The quintessential drink associated with St. Patrick’s Day is green beer. This green colored beer is often created by adding food coloring to typical beers like lagers or ales. The vibrant green color represents the color of shamrocks and Ireland, helping celebrants show their St. Patrick’s Day spirit.
While green beer may be the most iconic drink, St. Patrick’s Day revelers have several other themed beverage options to consider as well. Irish classics like Guinness beer, Irish whiskey, and Irish coffee are also very popular libations that align with the Irish theme of the holiday.
The History of Green Beer
Green beer has become strongly linked to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, especially in the United States. The exact origins of this tradition are unclear, but there are a few different theories about when and where green beer first emerged.
Some stories trace green beer back to New York City around the early 20th century when the first St. Patrick’s Day parades were taking shape. As an attention-grabbing gimmick, beer was allegedly colored green to attract parade viewers. This novelty drew interest and kicked off a growing trend of brewing green beer specially for March 17th festivities.
Other tales point to Dr. Thomas Hayes Curtin as the inventor of green beer. Curtin was an Irish American coroner’s physician in New York City in the early 1900s. As legend has it, he used food coloring to dye beer green and unveiled his creation at a St. Patrick’s Day dinner, though hard evidence is lacking.
There are also accounts of Covington, Kentucky making claims as the birthplace of green beer in the late 1900s. According to these reports, a group of homebrewers conceived the idea during a St. Patrick’s Day party as a fun experiment. Their homemade green beer was a hit locally and quickly expanded throughout the region.
Early Adoption and Spread of Green Beer
In the early days, achieving a green beer color was not easy. It involved using food coloring like blue and yellow to create the right hue. This had to be done carefully to balance the color change without ruining the taste. Light lager style beers were and still are ideal candidates for dying since their light flavors are not dramatically impacted.
The first verified pioneers of green beer were Chicago’s Schaefers Brewery and the Indianapolis Brewery Company in 1962. They worked on the tricky food coloring formulas and brewing methods to launch bottled and kegged green beers just in time for St. Patrick’s celebrations that year. Their products gained widespread popularity across their distribution territories in the Midwest.
Anheuser-Busch also played a key role in bringing green beer to the masses and making it a fixture of March 17th. In the 1970s, they used an advanced brewing process to perfect a distinct green beer recipe marketed specifically for the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. National distribution of their green beer made it readily accessible for revelers all across America to join the green beer craze. It became an iconic tradition.
Green Beer Today
While green beer caught on quickly after its arrival in America, modern production methods and technologies have made it even easier for brands to brew great tasting green beers in high volumes. With natural food coloring agents, brewers can now adjust the intensities of green hues and experiment with both light and dark green varieties.
Major domestic beer companies like Miller, Coors, Budweiser, and more now have seasonal offerings dyed green in kegs and bottles for annual St. Patrick’s Day sales. There are even small craft breweries producing their own creative green beer concoctions, often with Irish-inspired ingredients like wheat and rye alongside traditional Irish stouts and lagers.
Pubs often take the approach of simply adding food coloring to draft beer and serving custom green beer cocktails at the bars on St. Patrick’s Day. Bartenders can mix their own custom blends for green beers on tap. This allows them to cater unique green beers to the variety of brands, styles, and colors they serve.
Green Beer Popularity
Thanks to all the options and ease of access, green beer dominates St. Patrick’s Day drinking. Statistics on green beer consumption reveal how pervasive this phenomenon has become:
- 13 million pints: amount of green beer guzzled on St Patrick’s Day in the US
- 17%: estimated increase in beer sales around St. Patrick’s Day
- $295 million: total spending on beers for St. Patrick’s in 2022
- 28%: percentage who say they drink green beer for St. Patrick’s Day
This data underscores how green beer drinking has become ingrained in St. Patrick’s Day culture. While figures can fluctuate from year to year, the enormous demand demonstrates that green beer maintains a firm stronghold as the drink of choice for March 17th.
Other Irish Beers
Despite the fame of green beer, traditional Irish beer styles also see hefty consumption on St. Patrick’s Day. These provide more authentic drinking options to pair with Irish fare like corned beef and cabbage.
Here are some top Irish beer picks beyond green beer:
Guinness
Guinness Draught Stout is Ireland’s most exported beer. Its iconic black pour with a frothy head is instantly recognizable. The dark roasted malt with coffee and chocolate notes pairs nicely with Irish foods and personalities. This slightly bittersweet stout is widely available, yet still distinctively Irish.
Harp
Harp Lager is another renowned Irish beer sold internationally today. This pale lager has a crisp, clean taste with subtle fruit and grain flavors. Lighter bodied than Guinness, it’s an easy-drinking option. Harp makes for a great session beer and complements heavier Irish dishes.
Smithwick’s
Smithwick’s is Ireland’s oldest operating brewery, founded in 1710. Smithwick’s Irish Ale blends qualities of ale and lager for a complex yet smooth ruddy-colored beer. Expect notes of fruit, caramel malt, and a touch of bitterness at the finish. Its blend of flavors fits right in with traditional St. Patrick’s Day favorites.
Murphy’s
Murphy’s Irish Stout comes from Cork, Ireland and pours with a distinctly creamy head. It imparts warming notes of coffee, roasted grain, and vanilla. This stout has a bit more hop presence than Guinness but similar chocolate malt richness. Its well-balanced full flavor deserves a pint on March 17th.
O’Hara’s Celtic Stout
Crafted by the small Carlow Brewing Company in Ireland, this dry Irish stout has plenty of dark malt and roast character but a medium body. The addition of English hops offsets the roasted barley bitterness. It’s a standout craft stout with a touch more intensity than the bigger names.
Irish Whiskeys
In addition to iconic beers, Irish whiskey is also a go-to drink for St. Patrick’s Day flowing from bars and home liquor cabinets. Ireland produces some of the world’s finest and most popular whiskeys. Their smooth, malty taste (without smoky notes) differs from bourbon and Scotch and makes for an authentic sipping spirit on March 17th.
Here are some top rated Irish whiskey brands to try:
Jameson
Jameson is the best-selling Irish whiskey globally. Triple-distilled and blended, it’s exceptionally smooth and welcoming to new drinkers. With notes of vanilla, pear, spices, and honey, it goes down easy either neat or on the rocks. Jameson is the quintessential introductory Irish whiskey.
Tullamore D.E.W.
This whiskey uses all three types of Irish whiskeys: malt, grain, and pot still. The result is a pleasant blended whiskey with fruit accents and a sweet kick. It makes for a fine sipping experience or mixing base. Tullamore D.E.W. adds nuance versus standard Jameson.
Green Spot
As a single pot still Irish whiskey, Green Spot offers more bold fruit notes like apples, with oak and honey overtones. After aging in bourbon, sherry, and wine casks, it delivers pleasing complexity and smoothness. This award winner deserves special attention on March 17th.
Bushmills
Bushmills has a claim as the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. Their 10-year aged single malt delivers characteristic Irish malt notes with fruit, honey, wood, and light spice finishes. The aging adds sophistication while remaining approachable. It’s a fine whiskey to savor straight or in cocktails.
Glendalough
For a craft Irish whiskey, Glendalough offers lovely malt complexity and richness of 7-year aged small batch spirits. With nuggets of cocoa, cinnamon, toasted oak, and dried fruit, it makes a warming nightcap drink after St. Patrick’s Day dinner. The full flavor truly reflects the terroir.
Irish Cream Liqueurs
Beyond whiskey and beer, no St. Patrick’s Day celebration would be complete without the iconic Irish creams. These thick, sweet whisky-based cream liqueurs are a key ingredient in Irish coffee and other delicious alcoholic dessert beverages.
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Bailey’s established the Irish cream category in the 1970s. Whiskey provides the base blended with dairy cream and cocoa among other Irish flavors. Poured over ice or mixed in coffee drinks, the smoothness goes down dangerously easy. It’s a must-have for St. Paddy’s parties.
Kerrygold Irish Cream
From grass-fed dairy cows, the Kerrygold cream has a rich texture and sweetness. With honey and chocolate accents, it makes a luxurious after dinner sipper or completes an Irish coffee. This quality cream liqueur enhances any March 17 celebration.
Carolans Irish Cream
Surprisingly affordable, Carolans offers classic Irish cream flavors. With smooth whiskey notes and luscious dairy cream, it pours with a light brown hue. The well-balanced flavor profile mixes into coffee flawlessly or stands up on its own over ice for affordable indulgence.
Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream
For those wanting 100 proof, Saint Brendan’s takes the Irish cream liqueur to the max. With more bite from whiskey and more richness from cream, it makes a bolder post-dinner treat or spike for coffee. The high proof amplifies the intensity of this Irish cream.
Emmets Irish Cream
Emmet’s provides a nice balance of flavors blended from Irish whiskey, dairy cream, chocolate, caramel, and honey. It pours creamy and thick with a toffee hue. The sweet but not overly sugary profile makes it mixable in cocktails or solo over ice. Quality and taste come at a reasonable price too.
Irish Coffees
No discussion of drinks for St. Patrick’s Day would be complete without mention of Irish coffees. These hot coffee cocktails provide warming comfort with the stimulation of coffee and booze. The Irish cream liqueur adds indulgent flavor and texture capping off the creation.
Unlike ordinary coffee, the specialized Irish coffee warrants some techniques and presentation. Follow these tips for perfect Irish coffees:
– Use freshly brewed and hot coffee. Medium or dark roasts work best. Allow to cool slightly before combining.
– Pour a jigger of Irish whiskey first into the coffee mug or glass.
– Add at least 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and stir thoroughly until fully dissolved.
– Fill the remaining glass with hot coffee and stir gently.
– Pour the Irish cream liqueur slowly over the back of a spoon just to float on top of the coffee. The spoon helps prevent break in the cream layer.
– Garnish festively with mint or cocoa powder if desired.
– Serve with short cocktail straws to sip through the layers.
Sláinte! Enjoy this classic beverage tradition responsibly on St. Patrick’s Day. The layered visual effect and contrasting creamy sweetness with the bold coffee below makes a perfect celebratory drink.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks for St. Patrick’s Day
Planning to drive or abstain from alcohol on March 17th? Luckily there are still great non-boozy drinks to get in the festive Irish spirit:
Sparkling Green Juice
For a fun mocktail, mix apple or white grape juice with seltzer water and add a drop of green food coloring. Top with lime wedge garnish for a sparkling green sipper.
Green Milkshakes
Blend mint chocolate chip ice cream with milk and a hint of green coloring for a sweet treat. Top with whipped cream and a cherry if desired.
Green Tea
Brew a pot of green tea for a warm non-alcoholic beverage. Stir in a spoonful of honey as a sweetener if you like.
Shamrock Soda
Make this kid-friendly drink by adding lime sherbet to lemon-lime soda or ginger ale. Sprinkle with green sprinkles for extra decoration.
Green Smoothies
Mix green fruits and veggies like spinach, kiwi, avocado, kale, mango, honeydew, zucchini, grapes, and apple for a healthy vivid green smoothie. Sweeten as needed with bananas or honey.
Conclusion
When March 17th arrives, there are many thematic drink options available for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations whether you want to enjoy alcoholic beverages or abstain. Green beer reigns supreme as the iconic festive beverage, but Irish beers, whiskeys, and coffee drinks also pair well with the holiday. Even mocktails and non-alcoholic favorites can get in the spirit with green hues. However you choose to imbibe or not, may the luck o’ the Irish be with you! Sláinte!