Lucky & Lush: Your St. Paddy’s Cocktail Roundup

That day is near. You know which one. The one that doesn’t bother with whether you’re black, white or brown. No, on St. Patrick’s Day, we’re all green. The parties start early on March 17 and if you’re … lucky, you remain upright well into the night. But what if you’ve graduated past green beer and shots of whatever’s collecting dust on the bottom shelf? Or maybe you’re over the hoopla altogether and would rather kick it at home. Justice Akuezue can help with that. He’s the bartender at soon-to-close Antietam in Detroit and owner of The Exchange, a pop-up dinner and cocktails operation. Here, Akuezue shares his favorite Irish-themed drinks that are easy to order and fun to make.

Pot of Gold

What you’ll need:

1½ oz. Irish whiskey

¾ oz. lemon juice

¾ oz. honey syrup*

What you’ll do:

Shake ingredients to mix and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Irish Mule

What you’ll need:

2 oz. Irish whiskey

¾ oz. simple syrup

¾ oz. lime juice

Splash of ginger beer

What you’ll do:

Shake to mix ingredients; then strain into a mug or Collins glass over ice. Top with a bit of ginger beer.

Irish Branch

What you’ll need:

1½ oz. Irish whiskey

¾ oz. lime juice

¾ oz. honey

Splash of ginger beer

Angostura bitters

What you’ll do:

Shake whiskey, lime juice and honey to combine, and pour straight into rocks glass over ice. Fill the glass with ginger beer, then add the bitters until a thin layer floats on top.

Irish Old Fashioned

What you’ll need:

2 oz. Irish whiskey

½ oz. simple syrup*

3-5 dashes of Angostura bitters

Expressed orange peel

What you’ll do:

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass over ice and stir.

The Bloody Irish

What you’ll need:

2 oz. Irish whiskey

10 oz. pickle juice-infused bloody mary mix*

What you’ll do:

Pour whiskey into a tall cocktail glass and add ice. Fill with bloody mary mix and top with your choice of garnish – maybe blue cheese olives or a spicy pickle.

Irish Coffee

What you’ll need:

2 oz. Irish whiskey

½ oz. simple syrup

Coffee to fill

Dollop of whipped cream

Cinnamon stick

What you’ll do:

Pour whiskey and simple syrup into a tulip glass and fill with coffee, leaving a little room at the top. Add whipped cream, and grate a bit of cinnamon on top.

Peanut Butter Bomb

2 oz. peanut butter-infused Irish whiskey*

1 pt. Guinness stout

What you’ll do:

Pour Guinness into a pint glass. Fill a shot glass with the infused whiskey and drop it into the glass and drink promptly.

Mixology tip: Akuezue says instead of stirring, you should shake to mix cocktails that include ingredients like citrus, egg whites or milk. They require a more violent incorporation.

*INGREDIENT RECIPES:

Simple Syrup

What you’ll do:

Mix one part hot water with one part sugar until dissolved.

Honey Syrup

What you’ll do:

Mix one part honey with one part hot water.

Peanut Butter-Infused Whiskey

What you’ll need:

16 oz. melted creamy peanut butter

3 cups Irish whiskey

What you’ll do:

Mix peanut butter with whiskey. Shake it up and place it in a covered mason jar; then stick it in the freezer for a few hours. Once you remove it, the fat should have risen to the top and solidified into a puck at the top of the container. Use a sharp object to poke a hole in the puck and then strain the liquid through a coffee filter into a bowl.

Bloody Mary Mix

What you’ll need:

32 oz. tomato juice

16 oz. pickle juice

8 oz. Worcestershire sauce

4 oz. lemon juice

10 dashes Tabasco sauce

2 Tbsp. white pepper

2 Tbsp. salt

2 Tbsp. garlic powder

What you’ll do:

Mix ingredients well.