It’s that time of year when we all want to feel a little Irish. This St. Patrick’s Day, why not try your luck at making some of these delicious cocktails inspired by the Emerald Isle?
Photography courtesy of Guinness
Guinness Bloody Mary
We’ll start with a distinctly Irish take on a traditional brunch drink, the Bloody Mary. This recipe is brought to us by Guinness, so you can likely guess what the Irish twist is!
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Ketel One® Vodka
- 3 oz. tomato juice
- 2 pinches celery salt
- 2 pinches pepper
- 1 dash of seafood seasoning
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 squeeze lemon
- 2 oz. Guinness® Draught
Rub a lemon wedge along the rim of a pint-sized glass, then roll the rim of the glass in celery salt. Fill with ice.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all of the ingredients except the draught. Shake and then strain into an ice-filled glass. Top it off with the Guinness Draught. Garnish with a celery stalk and lime wedge. Have a great St. Paddy’s Day morning!
Photography by Sweet Pea’s Kitchen
Luck of the Irish Cocktail
A discussion of Irish bar ideas wouldn’t be complete without Irish whiskey, and you’ll see it as a recurring theme here! This next cocktail from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen is a sweet way to incorporate it into a cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. Irish whiskey
- 2 oz. Peach schnapps
- 2 oz. Pineapple juice
- 1 drop Green food coloring
- 3 oz. Lime sparkling soda
- Cherries
- Mint
Add all ingredients except the sparkling soda to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until the green food coloring looks nice and blended. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and add the lime sparkling soda.
Garnish your drink with cherries and mint. Add pineapple slices, strawberries, or lime wedges for some additional fun!
Photography courtesy of Fleming’s Bond
Guinness Black Velvet
According to the folks at Guinness, the combination of Guinness Extra Stout and Champagne was first introduced when the steward at Brooks’s Club in London ordered that even the Champagne should be dressed in black to mark the death of Prince Albert in 1861.
This recipe is a simple one. Just fill a flute with equal parts Champagne and Guinness Extra Stout. The result is a curiously silky and velvety drink. Make a toast and enjoy!
Photography courtesy of Julie’s Eats and Treats
Pickle Back Shot at O’Connell’s on Drayton St.
Speaking of simple yet unusual combinations, the Pickle Back Shot is an oft-mentioned highlight of a visit to O’Connell’s Irish Pub on Drayton Street. Simply follow a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey with a shot of pickle juice!
It may sound a little bitter, but the salty pickle juice following the Jameson makes for an interesting savory experience. The name Pickle Back comes from the Brooklyn Bushwick Country Club where it was introduced. The combination is often thought of as a “hair of the dog” hangover remedy, so you might want to save this one until morning!
Photography courtesy of Baileys
Baileys Espresso Martini
Another St. Paddy’s day staple is the Baileys brand. This Baileys Espresso Martini is an interesting take on the classic cocktail using Baileys Espresso Cream. It’s a perfect after-dinner drink to wake you up for the rest of the festivities!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Baileys Espresso Creme Liqueur
- ¼ oz. Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
- ¼ oz. Espresso
Shake the mixture with ice, then strain into a martini glass. Baileys Irish Cream can be used instead of Espresso Creme, just add more espresso. Good strong coffee will work if you don’t have an espresso machine. Feel free to experiment for just the right blend!
Photography by The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios
Emerald Isle
Sometimes, just the color green is enough to get us in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. Green creme de menthe does the trick in this cocktail, with gin supplying the kick.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 oz. gin
- 1 tsp green creme de menthe
- 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
Mix the ingredients with ice, pour into a cocktail glass with ice and serve. Be careful not to add too much creme de menthe to avoid overpowering the gin.
Photography by Killian Lee
Jameson Old Fashioned
Now back to the Irish liquor for some old-fashioned St. Patrick’s Day flair! This old fashioned recipe is compliments of the folks at Jameson, with their delicious Black Barrel whiskey as the main ingredient.
Ingredients:
- 2 Parts Jameson Black Barrel
- 0.75 Parts Simple Syrup
- 2 Dashes Orange Bitters
- 1 Dash Soda Water
- Orange Peel
Fill a glass with ice and add the Jameson Black Barrel, simple syrup and orange bitters, then stir until it’s cold. Squeeze the oils from the orange peel around the rim of the glass and then use the peel for garnish. Sit back and enjoy!
By the way, simple syrup is just one cup of white sugar in one cup of boiling water, stirred until dissolved and allowed to cool.
Photography by Rachel Ray In Season
Guinness Float
A final easy one brings us to dessert. End the night with a slightly unusual way to enjoy your Guinness … in a float! It seems like an odd combination, but is really quite delicious. Who needs root beer when it’s the holiday for stout?
Ingredients:
- 1-2 scoops of vanilla or chocolate ice cream
- 1 can of Guinness stout
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate syrup
Simply scoop ice cream into a glass and pour the Guinness over it. Add whipped cream on top and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Yum!
We hope we’ve given you some fun and delicious ideas to try out this St. Patrick’s Day. In the future, all of you Upper East Riverites could ask your Geo. Meyer bartender to whip one of these up for you … on the house. 😉
