Making Green Beer
Saint Patrick’s Day is the holy feast day of the patron saint of Ireland, and is subsequently the ideal time to consider making green beer. Celebrated on March 17, it has morphed into a largely secular holiday that celebrates all things Irish. The Emerald Isle is known for its poetry, its music, its whiskey and its beer, among other things. Wearing green is a must for the holiday. This goes for your beer, too! It’s easy to transform an ordinary glass of beer into an annual holiday treat.
All you’ll need is a light colored beer and a few drops of simple green food coloring. Go for a lighter Irish beer—try a lager. Harp, brewed in Dundalk, Ireland. Located in the north of Ireland, Dundalk is equidistant from both Dublin and Belfast.
Darker beers like Guinness won’t show the green dye, except for a tinge in the foam. If you can’t find a light-colored Irish beer, substitute another kind. Just hide the empty bottles so no one catches you drinking Corona or Stella Artois on an Irish holiday.
Pour a well-chilled beer into a clear glass or plastic cup for maximum effect (there’s little point in drinking a green beer if no one can see it). Pour the beer slowly against the side of the glass so it doesn’t build up too much of a foamy head. Add about five to six drops of green food coloring. Stir the mix gently with a spoon. This should be enough dye to turn the beer a pleasant shade of festive green and not a sickly yellowish green tone. Add a couple more drops if it looks unappetizing.
If you’re expecting a bunch of guests, preparing each drink could be time consuming. Prepare ahead of time and lay out the plastic cups on the table. Add the food coloring to the cups and then pour the beer in once the guests arrive. Stir and serve. This will save you time and let you serve the green beer to the guests more quickly.
