It is finally March and we have almost made it through the long, cold Pennsylvania winter. It is time to celebrate the upcoming thaw, and Saint Patrick’s Day is the perfect day to think about greener times.
Now, I am not Irish, nor have I ever been to Ireland, but I sure do enjoy Saint Patrick’s Day, ever since I used to attend my parish’s Saint Patrick’s Day Festival when I was growing up. Held in the church basement and cafeteria, it was always a joyous day with the smell of corned beef and cabbage in the air. Everyone wore green because they didn’t want to get pinched.
That old church festival even sold what was once the thing to drink on Saint Paddy’s Day in the United States—green beer. (I know, I know, a church selling beer? But you have to understand, it was a Catholic church in Milwaukee.)
Green beer is typically a light-colored domestic pilsner (think Budweiser or Miller) colored with dye to celebrate the holiday, just like the water in the Chicago River (now that is something green that I really would never drink).
Of course, you can still find green beer at bars on Saint Patrick’s Day (despite the headline of this story, I have been known to drink one from time to time) but, thanks to changing tastes, there are now plenty of more authentic options for those looking for a traditional pint to go along with their Irish beef stew or corned beef and cabbage.
After all, the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland has become a time to celebrate Irish culture, from food to music and other traditions. Responsible people can do that in respectful ways, including having a traditional drink or two.
If there is one beer people think of when they think of Ireland, it has to be a dry Irish stout. This may be the reason I enjoy this holiday so much, because stouts are one of my favorite beer styles.
Stouts often get a bad rap for being heavy, but in fact, they usually have less calories than a typical lager or pilsner. Still, the rich flavors are nice for slow sipping and enjoying each taste.
The bitter dark ales are often described as tasting like coffee or chocolate. A smooth dry Irish stout is best poured from a nitro tap by a bartender who knows what they are doing. The correct pour leaves the stout with a nice thick, frothy head, and a wonderfully smooth and creamy texture.
Of course, Dublin-brewed Guinness Draught is the typical stout you might find in an Irish pub, like The Phyrst in State College. Indeed, that bar goes all out for the holiday, and the crowds don’t disappoint in keeping a lively atmosphere. Upstairs at sister bar Local Whiskey, patrons might find a clientele that goes beyond college age plus a proper cocktail made with Irish whiskey.
If you are looking for a little less rowdy crowd, there are many other places that will pour you a Guinness Draught on Saint Patrick’s Day. All around downtown bars, you are bound to see men in kilts and hear the sound of bagpipes playing, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Those looking for a local stout and a more mature festive feel need look no further than Otto’s Pub and Brewery. The brewpub celebrates by opening up early for an Irish breakfast, and fun goes on all day long. The festive atmosphere continues with music, food specials, and more.
It’s hard to beat an Otto’s Black Mo Stout poured straight from the nitro tap just a few hundred feet from the brewery where it was made. After all, there is just something so nice about sitting in a pub with a pint and a group of friends.
On the other side of town, Happy Valley Brewing Company makes a stout named after the Phyrst Phamily Band, the old house band at The Phyrst. The dry oatmeal stout is smooth and robust and best enjoyed in the comfy atmosphere of Happy Valley’s basement bar.
In Bellefonte, Axemann Brewery’s Titan Stout is poured out of a nitro tap, giving it a thick creamy head in their tall glasses. If it is a warm March day, enjoy the dark and roasted beer outside along the banks of the stream.
Also in the Bellefonte area, Robin Hood Brewery typically offers Maiden Milk Stout on nitro tap. The milk stout is a sweeter version of a stout, brewed with milk sugar that offers chocolate and vanilla notes. Beyond that, you might find other fun stout flavors at Robin Hood with their multiple taps.
If these local stouts don’t appeal to you, our many local breweries offer plenty of flavorful options to enjoy responsibly on Saint Patrick’s Day or any day of the year. And if green beer is still what you want, I will still say sláinte to you—after all green beer is still beer. Just remember, don’t over imbibe, and be safe. T&G
Vincent Corso enjoys drinking local and meeting new people at central Pennsylvania’s many interesting establishments.
