Lovely Day for a Guinness from Southern Spirits
12 Mar, 13 / 
We don’t know much about St. Patrick, but we do know that he is the patron saint of Ireland, that he made the clover famous by using it to illustrate the trinity, and that the celebration of his life has continued to grow over centuries. Celebrating St. Patrick’s day has become a way for the Irish to honor their patron saint and to reconnect to their heritage.
In addition to the religious customs that St. Patrick’s day celebrates, Irish-Americans have popularized other cultural traditions too. Guinness, the stout that originated in Dublin, was an Irish tradition brought to America and has become a favorite St. Patrick’s day beer.
In fact, Guinness is arguably the most famous Irish beer. It’s estimated that 13 million pints are consumed on St. Patty’s Day!
The dark stout is made of four key ingredients:
1) Barley– The malted barley gives the beer it’s dark and roastaed character
2) Hops– Double the amount of hops is used for a more intense flavor and to preserve the flavor
3) Water– Dublin water that comes from the Wicklow Mountain springs, preserving the stout’s “Purity and softness”
4) Guinness Yeast– Ensuring the full fermentation of beer, Guinness Yeast captures freshness and creates a unique flavor
There are many ways to enjoy a Guinness. For starters, you can drink the original, dark and rich Guiness Pint. Mix Guinness with a lager or ale, and you create a “Black and Tan.” Mix Guinness with champagne to get a “Black Velvet,” or with raspberry liquor to get a “Black Fog.” Or, combine the Irish stout with Irish whiskey to get a “Hairball.”
The key to serving a perfect pint is to pour the beer into a glass at a 45 degree angle. Allow the nitrogen bubbles to emerge from the solution: as you pour the beer into a glass, you will see the black and brown coloring swirl together as the creamy doam forms.
But… you can do more with Guinness than just drink it! You can use it to make so many delicious recipes for St. Patrick’s Day.
Guinness Stew
Guinness Burgers
Guinness Bread
Guinness Milkshakes
Guinness Cake
Of course you can serve corned beef and cabbage or shepherd’s pie on St. Patrick’s day… but you can also keep the Irish alive by using Guinness as a main ingredient in both food an drink recipes! However you decide to serve up the stout, remember that Southern Spirits has the lowest prices and the greatest selection available.
And, in honor of all things green and Irish, Souther Spirit’s is hosting not one, but two St. Paddy’s Tastings!
The first will be March 15, from 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm, which will include tasting Boru Vodka (Irish vodka) and Paddy’s (Irish whiskey).
