St. Patrick’s Day in America has become a holiday that involves a lot of drinking.

This year, St. Patrick’s Day is on a Monday, so it may be harder to celebrate than usual. But don’t fret, because the weekend before will probably be chock-full of celebrations. Whether you will be celebrating all weekend long, or just making a drink after work, here are some drink ideas for this unique holiday.

Beer

The traditional, “unofficial” beer of this holiday is Guinness. This dark, Irish draught beer is imported from Dublin, Ireland. According to Guinness’ website, there is a specific way to pour it to make your drinking experience even better. You can find their six step instructional video here.

While this is the more well-known Irish beer, there are plenty of others that are just as delicious. Sam Adams Irish Red represents the Irish attitude of Boston. Heineken is a nice St. Patty’s day choice. Even though it is a Dutch lager, the green bottle keeps with the holiday’s spirit. For a craft beer, try Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro. It has a similar quality to Guinness, and has roasted malt and coffee flavors. If none of these interest you, you could always take your favorite beer, add a few drops of food coloring, and voila! Green beer!

Mixed Drinks

Liquors that are well-known to Irish drinkers are whiskey and cream liqueur. Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Bailey’s Irish Cream are two popular brands. This recipe, called an Irish Gun Runner, includes both types of liquor and is from cocktailbuilder.com.

1/2 shot of irish cream

1/2 shot of irish whiskey

1/2 shot of grand marnier (or other orange liqueur)

coffee

Pour piping hot coffee into mug filled with liquors. stir well, then top with sweet heavy cream.

You don’t need whiskey or Irish cream to make your drink festive enough for St. Patrick’s Day. If you want some more green in your drink, try a Mint Chocolate Shamrocktini from The Slow Roasted Italian.

Mint Chocolate Shamrocktini

1 ounce Creme de Menthe

1/2 ounce Creme de Cocoa

1/2 ounce Absolut vodka

3 ounces 7-Up

Andes Mint (optional garnish)

Mix Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cocoa and vodka.  Pour into cocktail glass, add 3 ounces of 7-Up, stir, garnish with mint and serve.

All of the beers and liquors mentioned above can be found at Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, MA. Whatever way you like to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, you can be sure to find the supplies here.