Every year on March 17, everyone becomes Irish.

And, why not? The Emerald Isle is a beautiful country filled with wonderful people, and most importantly, great drinks.

Here are 17 drink recipes to make a toast to good health and good friends on St. Patrick’s Day. We’ve got some traditional recipes, as well as, some cocktails that are little out there. Regardless, there’s something for everyone to make sure that they don’t remember St. Patrick’s Day.

1. Emerald

This one comes from Esquire, and is a simple cocktail.

Ingredients:

2 ounces whiskey

1 ounce Italian vermouth

1 dash orange bitters

Instructions:

Stir well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. We recommend using Irish whiskey.

2. Irish Paddy

This cocktail was suggested by iDrink.

Ingredients:

1 oz. Creme de Cacao

1 oz. Green Creme de Menthe

1 oz. Irish Cream

Instructions:

Mix together with crushed ice in a glass and garnish with mint leaves

3. Irish Lady

Here’s one for the ladies.

Ingredients:

3 oz. Champagne

1 oz. Melon liqueur

1 oz. Orange juice

Instructions:

Mix together with crushed ice in a glass and garnish with mint leaves

4. Shamrocker

This is an interesting shot that makes good use of tequila.

Ingredients:

1 part Hornitos™ Plata Tequila

1 part DeKuyper® Melon Liqueur

1/2 part Triple Sec

Splash of Orange Juice

Instructions:

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

Shake well.

5. Green Apple Martini

A new variation of a Martini from Food Network.

Ingredients:

Cinnamon and sugar for rimming glass

5 tablespoons vodka

5 tablespoons sour-apple schnapps

5 tablespoons lemonade

5 tablespoons lemon-lime soda (such as 7-Up or Sprite)

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, schnapps, lemonade and lemon-lime soda. Cover and shake vigorously. Dip rim edge of martini glasses in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch water, then in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch of equal parts sugar and cinnamon mixture. Strain shaken mixture into prepared glasses and serve.

6. Green Tea Mint Julep

For those who enjoy a Mint Julep, or just want something refreshing, try this recipe from Cocktail Times.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz of Charbay Green Tea vodka

1 oz of simple syrup

sprite

3 lemon wedges

8 mint leaves

Instructions:

Muddle 3 lemon wedges with mint leaves. Pour green tea vodka, simple syrup and shake. Strain into highball glass over ice. Top with sprite. Garnish with mint leaves.

7. Green Flash Cocktail

Fancy a cocktail with some vodka. We’ve got you covered.

Ingredients:

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz Peach Schnapps

1/2 oz Blue Curacao

3 oz orange juice

3 0z sprite

ice

Instructions:

Mix ingredients together, serve over ice. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.

8. Irish Flag

Impress people around you, with a drink that looks like the Irish flag.

Ingredients:

1 part green creme de menthe

1 part Bailey’s® Irish cream

1 part Grand Marnier® orange liqueur

Instructions:

In a cordial glass or shot glass, pour carefully in the order given, so that each ingredient floats on the preceding one.

9. Black and Tan

If you want to stick with beer, than ditch the tacky green-colored-junk and have a pint of some proper brew.

Ingredients:

1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle lager beer (such as Harp®)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout beer (such as

Guinness®)

Instructions:

Gently pour half the lager beer into a tall beer glass. Place a large tablespoon, dome side up, an inch or so above the lager beer, with the tip of the spoon pointed slightly downhill. Slowly pour half the stout beer over the tablespoon, so the stout gently pours down the side of the glass in a thick trickle. Allow to stand a few seconds so 2 distinct layers of beer form.

10. Pot of Gold

This cocktail has been described as “simple, elegant, refreshing, and quite lovely”.

Ingredients:

2 oz Voli Lyte Vodka

1/2 oz Elderflower syrup or liqueur

4 chunks cucumber (inch thick)

8 fresh mint leaves

Ginger beer

Mint and cucumber for garnish

Instructions:

Muddle cucumber and mint. Add Voli and elderflower. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, then top with ginger beer. Garnish with cucumber wheel and mint.

11. Irish Car Bomb

No. This is totally not PC, or a common drink in Ireland. However, it’s delicious and popular here in the States.

Ingredients:

1/2 oz. Irish Cream (Bailey’s)

1/2 pint Stout (Guinness)

1/2 oz. Whiskey, Irish (Jameson)

Instructions:

Pour half a pint of chilled Guinness into a beer mug and let it settle. Take a shot glass filled with 1/2 oz. of Irish whiskey on the bottom and 1/2 oz. of Irish cream on top. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and chug.

12. Midori Margarita

Here’s a festive margarita, if that’s your poison.

Ingredients:

6 ounces Tequila

3 ounces Midori

5 ounces Sour Mix

ice

Instructions:

Pour the ingredients except the ice into your blender and blend for about 10 seconds. Then, throw in a handful of ice and blend for another 30 seconds.

13. Jameson and Ginger

This is exactly what you would think. Jameson and ginger ale. It’s simple and refreshing.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 parts Jameson Irish Whiskey

Ginger ale

Squeeze of a lime wedge

Instructions:

Pour the whiskey into a highball glass filled with ice.Fill with ginger ale. Squeeze a lime wedge over the drink and drop it in. Stir.

14. Crown Float

Here’s a simple drink that could be considered a bit authentic for the Irish.

Ingredients:

1 part Guinness® stout

1 part Strongbow® cider

Instructions:

Start with the Strongbow, fill the sleeve half way. Carefully pour in the Guinness so it floats on top. If you’re not big on Guinness, make it 2/3 Strongbow and top it with Guinness.

15. Green Daiquiri Punch

After perhaps drinking all day, you may need some electrolytes. Yup. There’s a cocktail for with that.

Ingredients:

2 (12 ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

2 cups Gatorade sports drink, Lemon-Lime flaor, chilled

1 cup light rum

2 (12 ounce) cans lemon-lime soda pop, chilled

Instructions:

Mix limeade concentrate, sports drink and rum in large pitcher. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, pour punch into punch bowl. Add soda pop.

16. Baby Guinness

The Irish do actually drink something called a Baby Guinness. We’re not sure if this shot is the same thing, but it’s still awesome.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur

1/2 oz Bailey’s® Irish cream

Instructions:

Pour Kahlua, almost filling shot glass. Then, carefully pour Baileys, using wall of shot glass. This will give the “Guinness” its “head”.

17. Irish Coffee

If you want some traditional, authentic and that will wake you up, then you can’t go wrong with an Irish Coffee.

Ingredients:

six ounces of hot, fresh brewed coffee

1 teaspoon of brown sugar for sweetness

1 ½ ounces of your favorite Irish whiskey

heavy cream

Instructions:

Using the heavy cream, whip it until it becomes whipped cream. You can add sugar and confeccionate sugar to sweeten. Place into the refrigerator to chill. Once your fresh coffee is brewed, combine it with the whiskey and sugar. Mix it well until the sugar dissolves. Take the whipped cream out and place it on top of the Irish coffee mixture. And voilá, you have in your hands your first homemade Irish coffee recipe.