12 Festive Green Cocktails for St. Patrick’s Day and Beyond
Skip the green beer and shake up some naturally green, crowd-pleasing drinks instead
On St. Patrick's Day, especially in the U.S., the color green dominates, from the attire to the decor to the drinks. Legend has it that the first green beer was poured more than a century ago, by a physician in New York named Thomas H. Curtin. It has since become a St. Patrick's Day staple, served at bars across the country come mid-March. While the color is now achieved with food coloring instead of unsafe dye, we're still partial to drinks that come by that vibrant green hue on their own. Whether the verdant color is the product of fresh herbs like mint or dill, green fruits and vegetables (kale-infused rum, anyone?), or spirits such as absinthe or green chartreuse, these cocktails are highly quaffable and super festive. The best part? The bright, spring-y drinks will be just as alluring long after the corned beef has been turned into breakfast hash.
Green Gin Cocktail
The extracted juice from bitter melons takes the place of common bittering agents, such as Campari, in this floral, lime-punched cocktail. Get the recipe for Green Gin Cocktail »
Ginger-Absinthe Mimosa
Imparting a festive green glow to the de rigueur citrus and Champagne brunch cocktail, absinthe lends a noticeably herbal bite and serves as a natural aperitif.
The Last Word
Equal parts gin, chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice, this is an old-fashioned cocktail that feels awfully modern. Its equally-portioned ingredients make for easy scaling: mix up a triple or quadruple batch to serve several drinkers at once. Get the recipe for The Last Word »
The Verbena and Mint
Bar manager Jon di Pinto of Street ADL in Adelaide, South Australia, combines lemon verbena and gin for a crisp, refreshing summer cocktail. Get the recipe for The Verbena and Mint »
Quick Like a Bunny
Playing on the classic gin and tonic, bartender Stuart Jensen of Denver’s Mercantile restaurant adds caraway-flavored aquavit and marmalade to this green version. Get the recipe for Quick Like a Bunny »
Leaf and Spear
This green cocktail combines kale-infused rum with a housemade green harissa syrup, which adds sugar for balance and a hint of jalapeño for pop.
The Poddington Pea
Peas might seem out of place in a drink, but their vegetal sweetness is perfect for this basil-gin cocktail. Get the recipe for The Poddington Pea
Health Kick
In this green cocktail, Los Angeles mixology consultant Matthew Biancaniello of Eat Your Drink (HarperCollins; 2015) doubles up on smoky flavors with both mezcal and grilled asparagus. Get the recipe for Health Kick »
The Gardener
Barkeep Joe Petersen of Percy’s restaurant in Seattle spikes this verdant cocktail with an “immunity tincture.” Get the recipe for The Gardener »
Garden Variety Margarita
A spicy ginger kick and the subtle, unmistakably grassy sweetness of kale elevates this vegetal variation on the margarita, from the New York City bar The Wayland.
Celery Martini
Fresh celery and lemon juices, Lillet, celery bitters, and gin combine for a clean and vegetal cocktail with a bright green hue. Get the recipe for Celery Martini »
Celery Tonic
This vibrantly-hued cocktail comes to us from Northern Spy Food Co. in Manhattan—fresh celery juice adds an earthy, bright flavor to Cocchi Americano and dry vermouth. Get the recipe for Celery Tonic »
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