St. Patrick's Day: Where To Find Green Beer

Green beer is a novelty drink often consumed on St. Patrick's Day. It is typically made by adding a few drops of green or blue food colouring to a light-coloured beer, such as an American lager, pale craft beer or pilsner. While it is possible to use darker beers, the green colour will not show up as well. The drink is said to have originated in 1914 when an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, added blue dye to beer for his New York clubhouse. Today, green beer can be purchased at bars across America, particularly around St. Patrick's Day, or made at home.

Green beer at local bars

Green beer is a St. Patrick's Day tradition, and if you're looking to join in the festivities, your local bars are a great place to start. Calling up your nearest bar or checking their social media accounts can save you a trip if you want to find out whether they're serving green beer. If you're in South Florida, for instance, Waxy's Irish Pub in Fort Lauderdale, O'Shea's Irish Pub in West Palm Beach, and Finnegan's Way in Miami are known for their St. Patrick's Day celebrations, complete with green beer.

The Tilted Kilt restaurant chain is another example of a business that embraces the Irish spirit by offering an Irish Hooley menu for the entire month of March, which, of course, includes green beer. They have locations across the country, so you might be able to find one near you.

If you're looking for a more eco-friendly way to celebrate, some breweries are striving to minimise their environmental impact. For instance, New Belgium Brewery in Asheville, North Carolina, recycles or reuses 99% of its waste, and they chose to build their new brewery on a previously developed industrial site to avoid spoiling undeveloped land. Their 1554 Dark Lager, with its ruby-black body and toasted maltiness, is a perfect fit for St. Patrick's Day.

Another eco-conscious option is the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California. They generate about 76% of their energy from non-combustible sources like hydrogen fuel cells and solar panels. Their Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a smooth and sweet choice that will have your companions turning green with envy.

So, whether you're looking for the classic green beer at your local pub or wanting to support sustainable breweries, there are plenty of options to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style!

Making green beer at home

Green beer is a fun and novel way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Although it is not an Irish tradition, it is certainly a fun one! The process is simple and requires no special bartending skills. All you need is a light-coloured beer and some green food colouring.

The lighter the beer, the better the green colour will show. So, for the brightest green beer, opt for a light beer such as Budweiser, Miller, Busch, or Coors. However, any beer will work, and you can even use a darker beer like a stout for an interesting effect. The body of the beer will turn darker and have a slight evergreen hue, and the foam will also pick up the green colour.

To make your green beer, start by adding a few drops of green food colouring to a clear glass. The number of drops will depend on how green you want your beer to be and how light your beer is. For a very pale, lime-green colour, one drop in a 12-ounce glass of light beer is enough. For a solid shamrock colour, use three drops, and for a rich, pine-green shade, use five drops.

Once you have added the food colouring, slowly pour your beer of choice into the glass and watch the colour mix. That's it! You now have a fun and festive green beer to enjoy.

If you don't want to use food colouring, there are a few other options. You can substitute wheatgrass juice for the food colouring, or opt for a beer with a green bottle or can, such as Heineken, Rolling Rock, or Stella Artois, to keep the St. Patrick's Day spirit.

Beers with green bottles/cans

If you're looking for a beer with a green bottle or can, there are several options available. One well-known example is Heineken, which is sold almost everywhere in the world and is famous for its green bottles and cans. Another international brand, Stella Artois, also uses green glass bottles.

Several German beers, including Beck's, are bottled in green glass. This is partly to honour tradition and partly due to German brewing laws. Other German beers in green bottles include Carlsberg and Dos Equis Lager Especial.

Some North American beers also use green bottles, including Rolling Rock, Moosehead, and Yuengling.

Green beer history

Green beer is a St. Patrick's Day tradition that involves drinking beer that has been dyed green. While the practice is often associated with Ireland, it is actually an American invention that is not part of traditional Irish culture.

The origin of green beer is generally traced back to an Irish-American physician named Thomas H. Curtain (or Curtin), who created it for a St. Patrick's Day celebration at his New York clubhouse in 1914. Curtain's recipe involved adding a touch of blue dye or "wash blue" (an iron powder solution used to whiten laundry) to the beer, resulting in a deep green colour. Despite its American origins, green beer eventually became a mainstream symbol of the Irish holiday, even spreading internationally. As late as 1985, people in Ireland were still being introduced to the unique beverage created in their honour.

While Curtain is credited with popularising green beer, earlier instances of the drink existed. In 1910, the Spokane Press reported on the serving of green beer to "patriotic Irishmen" at the First Avenue Bar. Additionally, the term "green beer" originally referred to young beer that had not fully fermented and could cause illness. Beer companies would warn against the dangers of consuming "green beer" in their advertisements.

Today, green beer has evolved to use harmless food colouring instead of potentially harmful dyes. It has become a novelty for American drinkers on St. Patrick's Day, with many bars and breweries offering their own variations. However, for those who want to celebrate the Irish holiday more authentically, a pint of Guinness or a shot of Irish whiskey is a more appropriate choice.

Green beer alternatives

If you're looking for an alternative to green beer, there are plenty of options to consider. While green beer has become a popular novelty drink for St. Patrick's Day, it's worth noting that it is not a traditional Irish drink. In fact, it was created by an Irish-American physician, Thomas H. Curtain, who added blue dye to beer in 1914. If you're looking for a more authentic Irish experience, consider a pint of Guinness or a shot of Irish whiskey.

• Beers with green bottles or cans: Heineken, Rolling Rock, Stella Artois, and Genesee Cream Ale are all options that will keep you in the St. Patrick's Day spirit, even if the beer itself isn't green.
• Craft beers from eco-friendly breweries: If you're looking for a more sustainable option, try the New Belgium 1554 Dark Lager, the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the Great Lakes Brewing Company Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, or the Brooklyn Brewery Dry Irish Stout. These breweries are committed to minimizing their environmental impact and offer delicious alternatives to green beer.
• Traditional Irish beers: If you want to celebrate like a true Irishman, go for an Irish red ale, an Irish stout, or an Irish cream ale. These styles are more in line with what you would find in Ireland and offer a variety of flavors, from caramel and toffee notes to dark chocolate and coffee flavors.
• Barrel-aged stouts: If you're looking for something strong and smooth, a barrel-aged stout might be the perfect choice. Try an Irish extra stout or a foreign extra stout for a more intense flavor profile, including notes of chocolate, coffee, and dried fruits.
• Lighter options: For a lower ABV option, consider a lager or a red ale. Oregon's Rogue Ales offer a dry lager with a slightly sweet finish, while Smithwick's red ale has a rich, dark copper hue and a caramely sweetness.

So, if you're looking for an alternative to green beer, there are plenty of options to choose from. Whether you're seeking a more authentic Irish experience, a sustainable craft beer, or a traditional Irish style, you can find a drink that suits your taste and celebrates St. Patrick's Day in style.

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