Green Beer: Why Not?

Every year someone publishes a piece debunking St. Patrick’s Day myths and shedding light on the real reason for the season. Every year, like many I suspect, I neglect to read these pieces I know are written, preferring instead to indulge in what it is that I already ready know, what many already know: St. Patrick’s Day is about drinking beer, drinking Irish beer–drinking Green Irish beer.

Why is this? What is it about? Well, Ireland has something to do with green, being so green and all and having green as one of the three featured colors on its flag (the others are orange and white–here I go forcing you to actually learn something about Ireland). In the United States, at least, Ireland is green, St. Patrick’s Day is green, Ireland is St. Patrick’s Day and, no matter the reason, they’re all inextricably linked together. So on this St. Patrick’s Day, the day of green, of Ireland, of pinching and, most importantly, of beer (and let’s not forget the Irish are equal opportunity drinkers; Irish whiskey is a fine spirit and intoxication fortifier for this most special of days), it only makes sense (I guess) to drink green Irish beer.

And the reason for this? Well sometimes an acceptable reason to do something is to flip the question on its head and ask “Why not?” So, I put it to you: Why not drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day? See you at the pub.

Erin Hollingsworth

(photo credit: eustaquio)

April 11th, 2009 by Beverage Blogger | Posted in General | (0)