St. Patrick's Day: Where To Buy Green Beer?

Green beer is a novelty drink that has become synonymous with St. Patrick's Day celebrations in America. While some people prefer to make green beer at home by adding a few drops of green food colouring to a light-coloured beer, others opt to buy it ready-made from breweries and bars. If you're looking to purchase green beer, there are several options available, both online and in stores. Uptown, Sunset Beer, Spec's Online, Duffy's Sports Grill, The Brass Tap Fort, and McSorley's Beach Pub are some popular choices for buying green beer or enjoying it at the bar. These establishments offer a variety of green beer flavours, and some even provide delivery services or online ordering options. Additionally, online platforms like 1000 Corks and Drizly can connect you to local brewers and bars offering green beer.

Online beer retailers, such as Spec's Online and Drizly

Online beer retailers, such as Specs Online and Drizly, offer a convenient way to purchase green beer and other alcoholic beverages. While Drizly is no longer in service, its former users can now order alcohol through Uber Eats, which bought the company. Specs Online, on the other hand, continues to offer a comprehensive range of wines, spirits, and foods, providing customers with various options for their drinking preferences.

Specs Online caters to customers who prefer the convenience of online ordering and delivery. They provide an intuitive platform that allows customers to choose between in-store pickup, curbside pickup, same-day delivery, or shipping directly to their door. This flexibility ensures that customers can receive their orders in a way that suits their needs and preferences.

The website of Specs Online showcases a user-friendly interface, enabling customers to navigate effortlessly through their product range. They offer a diverse selection of alcoholic beverages, including wines, spirits, and craft beers, ensuring that customers can find their preferred drinks in one convenient location. Specs Online also provides a recipe section, allowing customers to explore creative ways to incorporate their purchased beverages into unique cocktails and drinks.

In addition to its online presence, Specs operates physical stores, providing customers with the option of in-store pickup or curbside collection. This hybrid approach combines the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of in-person purchases, catering to a wide range of customer preferences and requirements.

While Drizly is no longer operational, it left a significant mark on the alcohol delivery landscape. Former users of the platform praised its robust search functionality, which allowed them to easily compare prices and availability across different stores in their city. The ability to type in a specific bottle and see all the stores and prices that carried it was a distinctive feature that set Drizly apart from other apps in the market.

Bars and pubs, including Duffy's Sports Grill and The Brass Tap Fort

Duffy's Sports Grill is a bar and restaurant with various locations. Although their website does not mention green beer, it does advertise a range of other beers, cocktails, and food.

The Brass Tap Beer Bar is another bar that serves craft beer. However, it is unclear whether they serve green beer specifically.

When it comes to buying green beer, your options may vary depending on your location and the time of year. Green beer is often associated with St. Patrick's Day celebrations, so it is more likely to be available at bars and pubs during the weeks leading up to this holiday.

If you're specifically looking for green beer, it might be a good idea to call ahead to your local bars and pubs, including Duffy's Sports Grill and The Brass Tap Fort, to inquire about their current offerings. They may have green beer available or be able to recommend similar options or alternatives.

Breweries, for example, Brooklyn Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

If you're looking for green beer, there are a few breweries that might be able to help. For example, Brooklyn Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

Brooklyn Brewery

Based in New York, the Brooklyn Brewery is a well-known craft beer producer. While there is no information on whether they produce green beer, you can visit their brewery in Brooklyn to sample their range of beers and find out more.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the most influential American craft breweries. Known for their sustainability practices, they have won awards like the US Environmental Protection Agency's "Green Business of the Year" for their environmental efforts. With locations in Chico, California, and Mills River, North Carolina, you can visit their breweries or taprooms to sample their beers. While there is no specific mention of green beer, they offer a range of year-round and seasonal beers, including their famous Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, and IPA.

Green Beer Options

If you're specifically looking for green beer, there are a few other options to consider. Green's Gluten Free IPA is available for purchase online at Total Wine & More. Additionally, Green Man Brewery in Asheville, NC, offers a green beer called "St. Patrick's Favorite Green Beer," which is a pale lager with a brilliant emerald colour honouring St. Patrick.

So, whether you're looking for craft breweries like Brooklyn Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company or specifically seeking green-coloured beers, there are options available to explore and enjoy.

Supermarkets, e.g. Total Wine & More

If you're looking to buy green beer from a supermarket, Total Wine & More is a great option. They stock Green's Gluten Free IPA, a 500ml beer that is both gluten-free and low gluten. It's available for pickup from their Daly City, CA store, or you can check availability at other locations.

Another option is to visit your local Uptown store. They stock a wide range of green beers, including Smirnoff Green Beer, which comes in multiple flavours, as well as Ironbound, three sons, Captain Lawrence, Green City, and Sloop brewing green islands. You can buy beer from their store or online, with the option of purchasing a single can or packs of 4, 6, or 12. Uptown's website also features customer reviews and a chatbot for easy access to customer support.

Sunset Beer, based in Los Angeles, is another store that offers a variety of green beers from different brewers. While they don't sell or deliver beer online due to COVID-19 laws, their retail hours vary each day of the week, giving you plenty of time to visit their store. On Sundays, they're open from noon to 10 pm, Mondays from 3 pm to 10 pm, Tuesdays to Thursdays from noon to 11 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to midnight.

For those looking to buy green beer online, Spec's Online offers a range of options from various brewers. The cheapest green beer on their website is priced at $2.26, although prices can vary depending on the distributor and are subject to change. Spec's Online also provides same-day delivery for customers living within 15 miles of the store, or you can enter your zip code to find a store near you.

So, whether you're looking to buy green beer online or in-store, these supermarkets and retailers provide a great selection of options to choose from.

Homebrewing, using food colouring

Homebrewing green beer with food colouring is a simple process that anyone can do at home. It requires no extra equipment or special bartending skills. The process is as simple as mixing food colouring with your favourite homemade brew. The colour will not affect the taste of your beer.

Tools and Supplies:

• 5-gallon fermenter vessel with lid and airlock
• 5-gallon bottling bucket with a spigot
• Tubing and auto-siphoning wand
• Cleaning and sanitizing supplies
• A long-handled plastic or stainless-steel spoon

Steps:

Step 1: Clean and Sanitize:

Before brewing, clean and sanitize all equipment. Sanitizing helps kill harmful microbes that can interfere with the brewing process and contaminate your beer.

Step 2: Steep the Grains:

Use grain malt instead of whole grain. Put the malt in a grain bag, tie the bag at the top, leaving space for the grain to expand. Preheat 1.5 gallons of water in the brewer's kettle, then lower the grain bag into the hot water. Gradually increase the heat to 150°F-160°F, turn off the heat, and let the bag steep for 20 minutes. After steeping, remove the bag, allowing the liquid to drain into the kettle. The remaining water is called wort, which is beer yet to be fermented.

Step 3: Add Malt to the Wort:

Turn the heat back on and bring the wort to a boil. Add the malt extract liquid and stir until it dissolves. Malt extract gives the beer its characteristic flavour and aroma.

Step 4: Add Hops to the Wort:

Set a timer for 60 minutes and add the Columbus hops. Hops are the plant cones that give beer bitterness. Generally, for a less bitter and sweeter beer, use hops with a low alpha acid content.

Step 5: Cool the Wort:

Turn off the heat and transfer the kettle to an ice bath to cool the wort completely. It is important to cool the wort before adding yeast, as heat will kill the yeast.

Step 6: Pitch the Yeast:

Once the wort is cooled, add the yeast. First, measure the original gravity of the wort to determine the number of fermentable sugars. Then, aerate the wort by shaking the vessel for about 5 minutes to provide oxygen for the yeast. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to activate the yeast, then pour it into the wort and shake vigorously to mix. Ensure fermentation at 68°F-70°F. Place the vessel in a warm, dark, quiet place.

Step 7: Colour the Beer:

After fermentation, transfer the beer to the bottling bucket. To carbonate the beer, add a mixture of water and sugar to the bucket, stirring for 1 minute. Now, add blue food colouring to achieve an emerald green colour. Stir well, and your beer is ready for bottling.

The choice of beer will determine the shade of green. For a light green shade, brew a light-coloured beer, and for a rich emerald green, use a slightly darker beer.

Frequently asked questions