Did you know that "slainte" is the Irish version of "salut"? That's what I've just learned from a couple of my across-the-pond friends who couldn't be happier to celebrate this Irish version of Cinco de Mayo. Although I've always been one for learning about new cultures, the one thing that I never liked about St. Patrick's Day was the green beer.
Not being a huge beer lover to begin with, I could never bring myself to drink this funny-looking stuff. But now I've discovered some amazing Latin beer cocktails that would give any green beer a run for its money.
From the spicy Mexican Michelada to the popular-in-Spain Clara (similar to a Shandy) and the newly invented Añejo Highball (which combines beer with my favorite Latin liquor, rum), there's something here for anyone who wants to partake in St. Patrick's Day festivities—Latin style.
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Michelada (recipe courtesy of Serious Eats)
Ingredients:
1/2 lime
Coarse salt
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 dash soy sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 pinch black pepper
1 dash Maggi seasoning, optional
12 ounces beer, preferably a dark Mexican beer like Negra Modelo.
Directions:
Squeeze the juice from the lime and set aside. Salt the rim of a highball glass by rubbing it with the lime and dipping it in coarse salt. Fill with ice. Add lime juice, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Tabasco, pepper and Maggi, if desired. Pour in beer, stir and serve, adding more beer as you sip.
Clara, or Shandy (recipe courtesy of Drinks Mixer)
Ingredients:
1 part draft beer
1 part 7-Up or Sprite soda
3 ice cubes
Directions:
The beer is first. The 7-Up is second. The ice is last, but it is only needed if the other ingredients aren't cold.
Añejo Highball (recipe courtesy of About.com)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Añejo rum
1/2 oz orange curacao
1/2 oz lime juice
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
2 oz ginger beer
lime wheel for garnish
orange slice for garnish
Directions:
Build the rum, curacao, lime juice and bitters in a highball glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with the orange and lime.
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Are you planning to celebrate St. Patrick's Day today? Will you make one of these Latin beer cocktails instead of having the typical green beer?
Image via Walter Rodriguez/flickr
