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HOP LINE: Beware the Ides of March

(unless they come bearing beer)
By Andy Dodson
Before the modern advent of Spring Break, the 31 days of March contained only one holiday centered on excess: the 17th. St. Patrick’s Day has been observed since at least the seventh century, not long after the patron saint of Ireland’s death in 461 CE. I am quite certain the emphasis on wearing green came much later; however, the propensity to binge on food and drink may have always been a part of the festivities.

Here’s one for the bar stools: St. Patrick was not, in fact, Irish. He was born in England and taken to Ireland as a slave. He lived there for about 10 years, escaped and went back to England. St. Patrick then became a priest, returned to the land of his bondage and began proselytizing to the Celtic pagans. In hindsight, this may have been a brilliant plan for revenge that just took centuries to actualize, but that’s just my theory.

Let’s fast-forward a few centuries to the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s and the mass migration of the Irish to America and a few other parts of the world. Historically, Irish Catholics have used St. Patrick’s Day as a one-day reprieve from Lent – the season before Easter during which the faithful abstain from less virtuous behaviors – thus the heavy consumption. Between the drinking and the parades, it was only a matter of time before this holiday caught on with the rest of the U.S. Now we dye our rivers and beer green and trot out any number of Irish cultural stereotypes in celebration. For the record, no breweries, at least those of beer available in North Carolina, actually make green beer; rather, usually the bartender will just use green food coloring on some sort of light American-style lager. I only mention this because, surprisingly, this is a frequent question in the beer community leading up to St. Paddy’s Day.

Photo Courtesy of KellBailey@Flickr.com

Without question the signature Irish beer, at least in the mind of Americans, is Guinness, the iconic Irish-style stout that comes in the 16-ounce can with the cool ball inside. However, in Ireland today, lager sales account for more than half of the total beer sold. With that in mind, let’s look at a fantastic lager made by Rogue, the now legendary craft brewers from Oregon. Every spring they brew up Kells Irish-style lager. Originally named after a city in Northern Ireland, I believe now the beer is simply labeled as Rogue Irish Style Lager. Straw-colored and bright, this lager resembles a European-style pilsner, and drinks just as crisp and clean with a hint of apples on the finish. It’s available only in bombers and pairs perfectly with a hamburger fresh off the grill, some friends and a sunny afternoon.
Photo Courtesy of xprestonx@Flickr.com

It would be blasphemy for me to write about the patron saint of the Emerald Isle and not mention one true Irish stout. Maybe it’s my tendency to buck the mainstream, but my preference is Murphy’s. It costs less than both Guinness and O’Hara’s, and it doesn’t short you on the flavor. Murphy’s pours dark brown with a smooth creamy head, like the foam on café mocha. It’s chocolaty, a scoach bitter and surprisingly silky. In four-packs of cans, Murphy’s tends to be just as available as its counterparts, but it’s a shame that most of the local tap handles are dominated by Guinness.

The final beer to round out our St. Paddy’s Day session is an American riff on a ubiquitous style sometimes called an Irish red or just simply a red. This particular offering comes from our good friends at Lagunitas in California. This year, Lagunitas bottled its Imperial Red Ale in six-packs as opposed to bombers, which means that we get more deliciousness for just a slightly larger investment. This ale sports a gorgeous copper color, signature Lagunitas hop aroma and a fluffy cream-colored head. It has a round malt body with a stiff hop backbone that goes down alarmingly smooth considering its 7.8 percent ABV. Treat this red devil with care and be sure to pair with a big meal – perhaps a nice pork roast with carrots and potatoes or even just spicy chicken wings and garlic fries.

However you choose to observe this ancient Irish holiday, please do so in moderation; failing that, call a cab, keep your pants on and maybe try one of these great beers.