It is with great sadness that we must remind you it is March, as this means winter will come to an unfortunate end before this month is over. Sike! After all the cold days and snowy nights we endured this year, we couldn’t be more pumped for the warm weather on the horizon. And the best part of March? All the excuses to drink, obviously. From March Madness to Daylight Savings Time (oh, you don’t drink when the clock springs forward? Weird), there’s plenty of reasons to share a case amongst your friends. But let’s not forget about St. Paddy’s Day weekend, arguably the greatest drinking opportunity of not just March, but the entire calendar year. With our drinking guide, we guarantee you’ll have a St. Paddy’s celebration you’ll never forget. Or better yet, one you’ll never remember.
Morning: Baileys Irish Coffee
If there’s one thing we know about St. Paddy’s Day, it’s that your celebration should be an all day affair. It’s basically a requirement. There’s no better way to kick off the holiday than with a piping hot cup (or five) of Bailey’s Irish Coffee. All you need is Baileys Cream Liqueur, your preferred coffee and a dollop of whipped cream. If you want to be adventurous, you can pick up Baileys Red Velvet or Baileys Salted Caramel (a personal favorite of this writer’s parents), but you know you can’t go wrong with Baileys Original Irish Cream. Add as much or as little Baileys to your mug as you’d like, though we do recommend pacing yourself for the day ahead. It’s going to be a long one.
Noon: Boulevard Irish Ale
You have to be careful about what you consume during a full day of drinking. You need to drink lots of water, and it’s very important to keep your energy levels high so you can continue the festivities into the afternoon and night. That being said, it’s important you leave room in your stomach for a little beer, specifically Boulevard Irish Ale. Midday beers are the perfect way to keep your buzz going without going overboard, and you obviously need to stay on-theme with Boulevard Irish Ale. Take advantage of this seasonal offering on the biggest Irish celebration of the year, especially if you’ve never tried it. You’ll be delighted by its rich, toasty flavor and traditional red appearance. As if you needed another reason, Boulevard Irish Ale also has a 5.8% ABV.
Evening: Kerrygold Golden Hour
We’re bringing cream liqueur back. Why, you ask? Well, a Kerrygold Golden Hour cocktail is a pretty sweet way to pay homage to the time of day it’s named after. You’ll need a bottle of Kerrygold Irish Cream, cognac and and Orange curaçao. You can even mix in a splash of coffee if you’re feeling fatigued from prior alcohol consumption. If you do so, you’ll want to add in a little extra Kerrygold. You know, for balance.
Night: Irish Car Bombs
If you’ve made it this far, bombs away! You earned them, so enjoy. You’ll need Jameson Whiskey, Guinness Beer and, yes, we’re bringing back cream liqueur for one drink. If you aren’t the world’s biggest fan of Jameson, you just have to trust us that the mountain is worth the climb with this one. Just be careful who you call the drink “Irish Car Bombs” around. Its origin is rather dark and objectively offensive, and you might upset the Irish members in your vicinity. “Irish Slammer” means the same thing, and this name’s relation to the actual car bombing tragedies in Ireland’s history is a bit less pronounced.
There you go! With a little help from Brown Bag, you can keep your St. Paddy’s Day celebration going all day long. For more tips, weekly specials and upcoming events, be sure to like Brown Bag Liquor on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Happy drinking!