15 Best Drinks In Ireland You Should Try

A trip to Ireland will never be complete without trying out a couple of their drinks. Whether you’re out at your favorite local bar, or just staying in with your newly-acquired Irish friends, it’s always a good idea to pair Irish music with the best Irish drinks of your choice. With that, here are 15 best drinks in Ireland that visitors should try.

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15 Best Drinks In Ireland You Should Try

1. Guinness, the Quintessential Plain Pint

 

Who will ever forget this world-renowned quintessential Irish beer in this list? Guinness is one of the most beloved Irish drinks that you can easily find pretty much everywhere.

Served together with a traditional Tulip glass, this plain pint also has a storehouse dedicated to Guinness’ long history and the entire stout making process.

Do you also know that this pint is actually deep dark red and not black nor brown?

This color has been attributed to the roasting of malted barley during the beer’s preparation. A 20-ounce pint of Guinness is also rich in iron, antioxidants, and a mere 210 calories.

2. Beamish, the Genuine Irish stout

Another Irish stout that is also enjoyed in Irish pubs and households, Beamish stout came to life when two Cork merchants, Richard Beamish, and Richard Crawford established the Beamish and Crawford brewery in Cork City.

The rich roasted flavor with a hint of coffee and dark chocolate makes this one of Ireland’s best drinks.

3. Bulmers, the Original Irish Cider

Magners Irish Cider or locally known as Bulmers is one of the best ciders in Ireland.

Made from quality apples, Bulmers makes sure to get the highest quality cider apples from various local orchards across the country.

Every drop of this tasty drink is totally 100% Irish. Currently, this drink has 6 variants; Original, Light, Strawberry and Lime, Cloudy Lemon, Berry Berry, and Juicy Pear.

4. Orchard Thieves, Heineken Ireland’s first cider

Heineken Ireland’s first shot at the cider market turned out to be a big success for the company. Now, Orchard Thieves is one of the most preferred ciders in Ireland.

It has a very sweet and distinct taste specifically designed to please the Irish consumers.

The production of this cider came from one of the best traditional cider-making skills starting from the harvesting, milling, and pressing natural apple juice and down to the filling and packaging of the product.

Orchard Thieves is available in different looks – on draught, in pint bottles, 330ml bottles, and cans.

5. Bushmills, Ireland’s oldest whiskey

Behind this world-class whiskey is a 400-year old history and heritage.

In 1608, Bushmills Distillery was granted a license to distill and from then on, Bushmill has started gaining popularity across Ireland and all over the world.

It had also faced certain challenges like the introduction of malt tax which resulted in a price increase in malted barley. Most distillers changed their recipe to cope up with this challenge but Bushmill remained still.

Currently, Bushmill holds the title as Ireland’s oldest whiskey and its distillery as Ireland’s oldest distillery.

It also offers a tour and tasting experience for tourists who want to get in touch with Bushmill’s rich history.

Bushmill has 6 variations of whiskey: Red Bush, Black Bush, 10YR, 16YR, 21YR, and Original.

6. Jamesons, the world’s third-largest single-distillery whiskey

200 years had passed and Jamesons is still as popular as it was then. There’s is no magic trick behind the success of this drink.

As a matter of fact, it is only made by blending rich pot still whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley and distilled three times for a smooth finish.

Named as the world’s third-largest single-distillery whiskey, Jamesons has distilleries located in Dublin and Cork. You can also easily buy it online.

7. Mead, a traditional but one of the rare drinks in Ireland

If you’re looking for an alternative for something that’s between a beer and a liquor, a Mead is one of your choices.

Also one of the best Irish drinks that you should try, it’s interesting to know that this has been part of the Irish tradition since the Viking raided Irish monastic sites in 795.

Meads taste like honey with a hint of alcohol and can be carbonated, naturally sparkling, dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. These drinks usually come after a sumptuous dinner.

8. Alcopops, a trendy Irish drink for the youth

Alcopops are more popular among teenagers in Ireland. The colorful variation of this drink will make you forget that it has a high alcohol content.

Be wary of this drink though if you do not want to deal with the head-splitting hangover the following morning.

Just a concoction of water, food coloring, sugar, juice, and hard alcohol, the sweet alcoholic drink will surely knock you out.

9. The Nutty Irishman, a versatile cocktail recipe

The Nutty Irishman is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day parties and any Irish festivals. This tasty and very popular drink has different variations but all these variations boil down to two common ingredients: Frangelico and Irish cream.

Then depending which variation you’re in the mood for, you simply add a hint of that extra ingredient for an extra kick.

Nutty Irishman Recipe:

¾ ounce Irish cream liqueur

¾ ounce Frangelico hazelnut liqueur

hot coffee/ Irish whiskey (depending on your preference)

How to make Nutty Irishman:

1. Pour the Frangelico into the shot glass

2. Float the Irish cream on top. Use a bar spoon to pour it over.

For other variation, you can also stir the ingredients in the shot glass and add hot coffee/Irish whiskey. Add cream if desired.

10. Irish Cream Hot Chocolate, the chocolate drink for grown-ups

Enjoy the cold season in Ireland with a cup of Irish Cream Hot Chocolate in your hand. This drink will definitely send you back to your youthful days. It’s hot chocolate fit for the Irish buds.

Irish Cream Hot Chocolate Recipe:

3 c. whole milk

⅔ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ c. sugar

Grind of salt

½ tsp. Vanilla

3 – 5 oz. Irish cream

Whipped cream/ chocolate shavings (optional toppings)

How to make Irish Cream Hot Chocolate:

1. Add milk, chocolate chips, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.

2. Whisk the ingredients frequently in medium-low heat until the chocolate melts completely.

3. Let the mixture come to a low simmer then remove from heat.

4. Add vanilla and stir.

5. Pour into a mug or glass the Irish cream and then the hot chocolate

6. Top it off with a whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired.

11. Shamrock Sour, a perfect green cocktail for St. Patrick’s

This recipe can easily be your signature party cocktail for St. Patrick’s Day. Whether you’re staying over a friend’s house or hosting the party yourself, this drink will surely make you ditch the green beer for a tastier sweet and sour no-brainer cocktail drink.

Shamrock Sour Recipe:

2 tablespoon lime juice

½ tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup simple syrup

2 ounces Irish whiskey

1 tiny drop of green food coloring

Lime wedges

How to make Shamrock Sour:

1. Combine all the ingredients and shake well.

2. Strain over ice

3. Finish it off with lime wedges

You can also make a shamrock stirrer to make it more creative and festive.

12. Irish Mint Mojito, a refreshing Irish drink

This is typically a classic mint mojito drink added with a bit of an Irish touch by featuring one of Ireland’s popular whiskey, the Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Irish Mint Mojito Recipe:

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

¼ cup mint leaves

4 lime wedges

4 oz Irish Whiskey

Crushed ice

Splash of tonic or ginger ale

How to make Irish Mint Mojito:

1. Combine water and sugar over medium heat to create the syrup. Make sure to bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer until the mixture thickens.

2. Mix the mint leaves with the lime wedges in a cocktail shaker using a wooden spoon.

3. Add the Irish whiskey and the crushed ice.

4. Shake the mixture for 30 seconds and pour into glass.

5. Finish it off with a splash of tonic or ginger ale.

13. Pot O’ Gold Shots, a fun alcoholic St. Patrick’s drink

Nothing is more Irish than this Pot O’ Gold shots recipe for St. Patrick’s Day. The cute and creative presentation of the shot makes it really fun to drink.

You can also convert this drink into a non-alcoholic version by simply replacing whiskey for ½ cup of cold water.

Pot O’ Gold Shots Recipe:

1 pack lemon/ pineapple Jell-O

½ c cold whiskey

1 c. cool whip

Gold sprinkles

Rainbow candy belts

How to make Pot O’ Gold Shots:

1. Boil 1 cup of water and mix the Jell-O mix until dissolved.

2. Stir in cup of water and whiskey.

3. Pour the mixture in a plastic shot glass.

4. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

5. Top it with cool whip and gold sprinkles.

6. Finish off with the rainbow belts positioned like a rainbow on top of the glass.

14. Baileys Mudslide, a sweet Irish cream treat

Whether you’re in an Irish cocktail party or enjoying post-dinner, this drink will satisfy your sweet tooth- all thanks to the Godiva Chocolate Liqueur that gives life to this creamy drink. Also, this drink isn’t difficult to prepare too!

Baileys Mudslide Recipe:

2 oz Baileys Irish cream

¼ oz Smirnoff No. 21 vodka

¼ oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

How to make Baileys Mudslide:

1. Mix the ingredients all together.

2. Pour into glass. You can serve it with ice or blend with ice.

15. Irish coffee, a popular Irish coffee with a twist

This popular Irish drink is simply a combination of coffee and whiskey and who would have thought that these two are perfect together? The best part of this drink is that it doesn’t take forever to prepare.

Irish coffee Recipe:

16 oz. hot water

2 tsp. Light brown sugar

2 oz. Irish whiskey

1 c. brewed coffee

1/2 c.  heavy cream

Chocolate shavings

How to make Irish coffee:

1. Pour hot water into two separate mugs and let sit for 2 minutes.

2. Pour out water and add 1 teaspoon light brown sugar to each mug.

3. Pour hot coffee into the mug.

4. Stir until sugar dissolves.

5. Pour Jameson Irish Whiskey into the mug.

6. Whisk cream in a separate bowl/mixer. Make sure cream is thick but still pourable.

7. Pour the cream on top of the coffee.

8. Finish it off with chocolate shavings.

 

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