Happy St. Patty’s Day!! Here in Boston, this Irish holiday is a big deal.  Drinking, food, live music and a kick-ass parade in Southie (the 2nd largest in the U.S.).  Did I mention drinking??  Of course St. Patrick’s Day is one holiday notoriously associated with libations and intoxication.  But most beer, wine and liquor is NOT vegan or even vegetarian.

When people go vegetarian or vegan, drinks aren’t something that automatically spring to mind.  You don’t expect to find meat or animal by-products lingering in your beverages.  But most alcohol is filtered with albumen (eggs), gelatin (cow or pig bones or hooves), honey, casein (milk protein), charcoal (sometimes from bones) chitosan (shrimp or crab shells) or isinglass (fish bladders).  So what’s a vegan to do??

Luckily, there are several handy vegan sites that can help guide you to your perfect booze:

• Barnivore – The best and most famous site for vegan and vegetarian beer, wine and liquor; a truly comprehensive list.
• Frommar’s Vegan Wine Guide – A compilation of over 420 vegan wines from around the world.
• Vegan Vanguard – beer list
• Candle 79 – THE vegan Mecca. The famous NYC restaurant provides a list of the vegan, organic and sustainable beers, white wines, red wines and liquors they serve.
• Sacred Chow – A restaurant in NYC featuring a list of vegan and Kosher wine and beer they serve.

So what are The Opinioness’ fave drinks you ask??  Well, I am quite the connoisseur of liquor (hey that rhymed!).  My fave libations are vodka martinis, White Russians (vodka, Kahlua, milk) with vanilla soymilk instead of dairy milk and Disaronno Amaretto with cranberry juice.  I don’t drink beer but I do heart hard cider, preferably Woodchuck and Original Sin.  For wine, I adore Asti Spumante, Sangria (with a vegan red wine of course) and Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling.  Ahh Riesling…my Achille’s heel.

But you want a festive drink fit for Erin go Bragh?  Sip on a Midori Sour.  Add Creme de Menthe to your vegan hot chocolate.  Or check out this delectable sounding recipe for Vegan Bailey’s Irish Cream from the Epicurious Vegan.

So don your green garb, get together with friends, drink responsibly and you’ll swear you were kissed by the luck of the Irish.  Here’s a little Dropkick Murphys to put you in the St. Patty’s Day mood…Boston-style…