St. Patrick’s Day is upon us. It’s time to get yourself prepared and make sure you have all the right spirits and ingredients on hand to entertain your guests. If you’re looking for ideas on what to serve, we are here to help. Here are 12 fantastic St. Patrick’s Day drinks to get your juices flowing.
The Chicago River Has Been Turning Green for More Than 50 Years
Photo courtesy of Shutter Runner.
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A Few St. Patrick’s Day Factoids to Get You Started
- Was St. Patrick Irish? Nope, he was born in Roman Britain. He was captured as a boy and brought to Ireland as a slave, but later escaped. He came back to Ireland, converting the Irish people to Christianity.
- When did they first start turning the Chicago River green? 1962.
- How many pounds of dye does it take to turn the Chicago River green? 40 lbs. and it lasts about 5 hours.
- How much do people spend on St. Patrick’s Day? Approximately, $4.14 Billion with a B.
- How many people visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC each year? 5.5 Million. (Go visit, it’s beautiful!)
- Where was the 1st Patrick’s Day Parade held? Ireland of course. Nope, it was Boston in 1737.
All 12 St. Patrick’s Day recipes are in the infographic below. Now you can mix, shake, stir and enjoy to your green hearts content. You can also click here to see the St. Patrick’s Day infographic full size. Enjoy!
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How to Make 12 St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails
1. How to Make an Apple Martini
Ingredients
- Ice cubes
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1-1/2 ounces sour apple liqueur
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Garnish – Green apple slice
Directions
- Fill a shaker three-fourths full with ice.
- Add the vodka, apple liqueur and lemon juice.
- Cover and shake for 10-15 seconds or until condensation forms on outside of shaker.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish as desired.
- Yield: 1 serving.
2. How to Green Champagne
Ingredients
- 1 Bottle of champagne
- 1 Green dye
- 1 Glass to Put it in
Directions
- Gotta love the idea of pouring a nice bubbly and adding a bit of green food coloring.
- Sparkling wine is the closest match to beer anyway, with its crisp acidity and palate-cleansing abilities.
3. How to Make Green Beer
Ingredients
- Liquid green food coloring. Blue or Green Food Coloring? Always go for Green if available. While the blue will work the foam holds a blue tint.
- Beer
- Glasses or mugs
Directions
- Place 2 drops of green liquid food coloring in the bottom of a beer mug or glass.
- Add the beer. No stirring needed. Voila.
- Three drops resulted in more of a Kelly green shade.
4. How to Make Margarita Jell-O Shooters
Ingredients
- 3 oz Lime Jell-O
- 1 Cup (8 oz) boiling water
- 4 oz. Tequila (Blanco/Silver)
- 1 oz Triple Sec
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz cold water
Directions
- Dissolve Jell-O into one cup (8 oz) of boiling water.
- Allow a little time for the mixture to cool.
- Stir in tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and water.
- Pour mixture into shot glasses or paper/plastic cups.
- Chill for at least two hours before serving.
- Store in the refrigerator.
5. How to Make a Lime Margarita Cocktail
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 11/2 cups gold tequila
- 3/4 cup Triple Sec
- 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 8 cups crushed ice
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 6 lime wedges
Directions
- Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons sugar in large pitcher
- stir to dissolve sugar.
- Add crushed ice.
- Mix salt and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in shallow bowl.
- Moisten rim of 6 Margarita glasses with lime wedge.
- Holding each glass upside down, dip rim into sugar-salt mixture.
- Pour. Garnish with lime wedges.
6. How to Make an Irish Coffee
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy or whipping cream
- 7 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup Irish whiskey
- 6 cups rich, hot brewed coffee
- Garnish: Grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon (optional)
Directions
- Add 2 tablespoons whiskey to each glass.
- Stir 4 tablespoons sugar into coffee until dissolved.
- For each drink, fill glass with coffee to within 11/4 inch from top.
- Pour whipped cream over back of spoon onto coffee.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired.
7. How to Make a Bushmills Irish Buck
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Bushmills Whiskey
- .25 oz Fresh lime juice
- 2 oz Ginger ale
- Garnish: Lime wheel
- Glass: Collins
Directions
- Add the whiskey and lime juice to a Collins glass filled with ice.
- Top with the ginger ale and garnish with a lime wheel.
- Garnish as desired.
8. How to Make a Green Flash Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz Vodka
- 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
- 1/2 oz Blue Curacao
- 3 oz orange juice
- 3 oz Sprite
- Ice
Directions
- Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake and strain into glasses.
- Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
9. How to Make a Mojito
Ingredients
- 20 Rinsed fresh mint leaves (each about 1 1/2 in. long)
- 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
- 4 to 5 tablespoons light rum
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice & 4 to 6 tablespoons chilled soda water
- 1 sprig of fresh mint
Directions
- In an 8- to 10-ounce glass, combine 20 rinsed fresh mint leaves (each about 1 1/2 in. Long) and 2 teaspoons superfine sugar.
- With a wooden spoon, pound mint leaves with sugar to coarsely crush.
- Add 4 to 5 tablespoons light rum, 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice; mix well.
- Fill glass with ice cubes and 4 to 6 tablespoons chilled soda water.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
10. How to Make a Kiwi Martini
Ingredients
- 1 ripe kiwi
- 70ml kiwi liqueur
- 30ml vanilla vodka
- 3-4 ice cubes
Directions
- Peel the kiwi and mash it with a fork into smooth paste.
- Add all ingredients into the shaker and shake well.
- Serve in a martini glass.
11. How to Make a Melon Bomb Shooter
Ingredients
- Cinnamon and sugar for rimming glass
- 5 tablespoons vodka
- 5 tablespoons sour-apple schnapps
- 5 tablespoons lemonade
- 5 tablespoons lemon-lime soda (such as 7-Up or Sprite)
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, schnapps, lemonade and lemon-lime soda.
- Cover and shake vigorously.
- Dip rim edge of martini glasses in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch water, then in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch of equal parts sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Strain shaken mixture into prepared glasses and serve.
12. How to Make Green Daiquiri Punch
Ingredients
- 2 cans (12 ounces each) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
- 2 cups lime-flavored sports drink
- 1 cup light rum
- 2 cans (12 oz each) lemon-lime carbonated beverage, chilled
Directions
- In large pitcher, mix limeade concentrate, sports drink and rum.
- Refrigerate until serving time.
- Just before serving, pour punch into punch bowl.
- Stir in carbonated beverage.
Enjoy!
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