Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from San Diego Beer and Wine Tours!

Green beer is okay, but “going green” on one of our train tours is much better!

We have barely recovered from Valentine’s Day, but St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us. As we adore Ireland with every fiber of our being (that’s where our lovely Shira Bliss is from!) we are happy to share some insider love with you.

Now, you could celebrate the old-fashioned way – by pinching people and drinking green beer until you can’t look at anything green for the next month – but why go that route? Celebrate in style. Here are our suggestions.

Don’t let its reputation fool you. Ireland is not just a country of craic and Guinness. It is also a land of epicures and microbreweries, which in recent years have started springing up like mushrooms after a rain.

Unfortunately, not many Irish microbrews are available in the United States. We can only find two brands, but they’re well worth hoisting.

Carlow Brewing Company, out of Carlow, Ireland, puts out beers like O’Hara’s Irish Red and O’Hara’s Celtic Stout. Its Irish Stout will have you singing – it’s legendary! Pair with a good, thick Irish stew (that’s where you’ll be using all extra Guinness you bought last week) or boxty for maximum authenticity.

Porterhouse is arguably Ireland’s most famous microbrew. They offer the notorious, and extraordinarily well received, Oyster Stout. But you don’t need to stop there. We highly recommend their creamy-headed Porterhouse Red or their Templebrau Lager if you can find it, especially with a piping-hot bacon and cabbage dish.

For those of you whose culinary tastes run closer to home, try Karl Strauss’s Red Trolley Ale, a McHale’s Irish Stout or a Seaside Stout from Pizza Port Brewery, or a Scrapper’s Irish Red from Coronado Brewing Company.

Enjoy, drink responsibly (drink, don’t drive, on our St. Patrick’s tours), and avoid drinking too much green beer. You’ll thank us for that last bit of advice later!

Erin Go Bragh!

Brooke B., Cerveza Colleen