Green beer debate
Is green beer a crime against good beer, or is it just good fun?
This weekend as St. Patrick's Day approaches, much beer will be turned green. It is pretty easy to do. Friday morning, for example, I put three drops of green food coloring in the bottom of a pint glass and poured in a light-colored beer. I used a can of Natty Boh. The result, depending on your point of view, was either a glorious or bilious green. (There is no debate that a glass of green beer is hard to face in the morning.)
I also tried it on a glass of O'Hara stout, and while the foam was green, the rest of the beer was black.
The anti-green beer camp contends changing the hue of the beer is a desecration of the brewing art.
The pro-green camp argues that if you can't have a little fun with your beer, you shouldn't be sipping.
Which side are you on?
Do you drink green beer?
If so, do you sip it only on St. Patrick's Day? And is stout off limits?
Comments
If they don't drink it that way in Ireland, why do it here? Green Beer Day is an American tradition started at the University of Miami, Ohio for spring break, not St. Patrick's Day--it just so happened the two events overlapped. Personally, I find the green very unappealing since it looks like Kool-Aid, not beer.
Posted by: Steve | March 13, 2009 10:40 AM
I say to each his own. If they want to do it let them. However no respectable beer drinker would want green beer.
The color is one of the major attributes or beer. Do you want to eat a green steak? How about green chicken?
So why would I want green beer? I say only dye the stuff that is for example Bud, Miller. American Pils, but not good Ale.
Posted by: Maltedbarley.org | March 13, 2009 11:07 AM
I'm 30 and have never had green beer. I figure if I lasted this long without it, I'll probably never had it. My chances of going to some crazy frat party with Natty Boh kegs exponentially diminishes with every passing year.
Although there is always a chance of some sort of Old School type relapse.
Posted by: hatepaste | March 13, 2009 11:11 AM
I avoid St Patrick's day like the plague.
Posted by: Grant | March 13, 2009 2:56 PM
I get credit for literally throwing a girl out of an Irish-American pub in Baltimore one St. Pat's Day when I was working as an employee for the day, for the sin of dyeing her lager green...... The really telling part was the rest of the patrons who saw it--and cheered the expulsion.
Posted by: Alexander D. Mitchell IV | March 13, 2009 10:27 PM
I'm in the "who cares?" camp. It's something fun to do and it's only done on one day of the year. This is no different then dying your Miller or Budweiser product purple to support the Ravens during the playoffs.
Posted by: Bruce | March 14, 2009 3:18 PM
my favourite colour is green, and so i embrace any opportunity to consume vast amounts of green beer.
plus it's fun! i say, why not try orange in your stout for a black and orange hallowe'en fun times, or your favourite colour beer on your birthday?
i think its good to have a giggle or two every once in a while, and coloured beer does it for me!
(p.s. green eggs are also fun if you use an herbed butter to fry them in)
Posted by: janina | March 17, 2009 6:07 PM