Shamrock Sour Recipe

Shamrock Sour is tangy, boozy, and tinted emerald in honor of the Irish holiday. Say cheers to St. Paddy’s Day with this refreshing drink!

Got more upcoming celebrations? Treat your guests to more delicious cocktails, like this creamy White Margarita with coconut and cranberry, our beautiful Orange Cranberry Sangria, and the classic brunch beverage, Mimosa!

Shamrock Sour Cocktail 

Shamrock Sour is the best way to kickstart your St. Patrick’s Day celebration! This cocktail is a delicious Irish twist on the classic whiskey sour.

We’re using two kinds of citrus – lime and lemon – for extra freshness and tang. Irish whiskey is naturally our alcohol of choice, but we also provide a few alternative liquors you can use later on. To balance out the sour and bitter flavors, we’re adding a splash of simple syrup. Finally, a few drops of green food dye turns this from a tasty cocktail to a St. Paddy’s Day essential!

What is Shamrock Sour?

It’s the St. Paddy’s day version of a whiskey sour. We’re using Irish whiskey, of course! For the “sour” part of the recipe, you’ve got both lime and lemon juice. And for the “shamrock” part, a few drops of green color in honor of Ireland’s national emblem, the green shamrock!

Shamrock Sour ingredients:

• Citrus: We’re using both lime juice and lemon juice for an extra tangy drink.
• Simple syrup: To balance out the citrus with a dash of sweetness.
• Irish whiskey: As much as possible, use Irish whiskey to give the drink that St. Paddy’s Day spirit!
• Green food color: That bright green shade is a must for this beverage.
• Garnish: Prepare some lime wedges for each glass.

How to make simple syrup?

This simple mix of water and sugar is a fundamental element of most cocktails. While you can buy it pre-made, it’s beyond easy to make yourself! Just boil together a cup each of white sugar and water, then cool down. Now it’s ready to use for your favorite cocktails, lemonade, iced coffee, and other drinks!

What’s the best whiskey to use in a Shamrock Sour?

Irish whiskey is our go-to alcohol for this cocktail. For one, it really gives the drink that authentic St. Paddy’s Day vibe. Second, it goes down really smoothly and blends really well with citrus. Some of our favorite Irish whiskey brands are Jameson, Connemara, and Bushmills.

How to make Shamrock sour from scratch?

1. Combine. Shake everything together, then strain the cocktail over ice.
2. Serve. Decorate each glass with a lime wedge, plus a shamrock stirrer for an extra festive touch!

Recipe variations and substitutions:

• Use other alcohol: While Irish whiskey is ideal, you can also use any clear liquor like bourbon, cognac, tequila, rum, gin, and even vodka. We also love absinthe in ours!
• Use other sweeteners: Instead of simple syrup, try honey or agave nectar.
• Add mint: Make it more refreshing with a little mint extract, plus mint leaves as garnish.
• Sparkling: Add a little club soda to the mix or lemon-lime soda.
• Shamrock Sour Crush: For a cool twist to this green cocktail, put all your ingredients in a blender with some crushed ice or ice cubes. Blend until it becomes nice slush, and serve!
• Use green liquors: Don’t want to use food color? Try mixing in some Midori, sour apple schnapps, absinthe, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and green crème de menthe!

Can you make it in advance?

Sure! This cocktail can last a few days in the fridge, as long as it stays properly refrigerated all throughout. A regular whiskey sour mix can last up to 5 days to a week in the refrigerator.

More St. Patrick’s Day recipes to try:

• Affogato Recipe (with Baileys)
• Fried Cabbage and Kielbasa
• Easy Chocolate Mint Mousse
• Fried Cabbage and Noodles
• Irish Coffee

Recipe Tips:

• Instead of putting drops of food color directly into the cocktail, dip a toothpick into the dye. Then, stir it into the drink. This way, you have better control over how green the shade will be.
• We love using Jameson for our Shamrock sour! It’s widely available and gives the beverage a really smooth finish.
• For the citrus, we highly recommend using natural fruits and squeezing them fresh. Of course, you can use bottled juice if you’d like.
• For more visual impact, brush the rim of each glass with a lime wedge, then roll in green sanding sugar.

5 from 4 votes

Print

Shamrock Sour

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

 

Shamrock Sour is tangy, boozy, and tinted emerald in honor of the Irishholiday. Say cheers to St. Paddy’s Day with this refreshing drink!

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: Shamrock Sour

Servings: 2 drinks

Calories: 544 kcal

Author: Marionela Tiron

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 8 ounces Irish whiskey
• 4 ounces grapefruit juice
• 2 tiny drops of green food coloring
• lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients and shake well, make sure you add just a tiny drop of food coloring and if needed add more.
2. Strain over ice, pour into two glasses with ice and serve with a lime wedge.

Nutrition Facts

Shamrock Sour

Amount Per Serving

Calories 544 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Sodium 51mg2%

Potassium 181mg5%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 69g77%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 19IU0%

Vitamin C 24mg29%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.