Don’t look now, but March has arrived and along with it, St. Patrick’s Day, a festive day of celebration replete with good food and drink. Beer is the customary accompaniment to classic Irish dishes like corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. Beer’s zippy flavor complements the food, refreshes the palate, and puts a spring in one’s step.
A favorite drink of the populace for thousands of years, beer is made from grain (usually barley, but also wheat, corn, and rye), yeast, hops, and water. From this humble beginning come beers replete with a complex symphony of colors, aromas, and flavors.
One of the world’s oldest drinks, a form of beer was produced in Mesopotamia some 6000 years ago. Beer was enjoyed as a common beverage and also included in religious ceremonies. Today, almost all countries manufacture some version of beer.
If you want to commemorate St. Patty’s Day in true Irish style, forgo the golden hues of beer and order up a pint of proper Irish Guinness. Often referred to as “the black stuff,” Guinness is the world’s most recognizable beer.
Actually a dry stout, Guinness is a hearty brew made from barley, hops, and yeast. The addition of dark roasted barley and flaked barley contribute to the deep color, smooth bitter quality, intense fruity flavors, and an aroma akin to slightly burned coffee. Tiny surging bubbles of nitrogen create the noteworthy white, creamy head enjoyed on every glass of Guinness.
Everyone loves Ireland, a beautiful corner of the world known for a thousand different shades of green, the charming lilt of its natives’ speech, the Blarney Stone, leprechauns, and much more. But the most famous of all the Emerald Isle’s exports surely must be Guinness Stout. Ireland’s one of a kind, heavy, black brew is recognized far and wide and beloved around the globe.
The Irish opine that Guinness is truly “a meal in itself.” Even the advertising slogans advise “Drink Guinness for good health!” Life on a small, windswept rock in the chilly Atlantic Ocean can be harsh. You might say the plucky Irish developed a unique antidote to the gloomy climate. Guinness is guaranteed to warm the cockles of one’s heart and fortify the spirit.
The glorious tradition of beer-making in Europe is a source of great pride and Guinness is no exception. Arthur Guinness first brewed his eponymous stout almost 250 years in Dublin’s fair city. By the advent of the 20th century, Guinness Stout was world renown and Ireland was producing over a million barrels a year. Today Guinness is brewed in more than 40 countries around the world.
Travelers to Dublin may enjoy a tour of the original Guinness brewery, culminating with a relaxing visit to the Guinness pub and a free pint of the black stuff straight from its original home. If a quick jaunt to Ireland isn’t in the cards for you this month, never fear! While commonly offered on tap in the UK and Ireland, Guinness is sold in brown bottles in other parts of the world, and can be found in a variety of different strengths, from 4.1% to 8% ABV.
If you’ve never tried Guinness, now is the perfect time. Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day in true Irish-style. Order up a Guinness and see what all the fuss is about. Be sure to fill your glass high, in honor of the good St. Patrick.
May the luck of the Irish be with you, and as the Irish say, “Slainte!” or Cheers!
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