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We don’t have to tell you, but St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect day to enjoy a beer (or five). Sure, there’s room for Irish whiskey and you should definitely eat your weight in corned beef and cabbage and bangers and mash, but beer is the real star of the day. We’re talking Irish stouts, lagers, Irish reds, and all manner of green-dyed beer.
And, while drinking pint after pint of plain old beer is great, St. Patrick’s Day is also a great holiday to enjoy a well-made beer cocktail. While there are many beer-based cocktails that feel like they require a master’s degree in mixology, there are myriad that are surprisingly easy to whip up on a moments notice. Keep reading to see some of our favorites. Some are Irish-themed and others are just all around delicious.
St PAtricks Day Beer Cocktails
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Irish Whiskey Boilermaker
If you don’t want to order an Irish car bomb, you’re lactose free, or you simply don’t like the taste of Irish cream, an Irish whiskey boilermaker should be your jam. It’s literally just a beer (likely a stout, but a lager works too) and a shot or Irish whiskey. You can sip them separately or dop the shot in and enjoy.
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Beergarita
Sure, a margarita isn’t a St. Patrick’s Day. But have you ever seen one on a menu and not want to order it? Instead of simply making a tequila-based margarita, this one uses tequila (it’s not a margarita without it), orange liqueur, lime juice, and beer.
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Irish Black Velvet
Instead of drinking a mimosa to start the day, why not make St. Patrick’s Day more festive with an Irish black velvet. This delicious, decadent drink is made up of one party champagne (or your favorite sparkling wine) and one part stout beer (we suggest Guinness, Beamish, O’Hara’s, or something else from Ireland).
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Beer Bloody Mary
If savory is more your jam when it comes to morning beverages, we suggest starting St. Patrick’s Day off right with a beer bloody Mary. All you do is filled a pint glass 75% full of bloody Mary mix (or your favorite recipe) and slowly top with a wheat beer, pale ale, or lager.
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Irish Michelada
A Michelada is usually made with Mexican lager, but in this case you’re going to use an Irish lager like Harp. Then you add hot sauce, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and various spices to give the drink a spicy, memorable kick.
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Shandy
Usually a summertime staple, the shandy is simply a drink that consists of half beer and half lemonade. Wheat beers, lagers, and lighter beers are the perfect complement to tangy, tart, sweet lemonade. Don’t make the mistake of using something dark or overly hoppy.
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Irish Black and Tan
Potentially the best beer cocktail for the end of winter and beginning of spring, the black and tan consists of a pale beer like a pale ale or lager layered with a stout or porter. To make it more Irish, use a lager like Harp or a an Irish red like Smithwick’s and top it with Guinness, Beamish, or Murphy’s.
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Irish Car Bomb
While this cocktail’s name is a bit iffy, the drink itself is anything but. An Irish car bomb consists of a pint of stout (usually Guinness) with a shot of Irish whiskey that’s topped with Irish cream dropped into it. You chug the whole thing. It tastes surprisingly similar to chocolate milk.
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