A tipple and the grand ‘auld stretch is a pairing as synonymous with Ireland as bacon and cabbage, quarter finals and heartbreak, and reading Hot Press and having impeccable music taste. We’re spoilt for choice these days too, with exciting distillers, brewers and cocktail creators popping up faster than you could say “Negroni Sbagliato”.

Ireland continues to be a must for beer enthusiasts, with the Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland reporting at least 20 new breweries opening up on the island over the last five years. Meanwhile, Irish drinks companies continue to raise the bar at home and beyond, providing a plethora of options to satisfy even the most selective of sippers. A special shoutout goes to Pippa O’Connor Ormond’s celebrity-backed Istil 38 Vodka, which was crowned the Best On The Planet during the 2024 World Drinks Awards – proving that we’ve got more to offer than the traditional uisce beatha.

Like the rivers that fuel its delicious products, trends continue to shape the landscape of the beverage industry. Inspired by sustainability, this year suggests a shift towards minimalism, focusing on quality over quantity and getting the best out of natural ingredients to reduce wastage.

‘Fat-washing’ has become a popular way to alter the texture of spirits and cocktails – as anyone who’s tried Hawksmoor’s butter-infused Gold Fashioned will attest. The technique involves mixing oily ingredients into alcohol and freezing it, so that the fat resolidifies and separates. The separated fat is then scraped off, leaving behind its silky texture and flavour.

Sales of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks show no signs of slowing down either. Recent studies suggest a rise in ‘Zebra Striping’ – the practice of switching between alcoholic and low/non-alcoholic options throughout the same occasion. If you’re looking for a stiff one without the stiff, head over to drinknolo.ie, who boast a huge array of non-alcoholic wines, beers and spirits – ideal for making booze-less cocktails.

If it’s an intoxication-free social gathering you’re after, then check out the newly opened Board in Harold’s Cross, which, since the closure of Capel Street’s The Bloody Mary, stands as the only alcohol-free bar in the capital – with a healthy stock of board games to enjoy along with their range of 0% options.

Last year marked one of the hottest summers on record, so there’s all the more reason to have something on hand to cool you down at a moment’s notice. More people are opting for specially made, ball shaped moulds to form frozen spheres – a classy and snug fit for your favourite lowball glass. Why not get the most out of the summer fruits too, and add some small berries into the tray before allowing it to set in the freezer.

Amidst all the fads, the most important thing is to remember that you can wet your whistle whatever way you see fit, responsibly of course. Whether you’re unwinding in the garden after an arduous day at the office, at a festival campsite gearing up to get your boogie on or firing up the barbeque on a lazy Sunday, we’re lifting a glass to some of 2024’s first-ballot bevvies – guaranteed to quench your thirst on the long, warm days which lay ahead.

Cocktail Recipe:

West Cork Distillers Raspberry Rebel

This Skibbereen company is the largest, wholly Irish-owned distillery in the nation. Their grá for their community is equalled only by an unrivalled passion for experimentation and when it comes to innovation, few can match West Cork Distillers. A case in instance being their Raspberry Red Rebel cocktail, which provides a summery burst of fruity flavours.

Ingredients
• 50ml WC Black Cask Blended Whiskey
• 35ml fresh lemon Juice
• 15ml sugar syrup
• 30ml cranberry juice
• 20ml aperitivo
• 2 dashes grapefruit bitters
• 4 raspberries (to be muddled)
• 3 raspberries (for garnish)
soda water (to top)

Method
• Add raspberries to a shaker and muddle
• Add all ingredients, except soda water, and shake with ice
• Strain into a highball glass filled with ice
• Top with soda water
• Garnish with 3 skewered raspberries

Cocktail Recipe:

Stillgarden Cucumber and Apple Cooler

Priding themselves on making modern Irish spirits for the modern drinker, this Dublin-based company focuses on using as many fresh, local and sustainably grown botanicals as they can get their hands on. Their aptly named Give & Take Gin is half as strong as most other gins, but just as tasty, making it the optimal ingredient for their rejuvenating Cucumber and Apple Cooler.

Ingredients
• 40ml of Stillgarden Give & Take Botanical Spirit
• 50ml freshly pressed apple juice
• 25ml elderflower cordial
• 15ml lime juice
• 2-3 slices cucumber

Method
• Add ingredients into a shaker with ice
• Shake then pour over ice into a tall glass
• Top with natural soda or tonic and garnish with Cucumber Slices, Apple Slice or Mint

Cocktail Recipe:

Powers Iced Irish Coffee

Founded just off Dublin’s Thomas Street in 1791 as a side-hustle for local innkeeper James Power, this world-renowned whiskey brand has gone on to set benchmarks for 232 years. You don’t last this long without knowing a thing or two about coming up with great libations, and their cream Iced Irish Coffee is no exception. Your post-prandial coffee, digestif and dessert in one.

Ingredients
• 35ml Powers Gold Label
• 100ml cold brew coffee
•15ml demerara sugar
• One scoop vanilla ice cream
• scoop crushed ice

Method
• Add Gold Label, coffee, sugar, ice cream and ice into a blender
• Blend and pour into your favourite coffee cup
• Grate some nutmeg on top
• Serve chilled & enjoy

Cocktail Recipes:

Hennessy Honey Highball and Hennessey Pineapple

Founded by Irishman Richard Hennessy in France during
the mid 1700s, Hennessy Cognac has stood the test of time.
Rightly regarded as iconic, not least in the context of its
close association with hip hop, it is now enjoyed in over 160
countries. And for good reason. While Hennessy’s versatile liquid
can be enjoyed in a variety of drinks, most notably with ginger,
we’ve got summer in mind with these particularly
refreshing pair of drinks.

HENNESSY HONEY HIGHBALL

Ingredients
• 35.5ml Hennessy V.S
• 20ml Honey Syrup
• 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
• 90ml Club Soda

Method
• Add all ingredients to a highball glass with ice
• Stir to combine
• Garnish with a lemon twist.

HENNESSY PINEAPPLE

Ingredients
• 35.5ml Hennessy V.S
• 125ml Pineapple Juice
• 1 dash Bitters

Method
• Fill balloon glass with ice, pour in all ingredients
• Stir to combine
• Squeeze lime into drink.
• Garnish with a lime or pineapple wedge.

Cocktail Recipe:

Blood Monkey Tropical Collins

This Irish craft gin’s name and design are a nod to the act of ‘bleeding the monkey’. Thankfully, the phrase isn’t literal, and instead refers to when 17th century sailors would drill into their officer’s barrels to steal the liquor inside. While Blood Monkey are strong proponents of drinking gin straight, the Tropical Collins cocktail offers a lighter way to experience their strong citrus, floral, and smoky caramel flavours.

Method
Combine 50ml Blood Monkey Tropical Storm, 100ml soda water, 25ml lime juice in a tall glass, stir with ice and garnish with a wedge of lime.

Cocktail Recipe:

Kraken Spicy Mango Daiquiri

Legend has it that a lone ship carrying barrels of spiced rum across the Caribbean was once ravaged by an unknown beast. A solitary barrel survived, stained with the ink of the Kraken. This Spicy Mango Daiquiri, made from Kraken’s lauded rum, will certainly steady your sea legs.

Ingredients
• 3 parts Kraken Gold Spiced Rum
• 1 parts lime juice
• parts sugar syrup
•1 12 ounce bag of frozen mangos
• 1 part Triple Sec

Method
• Rim glass with honey and mango chili rimming salt
• Garnish with lime wheel