St. Patrick’s Day may be the foremost celebration of Irish culture on the calendar, but the Celtic holiday has long since been Americanized beyond recognition. What once was a family-centric Christian holiday is now, on this side of the Atlantic, a nationwide beer festival.
So, when celebrating an Americanized Irish holiday, it only makes sense to drink Americanized Irish beer. Though Guinness, Harp, Killian’s, and other macro exports from The Emerald Isle are the go-to for celebrants of St. Paddy’s, we found almost a dozen Irish-influenced microbrews that are worth seeking out when celebrating this Irish saint.
When you’re out shopping for beer to fill your Pota Pádraig, try some of these stateside takes on the classics.
Irish Dry Stouts
Alternatives to Guinness, Beamish Stout, Porterhouse Oyster Stout
Iron Horse Quilter’s Irish Death
Ellensburg, Washington’s Iron Horse is an iconoclastic brewery. They’re not ones to copy/paste a style into their profile just to compete with the Irish beer giants. Quilter’s Irish Death was born of a reverence to the dry Irish stout, and it’s deep, deep black body and deathly sweet taste really separate it from the field of similar brews. The brewery calls it “beer candy,” but you’d be wise to not let your sweet tooth get the best of you. At 7.8% ABV, it’s nearly twice as heavy as a Guinness Draught.
Russian River O.V.L. Stout
You could practically chew down an O.V.L. Stout from Russian River. It goes down like a loaf of soda bread, but still finishes with a crispness you wouldn’t expect from the style. It’s a far cry from the California brewery’s name-making IPAs and sours, but O.V.L. helps to showcase the extent of the expertise working at Russian River. With a thick, lip-clinging foam and a pitch-dark body, it’s more filling than it’s 4.8% ABV would suggest.
Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout
We ranked Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout as number two on our list of the 10 best American stouts back in 2014, but this California flagship has been impressing ever since, accumulating an enviable 86 rating on BeerAdvocate. Dragoons is brewed in a strictly traditional style using malt and hops from the U.K., but it doesn’t come out as plain as many stouts from the Isle. Lightly carbonated and abounding with coffee and chocolate flavors, Dragoons packs a lot of flavor in with the history. At 22 ounces a serving, it’s a pint-plus of American ingenuity for your St. Paddy’s celebration.
Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout
Another callback from our 10 best American stouts list, Schlafly’s take on the Irish dry stout is generously hopped, rounding out at 45 IBU. And unlike Guinness — which surprisingly ranks at 40 IBUs — Schlafly shows its bitterness in the brew. The tinge of bitterness is accentuated by the espresso undertones, and there’s a hint of dried fruit that carries it along. The increased carbonation makes it a little bit easier to drink than many of the stouts on this list.
Harpoon Boston Irish Stout
If you’ve ever been to St. Paddy’s in Boston, you know it’s the apex of American-style blarney. The raucous parade in South Boston drives tens of thousands to the streets and bars, and Southie destination brewery Harpoon knew they could capitalize on the yearly sensation with an ersatz Guinness. But “ersatz” is an unfair way to characterize Boston Irish Stout. It’s thick, creamy head and rich malt backbone match up to the standards Guinness set, and this brewery exclusive’s warm roastiness adds a warmth the Irish macro can’t combat. Nothing’s better to prompt a stumble down the cobblestones this March 17.
