St. Patrick’s Day is coming, everyone, and you know what that means! Time to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, all thanks to the Roman British man who was kidnapped by Gaelic raiders as a teen, found God while working as a shepherd, made his way back to Britain, and then returned to Ireland to spread his faith and also banish snakes, which was probably pretty easy to do, even without God’s help, because Ireland didn’t have snakes in the 5th century.
Yaaaaaay!
Alright, if we’re all being honest here, our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations probably have less to do with honoring a Christian saint than they do with having a socially acceptable excuse to indulge in alcohol to excess. There are multiple theories as to why ‘the drink’ has become such an integral part of the holiday, but suffice it to say that when the feast day was observed religiously, the Lenten restriction on drinking was lifted, which resulted in something of a one night-March-Mardi Gras.
Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick, Irish culture, or just a really good drink, we’ve got you covered with the bars, drinks, and recipes below!
Irish Coffee — GreenRiver — Chicago
What’s St. Patrick’s Day without an Irish coffee? GreenRiver’s head bartender Julia Momose does it right with Jameson Caskmates, house coffee, and whipped cream. If you won’t be in Chicago on the 17th, the luck of the Irish is still with you, because we’ve got the recipe here:
Ingredients:
- .75 oz Irish Coffee whiskey blend (made up of 3/4 Jameson Caskmates to 1/4 Cynar)
- Irish Coffee base (made up of 10 parts GreenRiver brewed coffee to 1 part demerara syrup)
- Whipped cream
- Nutmeg for garnish
Directions:
- Pour .75 Irish Coffee whiskey blend into pre-heated sherry glass.
- Fill glass with Irish Coffee base.
- Top with delicate layer of hand-whipped cream.
- Garnish with nutmeg.
Four Leaf Clover — JW Marriott Chicago Lobby Lounge — Chicago
You could spend your whole life looking for a four leaf clover, or you could mix one up for yourself. Talk about making your own luck!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz gin
- 3/4 oz lime juice
- 3/4 oz mint syrup
Directions:
- Combine all the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
- Strain into a martini glass.
Patrick’s Mule — Hinoki & the Bird — Los Angeles
There’s no shame in enjoying a Guinness for the holiday, but if you’re looking for a cocktail instead, bartender Feisser Stone suggests this Irish riff on a Moscow mule.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Red Breast 12 year Irish whiskey
.5 oz Lime juice
.75 oz Sweetened ginger juice
.5 oz Benedictine
Club soda
Ginger candy garnish
Directions:
- Add all ingredients in a shaker (except club soda) and shake without ice.
- Pour into an iced Collins glass and top off with club soda.
Leprechaun’s Luck — BIG Bar at the Hyatt Regency Chicago — Chicago
For the love of all the banished snakes of Ireland, drink something other than green beer this St. Patrick’s Day. Chicago’s BIG Bar offers this festive cocktail as an option for those of us who would like to drink the green, as well as wear it.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Vodka
- .5 oz Midori
- .5 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
- .5 oz Lemonade
- Dash of bitters
Directions:
- Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Pot of Gold — Cafe Eugene — East Bay, California
Finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Have you guys even seen Leprechaun? Not worth it, man. Not worth it. Why not make one of your own, with Cafe Eugene bar owner and manager Ryan Murff’s recipe?
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Bushmills
- .5 oz Yellow chartreuse
- 1 oz Lemon juice
- .25 oz Agave nectar
- Fee Brothers lemon bitters
- Basil leaf garnish
Directions:
- Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake and strain into a coupe.
Nevisian Rainforest — Indigo Bar at Montpelier Plantation & Beach — Nevis
There’s more than one way to go green this St. Patrick’s Day. Bartender Kaddy Simmonds created this cocktail to honor the holiday, as well as the Nevisian rainforest, and the Caribbean resort’s commitment to sustainable living and green practices. Not a bad reason to raise a glass!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Spiced rum
- 1 1/2 oz Coconut rum
- 1/2 oz Creme de Banana
- 2 oz Orange juice
- 2 oz Pineapple juice
- 1/8 oz Melon liqueur
- 1/8 oz Blue Curaçao
Directions:
- Shake the first five ingredients together and pour into a cocktail or daiquiri glass.
- Float the melon liqueur and blue curaçao on top and stir, which brings out the green.
- Garnish with a fresh lime slice.
Crimson & Clover & the Golden Harp — MiniBar — Hollywood, California
Nothing says St. Patrick’s Day like clovers and alcohol. MiniBar’s Jeremy Allen offers a stirred and boozy clover-infused cocktail to celebrate the holiday.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz clover & orange blossom-infused Jameson — to infuse, combine 1 cup orange blossoms and 1/2 cup green clover per 1 liter of Jameson. Steep 20 minutes and strain.
- 5 oz Dry curaçao
- Green Chartreuse
Directions:
- Combine 1.5 oz clover & orange blossom-infused Jameson with .5 oz curaçao in a chilled rocks glass.
- Add ice and stir.
- Float a barspoon-full of Green Chartreuse on top and garnish with a fresh, edible flower.
Green Gimlet — Hangar 1 Vodka — Created by The Forest Feast
Simple and refreshing, a Green Gimlet won’t take much more effort on your part than cracking open a beer and adding the obligatory green dye, leaving you plenty of time to mingle with guests!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Hangar 1 straight vodka
- Juice from one lime
- Cucumber slices for garnish
- Mint for garnish
Directions:
- Combine ingredients and stir together.
- Garnish with lime wedge, cucumber slice, and fresh mint.
The Mexican Clover — Jose Cuervo
Trade in the gold at the end of your rainbow for silver. Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, to be exact.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila
- 1 oz Melon liqueur
- .5 oz Triple sec
- Splash of orange juice
Directions:
- Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake well.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange slice.
The Green Boxer — 1800 Tequila
1800 Tequila offers this fruity, refreshing St. Paddy’s day option that packs a punch!
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz 1800 silver tequila
- .5 oz Fresh squeezed orange juice
- .5 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- .5 oz Lime juice cordial
- .25 oz Green chartreuse
Directions:
- Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
