4 Festive St. Patrick’s Day Drink Recipes

Ah, St. Patty’s Day: The occasion is best known for its verdant veneer, Irish roots, and bibulous festivities. If you’re in need of St. Patrick’s Day party ideas for adults, there’s a wealth of drinks associated with the Emerald Isle, from some of the world’s finest whiskeys to dark, rich malts.

But no beverage screams “St. Patrick’s Day” quite as much as the Shamrock cocktail. With its lush green hue and invigorating flavor, it’s an annual favorite at St. Patty’s celebrations. 

So dust off your Crème de Menthe—we’re shaking up a Shamrock and 3 other superb mixes to serve your mates this St. Patrick’s day.

#1 The Classic Shamrock Cocktail

A widely-known cocktail, the Shamrock has evolved over the years as different bartenders mix up many variations. To kick things off, let’s go with the authentic version courtesy of the 1930s author and barkeep, the Irish-blooded Patrick Gavin Duffy.¹

This original recipe calls for the following:

• ½ ounce Irish whiskey
• ½ ounce Vermouth
• 3 dashes green Chartreuse liqueur
• 3 dashes Crème de Menthe

Here’s how to prepare it:

1. Pour your cocktail ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice
2. Agitate until combined, cooled, and diluted
3. Serve up in a small, stemmed glass adorned with a single olive

This powerfully flavored elixir is so refined your friends might find it fit for a high-end speakeasy, rather than a Patty’s party at your pad. Still, it’s a classic green cocktail and an intense, beautiful thing to behold. 

#2 The Shampop Slusher

The powerful bitter and minty notes of the classic Shamrock might be a bit much for some palates. Fear not, because SLIQ has you covered with a frozen mixed drink with whiskey that goes down far easier. 

This slushy surprise keeps the same green hue while ditching the high alcohol potency for a more balanced blend.

In the carafe of a blender, combine the following:

• 2 SLIQ Spirited Ice Frozen Whiskey Ginger Cocktail Pops
• 2 ounces Vermouth
• 16 ounces chilled peppermint tea
• 4 ounces apple juice (or more, if you like things sweeter)

To serve up this frozen delight:

1. Blend until combined and you reach a slushy consistency
2. Pour into four tall glasses and slide in straws
3. Offer to anyone willing to suffer a quick brain freeze for a delicious treat

The tea gives this incredible icey concoction the signature flavor and look of a classic Shamrock without the fiery whack of sipping pure alcohol. 

Of course, some may still desire to stick to the most classic of drinks. And by that, we don’t mean the Shamrock; we’re talking about…

#3 The Green Guinness

Hardly a party will be thrown on March 17th that doesn’t feature the mainstay of green beer. Guinness has long been a part of Irish heritage and identity, and many feel a strong, prideful connection to the brand on The Isle.²

The practice of drinking green beer on St. Patrick’s day is an entirely American tradition, however. Its roots can be traced to a New York social club on St. Patrick’s day, 1914, when the club’s owner had the brilliant idea to tint his beer green with laundry soap in celebration of the holiday.³

We won’t be telling you to potentially poison your pals here, however. Instead, grab the following:

• One standard 11-ounce bottle of Guinness
• Green food coloring

To get the perfect tint: 

1. Pour the beer into a transparent, chilled glass and allow the foam to settle a little
2. Add a single drop of food coloring and stir until it’s fully incorporated
3. Take note of the color and repeat as necessary until you get a tinge that’s to your liking. Don’t go overboard! Once it’s too dark, there’s no going back

The unique flavor of Guinness is beloved by many, but some may crave the rich chocolate and coffee notes of stout without the heavy, gassy gulp of a dark beer. If you find yourself in this dilemma, then we have the perfect cocktail for you…

#4 The Colder-Than-Kildare Irish Coffee

Kildare is the region where Ireland recorded its lowest-ever temperature (-18.8°C or -1.84°F).⁴ In honor of this accomplishment, we’ve crafted a cocktail that’s even frostier.

This play on an Irish coffee keeps the strong flavor but nixes the standard hot-to-handle serving style. To whip it up, assemble the following:

• 1 ounce Irish cream liqueur
• 6 ounces black coffee (cold brew or chilled overnight in the fridge)
• 1 ounce heavy cream
• 1 SLIQ Spirited Ice Frozen Whiskey Apple Cocktail Pop

Once you’ve got everything together:

1. Combine the liqueur, heavy cream, and coffee in a cocktail shaker filled with ice
2. Channel your best Tom Cruise in Cocktail and shake that drink up into a frothy delight
3. Break the whiskey ice pops into large chunks and place them in a tall glass
4. Pour your mix over slowly and stir gently. Top with whipped cream if you please

The flavorful rocks will not only keep your cocktail cool, but add to the taste as they melt into your St. Patrick’s Day drink. This frigid play on an Irish coffee is a surefire way to cool down and recharge your muckers who have been having a proper rince on the dancefloor. 

Need more cocktail recipe ideas? Here’s our marvelous March cocktails to try.

Get Things Poppin’ This St. Patrick’s Day with Frozen Cocktails from SLIQ

Whipping up cocktails and stirring green beers for your buddies is time-consuming, difficult work. Festivities can also devolve into fiery, sweaty soirees. When they do, the best way to cool off is slurping on frozen cocktail pops from SLIQ.

SLIQ brings the flavor with a variety of vodka ice pops, rum ice pops, frozen margarita pops, and whiskey-based pops to choose from—there’s an icy blast to get anyone into the holiday spirit. If you want to ensure your St. Patty’s party is the SLIQest in town, don’t roll the dice; get the ice.

 

Sources: 

1. Patrick Gavin Duffy. The Official Mixer’s Manual. https://babel.hathitrust.org/
2. JSTOR. Why We Drink Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day. https://daily.jstor.org/
3. The Smithsonian Institute. The First Green Beer Was Made With Laundry Whitener. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/
4. The Irish Meteorological Service. Weather Extreme Records For Ireland. https://www.met.ie/