St. Patrick's Day Irish Whiskey & Beer Guide GTA 2025

St. Patrick's Day in Toronto is one of the busiest drinking days of the year. The pubs along King West, the parade on Bloor, the Distillery District takeover — by 8 PM most of the city is wearing green and looking for a Jameson Ginger. If you'd rather host than fight a 45-minute lineup, here's the short list of what to stock.

Irish Whiskey — The Three That Matter

You don't need a deep Irish whiskey shelf to get St. Pat's right. Three bottles cover the night.

Jameson

The default Irish whiskey for a reason. Triple-distilled, smooth, lightly sweet, mixes into anything. A Jameson Ginger (Jameson + ginger ale + lime) is the easiest crowd-pleaser. A shot is a shot — order one with a Guinness chaser and you've got a Black Velvet half done.

Bushmills

If you want a step up from Jameson without going premium. Slightly maltier, slightly drier. Great neat, also strong in an Irish Coffee. The Black Bush bottling is worth the extra few dollars if you can find it.

Tullamore D.E.W.

Triple-distilled like Jameson but with a heavier mouthfeel. The smoothest of the three for sipping neat. If you have a guest who claims they don't like whiskey, hand them a Tullamore on the rocks — they'll change their mind by the second pour.

The Beer Half — Guinness, Obviously

Guinness Draught Stout is the only stout that matters on March 17. The pour is the whole game — fill the glass at a 45-degree angle three-quarters of the way, let it settle until the surge is fully resolved, then top up straight. From start to ready takes about 119 seconds. People will judge you for not waiting. Wait.

If Guinness isn't your speed, Smithwick's (an Irish red ale brewed by Guinness) is lighter, slightly hoppier, and reads as a beer for people who don't love stouts.

Irish Coffee — The Proper Recipe

Hot black coffee, 1.5 oz Irish whiskey (Jameson works perfectly), 2 tsp brown sugar, topped with lightly whipped cream floated on the back of a spoon. The cream sits on top — you drink the coffee through it. Built in a heat-resistant glass mug, not a regular coffee cup.

Three rules: real whipped cream (not from a can), brown sugar (not white), and a stout glass mug. Skip any of the three and it's just spiked coffee.

Order for the Whole Day

J&J Alcohol Delivery is open 24/7 across Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, and North York. Order the Jameson, the Guinness, and the cream from one stop. Average delivery 35 minutes door-to-door — order at jnjalcoholdelivery.ca or call (437) 328-0030.