If I had to pick my favorite day of the year, I might just have to say it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Aside from being a great day to celebrate my Irish roots, it’s a day full of music, silliness and cheer that everyone can be a part of anywhere in the world. So when I knew we were going to work on some themed cocktails I couldn’t contain my excitement. And what better place to start than with the Irish staple, Guinness! My St. Paddy’s day would not be complete without a Guinness or two (or three..?). Funnily enough, I swore I never liked it until I had it in Ireland and I’ve been hooked ever since!
Guinness is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but these four Guinness cocktails will level up your celebration! Guinness is a dark Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness in Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It’s now one of the world’s most iconic beers. But not everyone loves a stout. Try one (or all) of these when you want something a little different – or a little more boozy! – than a beer.
Black Velvet
This delicious drink is perfect for the person who doesn’t love Guinness, but likes it a little! Just mix equal parts chilled Prosecco and Guinness Extra Stout in a champagne glass. It’s elegant, light, and so tasty. We absolutely loved it!
Lady Guinness
Pour one ounce of black currant liqueur in a glass and top with Guinness Extra Stout. And don’t you love our adorable shamrock garnish? It’s a cucumber cut with a shamrock cookie cutter!
For this one, you want to use a glass that will hold 6-8 ounces. Don’t use a beer or pint glass because you won’t have the right ratio of beer to liqueur.
We loved the flavor of this Guinness cocktail. It had just the right amount of sweet. We then wondered what other flavored liqueur might be good in a Guinness? Obviously Bailey’s Irish Cream came to mind and coffee liqueur might be pretty amazing too!
Guinness Milkshake
This delicious Guinness milkshake is perfect for your friend with the sweet tooth! Add 2 large scoops of ice cream, 1.5 ounces of whiskey, and 1 cup of Guinness to a blender and mix until smooth. Pour into a pint glass and top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. So yummy!
You can use any flavor ice cream you want – we used one scoop vanilla and one scoop mint chocolate chip. You could also try chocolate or coffee ice cream. You could also sub the whiskey with Irish cream! This recipe is so versatile, let us know what you try with it!
Jamaican Guinness Punch
This Guinness punch is a traditional favorite served at holidays and family gatherings in Jamaica! It has a sweet, milky, stout flavor and is easy to make in large batches for a party. Just be sure to keep it chilled well. The recipe below makes four drinks, but you can easily adjust it to make more. You’ll need:
- 12 oz Guinness Extra Stout
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Blend all ingredients in a blender (or use an immersion blender), then divide into four glasses. A rocks-size glass works best for this cocktail. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon and enjoy.
We hope you enjoy these Guinness cocktails for St. Patrick’s Day – or any day!