The Yard’s Shamrock is one of its two vodka-based St. Patrick’s drinks. Photo courtesy of The Yard

While St. Patrick’s Day this year won’t have the traditional rowdy crowds, there are still several options for you to find a St. Patrick’s Day-themed cocktail in Portland. Not surprisingly, a good percentage of them feature whiskey, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and/or the greenest alcohol out there, crème de menthe. If you’re planning to stay on your sofa curled up in your green PJs, you’re in luck – several of the drinks are easy to replicate at home, and two of the bartenders even shared their recipes.

Maine Craft Distilling is offering the $10 Fianna, named after the small bands of semi-independent warriors in Irish mythology. The Fianna, available only on St. Patrick’s Day, consists of MCD’s own Fifty Stone whiskey, Amaretto, Gran Classico (a bitter herbal liqueur from Italy said to be the inspiration for Campari), Owl & Whale sea smoke bitters, and fresh lemon juice. The distillery also will be serving Reuben sandwiches that day, along with other food specials.

If you’re not already familiar with Owl & Whale, it’s a Portland-based company that produces its own bitters, phosphates and shrubs. The name comes from 18th-century slang terms for drinkers. An owl was a late-night drinker who stayed until closing time, and a whale was a heavy drinker and big spender (and tipper) who often bought a round of drinks for a crowd. But I digress.

The Finnegans Wake from Top of the East. Photo courtesy of Top of the East

If Jameson is your whiskey of choice, you can find it in Top of the East’s $15 Finnegans Wake, named after the novel by Irish writer James Joyce. “Finnegans Wake” is often described as the most difficult work of literature in English. Luckily, its cocktail namesake is far more approachable. Served in a coupe glass with an absinthe rinse, it has 1 ounce Jameson, 1 ounce green Chartreuse (a French herbal liqueur which is the only liqueur in the world with a completely natural green color), 1 ounce Maraschino liqueur and 1 ounce lime juice. Jameson is also the featured spirit in Rivalries’ $9 Irish Boi, available at both its Portland and Falmouth locations: 1.5 ounce Jameson, 1.5 ounce Bailey’s, and 1 ounce simple syrup with green food coloring added to it. As one St. Patrick’s Day meme goes, Jameson on St. Patrick’s Day is definitely worth a shot.

The Irish Boi will be available at Rivalries’ two locations, in Portland Falmouth. Photo courtesy of Rivalries

If you want to celebrate but aren’t a beer or whiskey fan, never fear; The Yard is here for you with two different vodka-based options, each $13. The Lucky Charms is made with vanilla vodka, Bailey’s and vanilla liqueur, while the Shamrock contains vanilla vodka, crème de menthe and white chocolate liqueur.

We can’t talk about St. Patrick’s Day cocktails in Portland without including Ri Ra Irish pub. Although cocktails (other than Irish coffee) aren’t a traditional part of the celebration in Ireland, Ri Ra hasn’t let that stop it from coming up with five fun options. The $14 Irish coffee has both Jameson and Bailey’s; there’s also a $14 twist on Irish coffee called the Nutty Irishman, which is made with Bailey’s and Frangelico (a hazelnut liqueur). The $12 Irish Mule combines Jameson’s (instead of the traditional rum) and ginger beer, and the $12 Dublin Iced Tea mixes vodka, rum, gin, tequila, Midori (a green-colored melon liqueur originally from Japan), sour mix and soda. The one I’m most excited about, though, is the $15 Shamrock Martini: cream, crème de menthe, Bailey’s, and – wait for it – chocolate vodka.  Yes, apparently chocolate vodka actually exists, and now I have an order to go place.

Angie Bryan is a former diplomat who is enjoying getting acquainted with her new home in Portland, one cocktail at a time.