With St. Patrick's day coming up I thought I'd pass along some alternative libations to the traditional green beer.  Let's face it.  We're a more discerning group of beer drinkers these days with all of the options available.  Green beer is usually a basic domestic beer with the food coloring so if that "brand" is not your "cup", you're probably going to drink something else.  But it's St. Patty's Day.  You might want to drink something more festive to the occasion.

The folks at simplemost.com have come up with 6 definitive cocktails with the recipes that will take care of any "drinking" obligation:

1. The Lucky Leprechaun

This Lucky Leprechaun drink is courtesy of Smirnoff and uses not only their Ice Green Apple malt beverage but also vodka and ginger ale. And yup, it is seriously green.

Ingredients:

Makes four.

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, Ice Green Apple and vodka. Shake.

2. Strain into a martini glass and top with ginger ale.

2. Luck O’ The Irish Apple Sipper

You’re going to want to sip this Luck O’ The Irish drink from Barefoot, as it calls for Moscato Spumante Bubbly and Irish whiskey. You’ll also need apple juice and an apple slice for garnish.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Combine whiskey and apple juice in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill.

2. Strain into champagne flute.

3. Top with Moscato Spumante. Garnish with apple slice.

3. Kiwi Cooler

While Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween might be the holidays most associated with candy, I see no reason St. Patrick’s Day can’t join in on the fun — especially when you’re mixing it with alcohol. This recipe from Hi-Chew uses their kiwi candy, which you dissolve in a mixture of lime and lemon juices. It can also be made without alcohol so kids can join in on the fun as well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce Hi-Chew kiwi-infused lemon and lime juice
  • 2 ounces orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 cucumber wheels
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves
  • 1.5 ounce Pimm’s liqueur (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make the lemon-lime-candy juice. Combine 1/2 ounce of lime juice and 1/2 ounce of lemon juice, then cut one piece of candy into pieces and soak until it dissolves.

2. In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the sugar, cucumber and mint, just until the sugar dissolves.

3. Measure in both the lemon/lime juice and the orange juice and Pimm’s (if using). Shake with ice.

4. Strain over crushed ice in a glass and garnish with fresh mint and a cucumber wheel.

4. Pinch Me Prosecco

Perhaps the most adorably-named drink on the list, this Pinch Me Prosecco also comes from Barefoot and sounds like the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day if you like things a little bubbly.

Ingredients:

Instructions: 

1. Combine lime juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill.

2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with Barefoot Bubbly Prosecco.

3. Garnish with lime wheel.

5. Irish Whiskey Margarita

This recipe comes from Yard House and is inspired their Jamison Margarita recipe you can order at the restaurant. It features Irish whiskey, orange liquor and, of course, margarita mix.

Ingredients: 

  • 1 ½ ounces Irish whiskey
  • ½ ounces orange liquor
  • 1 ½ ounces sweet-and-sour or margarita mix

Directions: 

1. Shake all ingredients together and pour over a salted rim glass.

2. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

6. Shamrock Pinch

This Shamrock Pinch recipe from Barefoot will definitely pep you up as it not only has Moscato and whiskey but also ginger beer, lime and orange juice. Because of the OJ, I’m also going to say it counts as St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, but, hey, that’s just me.

Ingredients: 

  • 2 ounces Barefoot Moscato
  • 1/2 ounce Irish whiskey
  • 1-1/2 ounces orange juice
  • 1-1/2 ounces ginger beer
  • 1/8 fresh lime

Instructions: 

1. Place ice in a tall glass.

2. Add moscato, whiskey and orange juice.

3. Top with ginger beer.

4. Squeeze fresh lime into drink and drop the rind into the glass.

Check out what they're supposed to look like and other details by clicking HERE

 

 

 

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