February 14, 2011

St. Patrick's Day

March seventeenth lays a feast upon Irish tables & a wellspring of firkins upon Irish pubs.

Across the Atlantic, we have been raised to reflect the revelry, but most haven't the eyes or taste buds to holistically feel for Saint Patrick's Day.

We are raised Americanized, cutting paper clovers & adorning spaces with smiling leprechauns. We change our ham & cheese on white to green ham & cheese on potato bread. We drink Guinness or Smithwick's or Harp. But you'll need to personally go east & see the flora resting upon the hills to know it's emerald not green. To know it's ale not simply beer, you could get a pen pal from outside St. James' Gate or you could homebrew your St. Paddy's experience!

Instead of packing taxis or buses, gather your “Everybody's Irish” crowd for a celebration of the real essence of the holiday. Celebrate the clover leaf trinity of Irish ales: brew an Irish Draught Ale to lambast dark ale naysayers with caramel malt aplomb. Refresh clinking tankards with Irish Blonde Ale, a winking take on honest Hibernian fermentative heritage. And brew an extra batch or two of the perennial national mascot, Dry Irish Stout, served by birthright in 20 oz. glasses.

There's no failing the occasion with these three ales. Whether you make a potato & beef stew (fortified with stout), host a sea shanty party, open your porch for an evening of ceilidh dancing or perhaps just lay down a Celtic punk rock playlist, you'll earn every bright grin & fan the fire of every toast when you homebrew your St. Patrick's Day celebration.

5 comments:

  1. brilliant ales but its shamrocks not clovers

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  2. There is nothing "sweeter" than tipping a pint in the Gravity Bar, atop St. James Gate.

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  3. We need a more Green Beer!

    & clover IS a shamrock!

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  4. Then catching a performance from Alan Burke / Davy Spillane

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  5. Just brewed up Batch #2 of the Irish Draught Ale this evening and the Irish Dry Stout will be ready for bottling next week. My timing was off this year with St. Patrick's Day.

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