3 Cocktails Perfect for St. Patrick's Day

March is coming fast around the corner and with it comes one of our favorite holidays: St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day is one of those simple yet fun celebrations where people come together to share a love of Irish ancestry and everything tangentially Irish. We wear green, we dance, and, well, here at McCray's Tavern in Lawrenceville, we also drink. And naturally, when this holiday comes around, our bartenders and mixologists like to get crafty and whip up some specialty cocktails to toast the night with.

If you likewise enjoy a good holiday cocktail or maybe you're looking for ideas on what to order at a St. Paddy's Day pub crawl, you've come to the right place. Let's take a look at three of our team's favorite cocktails that are just perfect for whatever and wherever your St. Patrick's Day celebrations take you.

Emerald Isle

The Emerald Isle cocktail comes finished, of course, with a bright green shade. This shade and the cocktail's name play an ode to Ireland's verdant and unmistakable landscape. To make an Emerald Isle cocktail, you mix two parts gin with one half part green creme de menthe and a dash of bitters (we recommend Angostura bitters). Those last two ingredients combine to give the Emerald Isle a wonderfully fresh and minty flavor that likewise harkens back to the green island of Ireland. For a little special extra, we like to serve it with a cherry garnish at the heart of the glass.

Irish Hammer

This Irish-themed cocktail is a bit on the heavier side, making it an excellent choice to order as you finish up your meal. Our team at McCray's Tavern in Lawrenceville especially enjoys it just after a hearty dinner due to its sweet notes blended in a thick Irish cream. To make the Irish Hammer cocktail, you take your cocktail shaker filled with ice and mix in one part Jack Daniels, one-part Irish Mist, and one-part Irish cream. The cocktail is shaken until chilled and served strained in a shot glass. While Baileys Irish cream tends to be the default choice for the third part, you can also use or request Carolan's Irish cream which has a stronger caramel taste, thereby giving the Irish Hammer an overall sweeter taste.

Pot of Gold

The Pot of Gold cocktail is a twist on the classic whiskey sour drink. Here, Irish whiskey, Islay scotch, ginger honey syrup, lemon juice, and an egg white are shaken together (the proper way is an initial dry shake and then shaken with ice until chilled). This Irish cocktail is then traditionally serviced within a chilled coupe glass and garnished with edible gold flakes.

Still Uncertain? Check the Specialty Menu!

Naturally, while we think this is a pretty fantastic list of drinks that will warm you up and prepare you for an evening of green festivities, it is certainly not an exhaustive list. Plus, when you come to our friendly tavern this holiday, we will have a full specialty cocktail menu full of outstanding green and Irish-themed drinks. If you're coming for a Lawrenceville lunch or dinner, make sure to give our team at McCray's Tavern a call today to get your reservation in and ensure you start your night out right!