Don’t go green: 4 food-coloring-free St. Patrick’s Day drinks

On St. Patrick’s Day, going green takes on new meaning as locals flood the streets for a day of parades and emerald drinking—well, mostly drinking. Before taking the easy route of mixing a can of Coors with food coloring, consider putting these four drinks on your personal menu for the day. Slainte!

Irish coffee: A no-brainer and possibly the best way to spend the morning once bars open. Any bartender will know what you’re talking about, but to spare yourself the Reddi-wip can, try this specialty at The Local (931 Nicollet Mall, 612-904-1000) where the coffee, cream, and Irish whiskey are blended together in sweet harmony.

The Big Ginger: This more refreshing use of Irish whiskey than plain shots (or the vomit-inducing Irish Car Bomb) is mixed with ginger ale and served on ice with wedges of lemon and lime. Although any Pogues enthusiast will attest good whiskey exists beyond Jameson, it's the easiest to find thanks to its promotions people (just look for the mini-skirts and green vests). Or track it down at Kieran’s (600 Hennepin Ave., 612-339-4499) in its new home at Block E.

Shamrocked: This drink, like the definition of its name, comes in several forms. Some involve Irish whiskey, coffee-flavored Bailey’s, and Midori melon liqueur, while others wreak havoc on traditional bartending rules by mixing whiskey, dry vermouth, and crème de menthe. Find the right variation for you at O’Donovan’s (700 First Ave., 612-317-8896), where the bartenders make it to order. Sometimes it’s best to just throw something out there and see if it sticks, right?

Irish Viagra: Get the party started with this shot served at The Liffey (175 Seventh St., St. Paul, 651-556-1420). As any graduate of kindergarten art class knows, mixing blue UV Vodka with yellow Red Bull produces a green shooter, one that offers the confidence and intrepid reflexes necessary to brave the pub crawl to follow.