IMBIBE: The Irish Cold Brew: Survive March with a little day-drinking

I’m so done with this winter. My yard is an ice rink, my fingers are perpetually frozen and I look like a vampire. The only way I’m getting through this month is day-drinking. 

I’ve come to realize that drinking during the day is way better than doing so at night. It only takes one or two to get a good buzz, you’re sober by dinner and there are zero hangovers.  Win, win and win.

Back in the day, if you wanted to day-drink you had two acceptable choices: Bloody Marys or mimosas. Of course you could always go hardcore, but not without looking like you had a problem. Nowadays, places like Julians and Nick’s on Broadway have entire menus devoted to brunch cocktails. And while the favorites still show up, they’re taken to new levels. My personal favorite is the Future Ghost at Julians, which features ghost pepper-infused tequila, lime juice, grapefruit simple syrup, fresh lime juice and champagne. And best of all, it comes in small, medium and large! A close second is the grapefruit and thyme mimosa at Nick’s. 

Jackie and Annalee, who work the bar at Nick’s during the day, agree that day-drinking is so underrated. Annalee thinks bubbles are always a safe bet because they wake you up while putting you to sleep, so the effect is net zero. You don’t want to go too heavy, so it’s best to avoid those amber-colored liqueurs, unless you’re mixing them with coffee.

Nick’s offers an Irish Cold Brew that combines their cold brew coffee with vanilla liqueur for sweetness and bourbon for that rich caramel flavor. It’s not currently on the menu, but they’ll make it for you if you ask nicely. I can’t think of a better excuse than St. Patrick’s Day to give one a try, so here’s the unofficial recipe:

• 6 ounces of cold brew coffee
• 1.5 ounces of bourbon
• .5 ounces vanilla liqueur

Combine the ingredients and pour them over ice. And if you prefer your coffee creamy, try adding a shot of Bailey’s.