in flavor, but the color makes for an excellent cocktail to toast to health, wealth, and happiness on St. Patrick's Day.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce green apple schnapps
- 1 ounce blue curaçao
- Club soda to top off
- Ice
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, Midori, and blue curaçao.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Irish Soul
A sweet and creamy martini that isn't green. This goes great with lunch, but it doesn't pair well with an endless number of shots.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Irish whiskey
- 1½ ounces Drambuie
- 1½ ounces Irish cream
- ¾ ounce cream
- Ice
- Bitters for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Irish whiskey, Irish mist, Irish cream, and regular cream.
- Shake well to chill and create foam.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with 2-3 drops of bitters, creating a design.
Irish Drinks
If you prefer your Irish whiskey front and center, lean on an Irish old-fashioned to take your mental vacation to Ireland with an Irish drink.
Irish Maid
A quick flick of the wrist to muddle cucumber, and then you're on your way to a soft whiskey drink for St. Patrick's Day. Don't want to muddle? No, I get it. Just toss the cucumber into the shaker and give it a few extra shakes to get that muddled cucumber flavor.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cucumber slices
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce elderflower liqueur
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Cucumber slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber with simple syrup.
- Add ice, Irish whiskey, lemon juice, and elderflower liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cucumber slice.
Pot of Gold Cocktail
Whiskey, ginger, and scotch come out to play in a smoky cocktail that'll bring the pot of gold from the bottom of the rainbow right to your hand.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Irish whiskey
- ¼ ounce scotch
- ¾ ounce ginger honey simple syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Edible gold flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a Nick and Nora glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Irish whiskey, scotch, ginger honey simple syrup, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with edible gold flakes.
Jello Shots
Put the jig in jiggling jello shots (say that five times fast) this St. Patrick's Day. Make it green or make it with Irish whiskey. There's no wrong way.
Irish Jig Julep
Irish whiskey is the indisputable star on St. Patrick's Day, that and green drinks. No, you don't need any green food coloring here. Homemade mint simple syrup will give your julep that soft green glow.
Ingredients
- 1-2 fresh mint leaves
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- ¾ ounce mint simple syrup
- Crushed ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or julep cup, muddle the mint leaves with mint simple syrup.
- Add crushed ice and Irish whiskey.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
Black Velvet Cocktail
Your eyes don't deceive you, this is a sparkling two-ingredient cocktail that flips the usual beertail on the head. You're going to want to use Guinness, but if that's out of reach, another dry stout will do.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Guinness
- 4 ounces prosecco
Instructions
- In a cocktail glass, add Guinness.
- Top off with prosecco.
Baileys Shot
Bust out the most famous of Irish cream this St Patrick's Day, give it a shake, and take a shot. This gets the St. Patrick's party started!
Emerald Martini
Like the Irish julep, the emerald martini uses fresh, herbaceous ingredients to flip the script on all those sweet St Patrick's Day drinks for something a bit more adult.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cucumber wheels
- 1-2 fresh basil leaves
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lime peel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber wheels with simple syrup.
- Add ice, gin, lime juice, and basil leaves.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a lime peel.
Green Drinks
It's not St Patrick's Day without a green drink or two in your hand.
Guinness Float
There's no shame in the low-key holiday game. Some of us like to hang at home and take it easy, but we don't want to totally miss out on the fun. A pint of ice cream and a dry stout, you know, like Guinness, makes for a St. Patrick's Day dessert AND drink.
Ingredients
- 1-3 scoops ice cream, vanilla or chocolate
- Dry stout to top off
Ingredients
- In a rocks or pint glass, add ice cream.
- Top off with dry stout.
Nonalcoholic Irish Drinks
The luck of the Irish still runs through your veins with mocktail St Patrick's Day recipes. All of the attitude, none of the booze.
Irish Whiskey Smash
Don't put your muddler away just yet if you've been sipping on gimlets. But do grab your Irish whiskey and get smashing!
Ingredients
- 3-5 lemon wedges
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- ¾ ounce honey syrup
- ¼ ounce pear liqueur
- 2-3 fresh mint leaves
- Crushed ice
- Mint sprig and lemon slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle lemon wedges with honey syrup.
- Add ice, whiskey, pear liqueur, and mint leaves.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and lemon slice.
St Patrick's Day in a Glass
Capture the luck of the Irish or at least the spirit of St Patrick's Day in a cocktail fit for any lad or lass. Whether it's green beer or something less green but stronger, you'll be dancing a jig in no time.
