Jason Wagner
Green beer is a popular beverage to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. While it is not an Irish tradition, it is said that the drink was created by an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, in 1914. Green beer is typically made by adding blue or green food colouring to light-coloured beers such as IPAs and pilsners. However, some beers, such as Heineken and Stella Artois, come in green bottles or cans, which can also be a fun way to get into the St. Patrick's Day spirit.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| History | Green beer is credited to an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, who created it by adding blue dye to beer in 1914. |
| Availability | Green beer is typically available around St. Patrick's Day. |
| DIY | Green beer can be made by mixing beer with blue or green food colouring. |
| Substitutes | Beers with green bottles or cans, such as Heineken, Rolling Rock, Stella Artois, and Genesee Cream Ale, can be used as substitutes. |
What You'll Learn
Green beer for St. Patrick's Day
Green beer is the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The tradition of drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day is said to have started with an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, who created the drink by adding blue dye to beer in 1914. While it may not be a traditional Irish drink, it has become a mainstream symbol of the Irish holiday.
If you're looking to get your hands on some green beer this St. Patrick's Day, there are a few options. Many local bars and pubs will likely be serving green beer to celebrate the occasion. It's worth giving your favourite spots a call or checking their social media accounts to see if they're offering green brews. If you're in South Florida, for example, pubs like Waxy's Irish Pub in Fort Lauderdale and O'Shea's Irish Pub in West Palm Beach are known to serve green beer.
Another option is to make your own green beer at home. It's incredibly simple – all you need is your preferred beer and some green or blue food colouring. Mix one can (12 ounces) of light-coloured beer with five to six drops of green food colouring, or two drops if you're using blue food colouring. You can add the food colouring first and then pour in the beer to watch the colour change.
If you can't find green beer at your local bars and don't have food colouring, you can still get into the St. Patrick's Day spirit by opting for beers with green bottles or cans, such as Heineken, Rolling Rock, Stella Artois, or Genesee Cream Ale. So, whether you're donning your greenest attire or not, remember that an ice-cold mug of green beer is the perfect beverage to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!
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Making green beer at home
To make green beer at home, you will need a light-coloured beer and some green food colouring. The lighter the beer, the brighter the green will be. Popular American lagers like Budweiser, Miller, Busch, or Coors are a good choice, but you could also use a light craft beer, a lager, pilsner, or Kölsch. Avoid dark beers like porters or stouts as these won't show the green colour.
When it comes to adding the food colouring, you only need a small amount. Add between one and five drops of liquid food colouring to a glass. One drop will give you a very pale, lime-green colour, while three drops will result in a solid shamrock shade. Five drops will produce a rich, pine-green colour. There's no need to add more than five drops.
Once you've added the food colouring, simply pour your beer into the glass and serve immediately. The beer will take on the green colour as you pour, and there's no need to stir it. If you're making a larger batch, you can add 5 to 20 drops of food colouring to a 64-oz pitcher.
So, there you have it! A simple and fun way to make green beer at home. Just remember to drink responsibly and enjoy the festive flavour of your creation!
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Green beer in bars
Green beer is a fun and colourful way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and many bars serve this festive drink. The unique colour is credited to an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, who created it by adding blue dye to beer in 1914. While it is not an Irish tradition per se, it has become a mainstream symbol of the Irish holiday.
If you're looking to enjoy a pint of green beer, calling your local bar is the most reliable way to find out if they're serving this special brew. Many bars and pubs will be more than happy to accommodate your request, especially if it's a popular Irish pub. For example, if you're in South Florida, spots like Waxy's Irish Pub in Fort Lauderdale, O'Shea's Irish Pub in West Palm Beach, and Finnegan's Way in Miami are known to offer green beer.
You can also check the websites and social media accounts of your favourite bars and pubs to see if they're planning any St. Patrick's Day celebrations that might include green beer. The Tilted Kilt restaurant chain, for instance, features an Irish Hooley menu for the entire month of March, which includes this festive drink.
If you can't find green beer at your local bar, don't worry! You can easily make your own at home by adding a few drops of green or blue food colouring to your favourite light-coloured beer. So, whether you're donning your greenest attire or just looking for a fun way to celebrate, be sure to raise a glass of green beer this St. Patrick's Day!
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Green beer bottles and cans
Heineken, Rolling Rock, Stella Artois, and Genesee Cream Ale are examples of beers that are sold in green-hued containers. These options can help you celebrate St. Paddy's spirit without feeling left out or getting pinched!
If you're feeling adventurous and want to try making your own green beer at home, it's quite simple. All you need is your favourite light-coloured beer, such as an IPA or pilsner, and some green or blue food colouring. Simply add a few drops of food colouring to your beer and stir gently until you achieve the desired green shade.
So, whether you choose to support your local bar, purchase beers with green bottles or cans, or create your own green beer at home, you can join in on the St. Patrick's Day festivities with a festive green beverage!
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History of green beer
The tradition of drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day is a very American one, with roots in New York City over a century ago. In 1914, an Irish American New York City coroner named Dr. Thomas Hayes Curtin unveiled his invention of green beer at a Bronx social club. According to a report by Charles Henry Adams, the event was a celebration of all things Irish, with songs and decorations in the colour green, including the beer.
However, the origins of green beer may go back even further. A 1910 headline in the Spokane Press exclaimed, "Green Beer Be Jabbers!", indicating that the First Avenue Bar served a green brew to patriotic Irishmen and anyone else who wanted one. Interestingly, the term green beer used to refer to young beer that had not fully fermented and could cause illness. Beer companies even used this to their advantage in their advertising, warning consumers about the dangers of drinking "green" beer.
By the 1950s, green beer had become a mainstream symbol of St. Patrick's Day, which was becoming more of an American holiday than a specifically Irish one. The tradition spread across the United States and eventually went international, although it took until the 1980s for the Irish themselves to adopt the custom.
Today, green beer is typically made by adding a few drops of green food colouring to give the beer an emerald hue. This is a harmless alternative to the "wash blue" or laundry whitener that Dr. Curtin reportedly used, which was an iron powder solution and potentially poisonous.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can buy green beer at the store. Heineken, Rolling Rock, Stella Artois, and Genesee Cream Ale all have green-hued containers.
Yes, you can make green beer at home by adding green or blue food colouring to your favourite light-coloured beer.
Green beer is a drink associated with St. Patrick's Day. It was created by an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, in 1914, by adding blue dye to beer.
IPAs, pilsners, and other light-coloured beers work best for making green beer.
Aside from stores, you can find green beer at local bars, especially on St. Patrick's Day.
