Five Non-Alcoholic Drinks for St. Paddy's Day (with musical accompaniment) ☘️

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with delicious non-alcoholic drinks paired with iconic Irish music.

A classic Irish Coffee, one of the greatest cocktails of all time.

I’ve never been a very good Irish-American. I rarely drink Guinness, almost never touch Irish whiskey anymore, and haven’t worn green on St. Patrick’s Day in over a decade—a grave offense for which I’m owed many pinches. Worst of all, I don’t drink green beer.

Still, I have my moments.

I get teary-eyed listening to Sinéad O’Connor songs and raucously sing along to any Pogues track from the albums Rum, Sodomy, & the Lash or If I Should Fall from Grace with God. I even once met former Pogues singer Shane MacGowan when I was snubbed by the Violent Femmes (a story for another time). And while I do enjoy a good drink, I tend to buck the stereotype of my kinfolk by making it a non-alcoholic one.

In the spirit of being a better Irish-American, I’ve paired non-alcoholic St. Patrick’s Day drinks with great Irish music in this post. Maybe the two together will win back some points for me and my Irish heritage. Below are a few of my favorite NA drinks, each matched with a song to celebrate the Saint’s feast day.

Sláinte!

1. Black Velvet & “And a Bang on the Ear” by The Waterboys

I do like Guinness—even if I don’t drink it all the time—especially Guinness 0.0. But I like it even better with Champagne. That’s it, that’s the drink. (Of course, in the non-alcoholic version, we’ll swap in a quality NA sparkling wine, like Bolle, Geisen, or Zeronimo.)

To make it, use a highball or a wine glass—if you want to be fancy. Pour equal parts chilled Guinness 0.0 and non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy And a Bang on the Ear by the Scottish-Irish legends The Waterboys—an instant classic that has now stood the test of time for nearly 40 years.

---

2. Non-Alcoholic Irish Maid & “Famine” by Sinead O’Connor

Hands down, my favorite singer is Sinéad O’Connor. Her passing was far too soon, but she left behind an incredible body of work—music that resonates long after she stepped out of the spotlight.

Famine is her “rap” song, a haunting reflection on the Irish famine and British complicity in it. Maybe it’s a strange juxtaposition to pair such a powerful protest song with a delicious drink, but I wanted something that captured the complexity of her music—beyond just the Prince cover she’s best known for, “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

The contradictions don’t stop there. Elderflower and cucumber are only vaguely Irish, but the drink is almost green, and I suppose that’s what counts. Ultimately, the Irish Maid is a whiskey sour with a summery twist.

• 2 oz Non-Alcoholic Whiskey (such as Spiritless Kentucky 74 or Free Spirits Bourbon)

• .5 oz Giffard Elderflower Non-Alcoholic Liqueur

• .75 Fresh Lemon Juice

• .75 Simple Syrup

• 3 cucumber slices (save one for the garnish)

Muddle cucumber, add ingredients and ice. Shake vigorously and strain liquid into a rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish with a cucumber.

---

3. Kentucky Coffee & “Whiskey in the Jar” by Metallica

Metallica isn’t Irish, and neither is a Kentucky Coffee—but both draw inspiration from Ireland and the Irish diaspora. Metallica from Irish rockers Thin Lizzy, and the Kentucky Coffee from the legendary Irish Coffee, a blend of Irish whiskey, demerara sugar, coffee, and cream—one of the greatest cocktails ever created.

I once had the chance to spend time with Metallica’s bassist, Rob Trujillo, who wasn’t drinking at the time. In fact, he had long embraced mindful drinking, along with his bandmates—including frontman James Hetfield, who is now sober. But that doesn’t mean Trujillo doesn’t appreciate a good drink.

And even without Irish whiskey (since no non-alcoholic alternative quite exists), this is still a great one with a little help from Spiritless Kentucky 74. You can find the recipe on Spiritless’ website.

---

4. Non-Alcoholic Irish Cream & “A Pair of Brown Eyes” by The Pogues

I love The Pogues for many reasons, but most of all for their original frontman, Shane MacGowan. His lyrics—often steeped in whiskey and heavy drinking—are also deeply poetic, capturing the raw human experience alongside the long suffering and hard-won joy of the Irish people.

Irish Cream is something else entirely. Sweet, smooth, and easy. But it pairs well with a sorrowful song that carries that same bittersweet edge—the kind The Pogues did best.

Since no commercial non-alcoholic Irish Cream exists (yet), I’ll point you to Natalie Battaglia—better known as The Mindful Mocktail on Instagram. An Australian influencer with a knack for crafting incredible alcohol-free drinks, she’s nailed the recipe for a non-alcoholic Irish Cream. Check out her website for the recipe.

---

5. Mash Gang’s Unlucky Charms Non-Alcoholic Beer & “The Unicorn Song” by The Irish Rovers

Not everything has to be serious. Fake red beards and oversized green hats? Not serious—if not slightly grotesque. But hey, I’m not here to be a killjoy. Put ’em on and go chase your pot o’ gold.

This NA beer is both serious and not serious at the same time. It’s seriously delicious, but it also tastes like a bowl of cereal—which may be magical, sure, but no one would accuse it of being serious.

To match such an over-the-top beer, I had to pick the silliest Irish song: The Unicorn Song. I play this when I want: (a) people to sing along, and (b) some of those people to get annoyed and leave. Just like the beer, it’s not for everyone.

---

That’s it! I hope you have a craic listening to these songs and enjoying the drinks.

If you need supplies, check out The Zero Proof and get 15% off with this promo code: POSITIVEDAMAGE15. Otherwise, let me know—what will you be drinking this St. Paddy’s Day?

---

What’s happening and what’s next…

1. Stress relief doesn’t come in a bottle! I discuss Stress Drinking: Does Alcohol Help or Hurt? on my latest Mindful Drinking Podcast. 🎧

2. Want to hear stories about royalty and martinis? I discuss them with JW Wiseman of Curious Elixirs on their new podcast, Stay Curious Show. 🎙️

3. Bartenders & Bar Owners: Was Dry January a little different from previous years for you? Writer Adam Reiner spoke to myself and bars about how Dry January Hit Different This Year. Can Bars Afford Its Rising Popularity? for Vinepair. ✍🏻

4. If you’re at at The Bar & Restaurant Expo on March 25th at 1 PM PDT, join me for a seminar, “Zero-Proof, Full Profit: Making NA Drinks Work for Your Business.” I’ll be talking about best practices for integrating non-alcoholic drinks into hospitality settings—covering menu strategy, pricing, staff training, consumer engagement, and operational execution during my talk. 🗣️