Tips for Green Beer for St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! This is one of my favorite holidays, it is just so fun and all around a good time! Ireland is #1 on our list of vacation spots. We would love to wander around and explore such a beautiful country. So, as our vacation fund gets replenished from our New York City trip I will have to celebrate this St. Patty’s in the states.
My aunt had a St. Patrick’s day themed birthday party a couple of days ago. Naturally, green beer is a must for this type of celebration. While talking with her about her plans I realized that there are many tips and tricks that go along with green beer that most people don’t think of. I put together some tips to help your celebration go off without a hitch! :]
Tips for Green Beer
#1 Don’t let your party go FLAT
Although it is so cute (and I am all about party planning decor) it is probably not the best idea to put your green beer in a large dispenser. Of course, a clear glass 2-3 gallon dispenser seems like the perfect idea to show off the fun, green color – it will make your beer go flat fast. Instead put your food coloring in a cute mini-mug or dispenser so that as each glass is poured fresh the food coloring can be dispensed. It is recommended 2 drops of green food coloring per 12 oz beer.
#2 What beer? Any beer?
Guinness stout is a very popular, well-known Irish beer – but I wouldn’t try to color it green. Guinness stout has a very dark, almost black color – basically just your foam will turn greenish when adding food coloring and you would have to add A LOT to see a difference. Instead, try a lighter beer to really show off that green color. Try Guinness blonde lager – it may not be the hardy stout, but it keeps with the Irish tradition while showing off the green color.
#3 Show it off!
Pouring green beer in to red solo cups? Suddenly this St. Patty’s celebration just turned in to an awkward Christmas rendezvous. Show off your green beer creation by using clear or glass cups. Glasses are obviously more suitable for those low-key parties, but re-useble nature of it makes it more appealing to me. I’d rather not use a ton of clear plastic cups that will inevitable end up in a landfill somewhere, but I know that we all have “that” one friend that can’t handle glass. :] Either way you spin it – show it off! If some glass breaks be responsible – but I’d say there is nothing more Irish than that! :]
#4 Green Teeth
Beware of adding too much green food coloring. If you try (although I suggest against) to turn Guinness stout green, you will end up using so much food coloring that you and your helpless party guests’ teeth will turn green. That’s not a good look for anyone. Using a lighter color beer is the way to go – save yourself the embarrassment of having to apologize to your friends or love interest about their green teeth ..while having green teeth. Although that does sound like a hilarious episode of Seinfeld to me! :] Does anyone else love Seinfeld?
#5 Take it up a Notch
Have a bottle of Jameson whiskey on hand! This Irish whiskey is the most popular in America so it is the most accessible. You won’t break the bank trying to buy it! Pair Jameson whiskey with ginger ale and add some green food coloring to stay with the theme!
Have fun and be responsible!