How to Make Green Beer for St. Patrick's Day
Hoist a glass to St. Paddy with your own green pint!
By Erin Cavoto
When St. Patrick's Day rolls around, you can count on leprechaun puns, "Kiss Me I'm Irish" T-shirts, tons of shamrocks and festive St. Patrick's Day decorations, and of course: green beer. But if the idea of heading to a crowded pub just for an emerald-colored brew isn't too enticing, you can easily make yourself a green beer at home.
That way you still get to participate in the festivities, and you get to choose the beer, so you know it'll taste good. If beer's not your thing, there are plenty of green cocktails to make for a fest St. Paddy's Day party, but green beer is classic, besides being easier to make. You can cheers to Erin go Bragh (which means "Ireland Forever") before sipping on your beer and digging into all the delicious St. Patrick's Day food ideas you cooked up for the special occasion.
How Much Food Coloring Should I Use to Make Green Beer?
It depends on how green you want your beer to be! Based on our own tests, we've found that one drop in a 12 ounce glass of light beer will result in a very pale, lime-green color. Three drops will give you a solid shamrock color. And five drops results in a rich, pine-green shade. More than five drops isn't necessary.
What Kind of Beer Makes the Best Green Beer?
As you might expect, the lighter the beer, the better it shows off the food coloring. A light beer like Bud Light or Natural Light is a classic choice, though light craft beers like a lager, pilsner or Kölsch will work well.
Unfiltered beers and darker beers like ales or IPAs won't work quite as well though if you prefer the taste, go for it! Dark beers like porters or stouts will not show the green at all. However, If you enjoy stouts, simply crack open a Guinness. It's plenty Irish enough — no need to add food coloring!
What Is the History of Green Beer?
You might not be surprised to discover that hoisting shamrock-colored beers in March originated in America, but it's certainly not new. The act of dyeing pints green stretches back over 100 years, to the 1910s.
One of the first accounts belongs to Dr. Thomas H. Curtin who whipped up an emerald brew to serve at a St. Patrick's Day party in New York City. The doctor kept details of how he made the concoction vague but cited using "wash blue" to create the hue. It turns out this was a laundry whitener, the Smithsonian Magazine reports. Presumably Curtain used a small amount, though food safety wasn't as much of a thing back then. (The FDA didn't really get going until the 1930's.) By the 1950's, the festive drink had become a popular tradition throughout the country.
So, if you've already donned your shamrock shades, green-and-orange attire, and leprechaun hat, the only thing you're missing is a frothy glass of emerald-hued beer. Try some St. Patrick's Day desserts after the green beer starts flowing for a party that's sure to delight everyone.
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- Yields:
- 1 serving(s)
- Total Time:
- 1 min
Ingredients
- 12 oz.
light-colored beer
1-5 drops green food coloring
Directions
- Step 1Add between one and five drops of green food coloring to a glass. One drop will result in a very pale, lime-green color. Three drops will give you a solid shamrock color. Five drops results in a rich, pine-green shade. More than five drops isn't necessary.
- Step 2Pour 12 ounces of beer into the glass. If you want to make a 64-oz pitcher, add 5 to 20 drops to the pitcher.
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