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If you’re a big fan of good beer and a certain March holiday, you’re in luck. We’re here with some of our favorite Irish beers to enjoy when St. Patrick’s Day 2022 rolls around.
Before we start counting down our booze recommendations, though, we’ll fill you in ona little bit of St. Patty’s history.
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and for a legit reason. This holy figure was a true badass, and there are countless legends surrounding his life. Some still believe that Patrick banished all of the snakes from Ireland at one point, although this wasn’t the case (there were never any snakes in Ireland in the first place).
Another legend says that St. Patrick introduced the Irish to Christianity, explaining the Christian doctrine of the Trinity using the three leaves of a shamrock. That story, contrary to the one about Pat and the snakes, is true!
Contrary to popular belief, St. Patrick wasn’t an Irishman by birth; he was English. However, he was kidnapped as a teenager from his native Britain and forced into slavery in Ireland. Patrick eventually escaped from his captivity at the hands of the Irish. But, it wasn’t long before he returned to the Emerald Isle and became the country’s most beloved holy figure.
The Irish started celebrating St. Patrick centuries ago, but the first official St. Patrick’s Day parade was actually held in the United States. Taking place in colonial Florida, the procession was put on in the early 17th century by pretty much the only Irishman in the colony of St. Augustine. As more Irish immigrants came to the United States in the following centuries, more and more St. Patrick’s Day celebrations started taking place.
Long-standing traditions related to St. Patrick’s Day includes drinking tons of beer (often green-colored beer), dressing up in bright green apparel, participating in parades, singing Celtic music, and having a grand old time. If any of those festive activities sound appealing to you, you’re in luck. The holiday is just around the corner.
Alcohol and St. Patrick’s Day is a match made in heaven. The type of booze that is most often associated with St. Patty’s is, of course, Irish whiskey. So, why do we recommend cracking a cold one on this Irish holiday instead of sipping on whiskey? Well, to clarify, we recommend whiskeyandbeer. But why beer?
Here are a few reasons why it’s worth your while to drink Irish beer on St. Patrick’s Day:
Ireland is known for its legendary breweries and distilleries—a representation they totally deserve. In fact, the tiny island nation is widely regarded as the producer of some of the finest stouts in the world. Stouts are dark beers that contain a high concentration of alcohol and a wide array of distinct flavors.
Dry stouts, better known as Irish stouts, are some of the most popular beers on St. Patrick’s Day also and year-round, luckily. These beers are less sweet and creamy than other stout varieties like the milk stout. Guinness is considered their king.
We’ll talk more about this iconic Irish beer later, but for now just remember that Ireland knows what they’re doing when it comes to beer.
One of the best-known St. Patrick’s Day traditions is drinking green-colored beer. If you go to a local bar, especially an Irish-style pub, on St. Patrick’s Day, you’re highly likely to find some green-tinted beer on tap. But where did this popular practice come from?
Green beer was allegedly first invented by Professor Thomas H. Curtin to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in New York. Ironically, Curtin was a doctor; you don’t find many healthcare professionals making beer in their free time.
Thomas and others who’ve made their own green beer after him combined a favorite beer brand with some blue food coloring to create this signature St. Patrick’s Day concoction. Why blue dye, you might ask? It’s because beer is naturally yellow, and blue and yellow mix to make the color green.It’s science, people.
While green beer is certainly a popular drink on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s not necessarily the tastiest beverage to put on your glass when March 17th comes around. In fact, bar keepers often mix tons of blue dye with their cheapest beer to get rid of it when it’s St. Patrick’s Day. The owners of local bars know they’ll sell massive quantities of green beer, so concern for the quality of the beer often goes out the window.
Because it doesn’t always taste the best, and because all of that food coloring can’t be good for you, we recommend trying the Irish beers listed below on St. Patrick’s Day instead of just drinking the green stuff.
First created byArthur Guinness in 1759, Guinness was originally a product of Dublin, Ireland. It’s now one of the most popular beers in the world, and the brewery where it was first made has become one of Ireland’s hottest tourist destinations. So, what’s all the hype about Guinness?
This iconic Irish beer is described as a dark-colored dry stout made from water, barley, roasted malt extract, hops, and yeast. The secret to a pint of Guinness’ distinct color is simple – some of the barley in each batch is roasted, darkening the hue of the beer once it’s brewed.
The flavor and composition of this Irish beer have definitely evolved over the years, especially with the introduction of nitrogen into the brewing process. Usingnitrogen instead of carbon dioxide gives the modern-day Guinness a smoother and creamier mouthfeel than its classic predecessor. Personally, we’re big fans of how smooth this beer tastes.
Now over 260 years old, this beer is definitely a tried-and-true choice for St. Patrick’s Day, as well as every other day of the year.
O’Hara’s is the artisanal answer to Guinness. It’s another Irish stout, meaning it’ll have a darker color and drier flavor than some of the sweeter beers on the market. However, every stout is unique, and this one definitely has some distinct flavor notes to bring to the table.
A bottle of O’Hara’s gives you everything you want from a high-quality Irish stout and then some. Some of the unique qualities that make this beer a winner include its espresso-tinged flavor and a full-bodied mouthfeel.
This beer was originally brewed in 1710, which makes it several decades older than Guinness. With its distinct red hue and caramelly flavor, this is one of the best Irish cream ales out there. It’s a perfect choice if stouts aren’t your thing, especially if you prefer beers that taste…well…creamier.
If you want to have the best St. Patrick’s Day celebration of your life this year, you’ll need to look sharp. That’s where we come in.
At Famous IRL, we’re all about helping you live your life to the fullest and express yourself with what you wear. That’s why we’ve come up with a plethora of St. Patrick’s Day-themed apparel to try.
Some of our favorite St. Patty’s shirts, hoodies, and more include:
It’s like we always say: “Alcohol – because no great story ever started with someone eating a salad.”
The “Surprise I’m Drunk” Tee: Is it ever really a surprise that you’re drunk? Not if you’re anything like us. Tell the world exactly how things are in your life with this hilarious tee.
St. Patrick’s Day is definitely one of our favorite holidays over here at Famous IRL. If you agree, grab yourself some stylish St. Patty’s apparel and wear it proudly on March 17th. Oh, and don’t forget to drink plenty of Irish beer while you’re at it!
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