Countertop Mixology: St. Patrick’s Day Edition
The St. Patrick’s Day holiday has a rich history in Irish culture, but let’s face it, these days it’s mostly an excuse to talk like a leprechaun and drink green beer.
If you want to participate in the festivities but feel there’s a limit on how much green beer one can enjoy, here are some recommendations to bring out the spirit of the season.
1. Drunken Leprechaun
Ingredients
1 ounce Guinness Reduction simple syrup (recipe below)
1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces honey simple syrup (recipe below)
3 ounces Jameson Irish Whiskey
4 mint leaves
Directions
Prepare the reduction sauce and honey simple syrup below and let them cool.
Shake all of the above ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Strain into a coupe cocktail glass and garnish with a mint leaf!
Guinness Reduction Simple Syrup
2 cans Guinness Beer
1 cup sugar
Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat until mixture becomes a thicker consistency and dissolved to about half the amount. This could take 30 minutes. Let it cool and pour into a glass bottle to store.
Honey Syrup
2 cups water
1/2 cup honey
Bring to a boil until honey has dissolved. Let it cool and pour into a glass bottle to store.
2. Boozy Shamrock Shake
Ingredients
4 ounces Irish cream liqueur
2 ounces Branca Menta
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
1 pint good quality vanilla ice cream
Directions
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour and serve with whipped cream (fresh is best!) and cherries or with a touch of grated chocolate for added decadence.
3. Black Velvet
Ingredients:
1 part Guinness, chilled (I used 1 1/2 oz.)
1 part Prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled (I used 1 1/2 oz.)
Directions
Fill a champagne flute halfway with Guinness. Hold a small spoon (with the back, convex side facing up) over the flute. Slowly pour the Prosecco over the spoon and into the flute until filled. Using the spoon will keep the Guinness and the Prosecco from mixing.
Happy St. Patty’s Day!
Drunken Leprechaun cocktail recipe from Sugar and Charm, Boozy Shamrock Shake cocktail recipe from Sugar & Cloth and Black Velvet cocktail recipe from Kitchen Konfidence.
