Best Irish Whiskey Cocktails In Minnesota
Minnesota has a vibrant Irish community. St. Patrick's Day, which falls on March 17, is when everybody gets a chance to be Irish. Put a lilt in your day and grab a shillelagh. Take in the big parade. Do Irish step dancing and enjoy the culinary flavors of Ireland. Of course, many signature cocktails made with Irish whiskey will be part of the fare.
Morrissey's Irish Pub
913 W. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 465-8555
www.morrisseysuptown.com
Morrissey's is a true Irish pub for Irish fare and liquid refreshments. Its menu of entrees and pub grub is unsurpassed. So is its selection of beer, wine and spirits from around the world. The spirit of Ireland, however, is in two distinctive whiskey cocktails — the Irish Bomb and Baileys & Coffee. These are straightforward, no frills drinks. The Irish Bomb (or "the Bomb") consists of Irish whiskey and Irish whiskey cream dropped into a stout glass of Guinness. The Baileys & Coffee is a simple concoction of Baileys Irish whiskey cream and freshly brewed coffee. A sip of each and you'll know the taste of Ireland.
Cork's Irish Pub
Embassy Suites
175 10th St., E.
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 224-5111
www.corkspub.com
Cork's Irish Pub sits on one of the coolest corners of Twin Cities — the Embassy Suites in St. Paul. For many visitors to Minnesota, it's a home away from home. For St. Paul's non-Irish community, Cork's is a corner of Cork County, Ireland. Refresh yourself with one or more signature drinks made with Irish whiskey. Most winsome are Cork's Tall, Kinky Irishmen and Fire Cider. Cork's Tall is a handsome blend of Jameson, Sierra Mist and bitters with a splash of Pepsi served over ice in a tall glass. Kinky Irishmen mixes homemade ginger ale with Jameson whiskey and Kinky Liqueur. Naturally, it's served in a tall glass. Fire Cider is a warmup drink for winter or whenever wintry weather comes as a surprise; hot apple cider and Fireball Cinnamon Whisky do the trick.
Kip's Authentic Irish Pub
9970 Wayzata Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
(952) 367-5070
www.kipspub.com
Attached to the Minneapolis Marriott West Hotel, Kip's has a spectacular whiskey selection and signature drinks to match. Sunny Day in Dublin is a pungent mix of Jameson Black Barrel, Domaine de Canton, fresh lemon juice and basil. A ginger-flavored French liqueur, Domaine de Canton was originally made in China's Guangdong province under the name The Original Canton Delicate Ginger Liqueur. Another disarming cocktail, Big Ginger, is a gingered refresher made from house-made ginger ale, 2 Gingers Irish whiskey and lemon and lime garnishes. Recent additions to the pub's specialty cocktails are The Derby and Whiskey Sage Sour. The Derby is a sweet refresher with 2 Gingers whiskey, sweet vermouth, Tattersall orange crema and fresh lime juice. The Whiskey Sage Sour is a tart and snappy concoction made from Bulleit rye, house-made sage syrup, fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice and orange bitters. For a sublimely simple whiskey cocktail, sip a Blushing Irishman. This is a simple pour of Jameson and cranberry juice on the rocks, garnished with a fresh lime wedge.
Related: Minnesota's Whiskey War
Cooper Pub & Restaurant
1607 Park Place Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
(952) 698-2000
www.cooperpub.com
Cooper Pub is a charming place to be on any day. An Irish pub with a European style, Cooper serves up gastropub classics with or without ethnic culinary twists. For refreshments, enjoy a Big Ginger with 2 Gingers whiskey, lemon and lime twists and ginger ale. (Does this recipe sound familiar?) For coffee drinks made with whiskey, they are Irish coffee and After Eight! The Irish coffee is made with 2 Gingers whiskey and Guinness simple syrup. After Eight is a blend of Irish cream, brewed coffee, peppermint and chocolate.
The Local
Nicollet Mall
931 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 904-1000
www.the-local.com
2 Gingers figures prominently in The Local's signature cocktails. The Big Ginger, Irish coffee and The Local Toddy are all made with 2 Gingers. Big Ginger, also found at both Cooper and Kip's, has the standard recipe of ginger ale, whiskey, lemon and lime. Irish coffee is always a reliable standby with whiskey, Guinness syrup and coffee topped with whipped cream. The Local toddy is a relaxing drink infused with whiskey, lemon zest, Irish tea and vanilla bean.
Related: Best Irish Pubs In Minnesota
Linda Cameron has written home design, home improvement and lifestyle articles for The Boston Globe and City Shopper Magazine. She has related interests in the building industry, travel, real estate and financing. She is a contributor to Examiner, House Spot, Techsling and Behance, covering topics on career, people, businesses, education and technology.
