A photo of a green beer. Dying your beer green is a great way to get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
On Tuesday, March 17, everyone will be celebrating the luck of the Irish. While pints of Guinness and whiskey will be flowing freely, there are many other recipes out there to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. If your parade plans haven’t been cancelled this weekend due to a certain pandemic (or maybe especially if they have been), here are a few cocktail recipes to add a little extra luck to your festivities.
Spiked Shamrock Shake
This seasonal McDonald’s dessert has quickly become characteristic of March. With its increasing popularity and recognizable neon color, it was only a matter of time until someone figured out a tasty way to add booze. This recipe is super quick to whip up and will be a fun, festive, adult take on a classic fast-food menu item.
Ingredients:
4 cups vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup milk
2 oz. creme de menthe
2 oz. vanilla vodka
Green food coloring
Whipped cream
Sprinkles and a cherry for decoration
To make this minty milkshake, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If you’re looking for a thicker consistency, add more ice cream or even ice. Be careful to only use a drop or two of food coloring for the classic color. Add vodka to taste and garnish with decorations of your choosing. I strongly suggest shamrock sprinkles.
DIY Green Beer
This is the easiest, most traditional way to make your beverages festive this weekend. While the hue might be a little startling or off-putting to some, beer is always one of the cheapest drinks to serve to your friends at a parade or pub-crawl pregame, and it pairs perfectly with nachos, pretzels or any potato dish you might be indulging in on St. Paddy’s Day.
Ingredients:
Light beer
Green food coloring
Pour the beer into a pint glass. Add as much food coloring as desired and stir to mix. Again, be cautious not to overdo it with the food dye, as you might end up with a much darker drink than planned and be at risk of serious green stains.
Shamrock Shooter
This is a fruitier take on a traditional shot of whiskey. The light, creamy melon taste of this bright green shot will definitely surprise your guests and cuts through the whiskey nicely. Again, this is a relatively simple and inexpensive recipe, which is perfect if you are hosting a party or serving these shooters in bulk.
Ingredients:
2 oz. melon liqueur
1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
1/2 oz. Irish cream liqueur
Pour all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake very well until incorporated. Strain into a shot glass and serve while cold. This particular recipe makes about two shooters’ worth. Serve in frosty glasses for a smoother shot. Baileys is an excellent option for Irish cream, and a liqueur that many people already have in their cabinets, so this is definitely a convenient recipe option. Since these can be fairly strong, please drink responsibly and try not to get too shamrocked on this St. Patrick’s Day.
Thirsty Thursday is created by of-age students in the Daily Campus Life section. Recommendations can be sent to life@dailycampus.com. We will respond if sober.