Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Beer, Vodka or Whiskey

March 11, 2021 — Observing traditions keeps us grounded and St. Patrick’s Day is steeped in traditions we love such as wearing green, parades, corned beef and cabbage, green beer (or not) and Irish coffee. And you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy it all. Parades are on the iffy list this year along with hoisting a few in crowded pubs, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy St. Pat’s, even if it’s just you and the dog.

Irish coffee calls for Irish whiskey, which made us think about Roe & Co. and that in turn reminded us of Guinness because Roe & Co. used to be neighbors of Guinness in Dublin back in the 1800s and now they are neighbors again. We wrote about this history in 2019 when a revived Roe & Co. whiskey was introduced to the U.S. market. Below we have a recipe for Irish Coffee and one for an Espresso Martini both using Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey.

Of course the iconic Irish stout, Guinness, is widely enjoyed all over the world on St. Patrick’s Day and this year they are raising #AToastTo the heroes on the front lines and essential workers, pubs and bartenders, and the community of friends near and far by donating $600,000 to continued COVID-19 relief efforts.

Fans can raise a pint and share what they’re toasting to this year by using #AToastTo and tagging @GuinnessUS. Guinness will donate an additional $1 (up to $100,000) to participating organizations for every qualifying post through March 21. So take a minute to post a message that will help some very good causes.

And it wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without something very green in a glass. We found the perfect solution from our friends at Belvedere Vodka where they have developed a number of Super Cocktail recipes. Belvedere is a super premium Polish vodka made only from Polska rye and purified spring water. Rye imparts depth and complexity unlike other grains, so the flavor is distinct and a signature of Belvedere. The two recipes below are surprisingly easy to make.

Erin go Bragh!

Roe & Co Irish Coffee

1.5 oz Roe & Co Whiskey
2 oz freshly brewed Americano coffee
.5 oz porter syrup/sugar syrup
.5 oz fresh lightly whipped cream
Grated nutmeg & 3 coffee beans

Method: Heat the Irish coffee glass with boiling water. Once heated empty the water out and add 2 oz of freshly brewed hot coffee and the syrup. Stir lightly.

Pour in 1.5 oz of Roe & Co and layer lightly whipped fresh cream on top. Garnish with 3 coffee beans and a light dusting of grated nutmeg.

Roe & Co Espresso Martini

2 oz Roe & Co Whiskey
.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
1 oz Espresso
.25 oz sugar syrup

Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake hard and double strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with coffee beans or chocolate powder. Feeling Fancy? Stir a teaspoon of salted caramel into your hot espresso before adding to your shaker