March has finally arrived, and it’s time to start pretending like your ancestors are actually from Ireland so you can celebrate the biggest drinking holiday of the year – St. Patrick’s Day. We all know you’re actually German, so it’s fine.
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St. Patrick’s Day is all about beer. But why drink normal Natty when you can celebrate more appropriately with green beer? Kick off the celebration in style by making your own festive creations. Here are 7 creative ways to turn your drink green without food coloring (because that’s boring).
Bonus points if you dig your “Kiss me, I’m Irish” t-shirt out of your attic to wear while concocting.
1. Sidewalk Slammer
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This one’s not for the faint of heart. Light drinkers, weak stomachs, and health experts should reconsider now, before it’s too late to turn back.
Creating a Sidewalk Slammer requires mixing a 40 oz. malt liquor and with a Four Loko malt beverage. For the green effect, Watermelon or Apple will work best. If the thought of this drink makes you cringe, I’m with you. But to its credit, Four Loko masks the terrible malt beer taste, while beer tones down the sugary-sweet Four Loko. Maybe it’s a match made in heaven?
2. Beer Margarita
Photo by Katherine Richter
The title is pretty self explanatory. In Pittsburgh we call this a Yinzerita, but it also goes by the names of “Margarona” or “Mexican Bulldog Margarita.” At first I was pretty skeptical about this seemingly bizarre combination, but I am now a HUGE Yinzerita fan and advocate.
#SpoonTip: Come summertime, try the Georgia Peach Yinzerita from Pittsburgh’s Steel Cactus, made with an IC Light Mango. It may not be green, but is delicious.
3. Blue Wave Bomb
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This drink was inspired by the Panther Bomb, sold at Peter’s Pub in Pittsburgh. Technically, it’s made with a Red Bull and (what I’m actually just assuming is) a shot of Blue Wave vodka. As I watched my friend consume the beverage the other night, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would taste like with beer. I’ll leave it up to you to let me know what you think.
4. Beer Mojito
Photo by Christin Urso
Okay, I’ll be honest, I had to tweak this cocktail a little bit as well. The recipe calls for ginger beer, which is not real beer, as it contains no alcohol. Fear not, I’m here to provide the perfect solution.
We’ve all heard of Not Your Father’s Root Beer, the beer that actually tastes exactly like soda. Now the brewery also sells Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale, which, in my opinion, is the perfect ginger beer sub. Combine muddled mint leaves, 3 oz. silver rum, 8 oz. Not Your Father’s, 3 oz. lime juice, and voila!
5. Hop Skip and Go Naked
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This drink mixes beer, whisky, soda, and lemonade, but for St. Patty’s Day purposes, we’re swapping the lemonade out for limeade. This one may be a stretch, but if you use reeeeally light beer and reeeeally dark limeade (is that a thing?), it may contain a green tint.
For a whole pitcher’s worth, use 72 oz. beer, a pint of whiskey (again, go for a lighter colored brand), a can of frozen limeade, and lemon-lime soda if you like a little extra flavor. Garnish with limes to add to the green aesthetic.
6. Beer and Blue Gatorade
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Get your electrolytes while you drink. That’s all there is to it.
7. Matcha Beer
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Looking for some antioxidants? Studies show that one cup of matcha tea contains as many antioxidants as 10 cups of regular green tea — so why not add it to beer? Mix half a teaspoon of matcha powder with half a glass of warm water, then fill beer to the top. It’s impossible to put down once you’ve started drinking.
Bonus: Use a Green Cup
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It’s not cheating, it’s innovating.