Get Your Irish on this St. Patrick’s Day

March 17th is a day to celebrate Irish culture and heritage. The Irish are a warm and welcoming people, and you don’t need Irish roots to celebrate with them! It’s easy to share the fun and be Irish for a day.

Here’s how to be Irish:

• Wear green. Legend has it that mischievous leprechauns can’t see you if you’re wearing green clothes and you don’t want them to steal your beer!

• Call your closest Irish friend and plan to celebrate at one of Ottawa’s great Irish pubs. Patty’s Pub in Old Ottawa South or Darcy Magee’s will be in full swing and will give you a warm Irish welcome. Several pubs will also have live music that day.

• Whether you like beer or whiskey, try something new. The LCBO currently has a great selection of Irish products.

• If you’re an Irish introvert, make yourself a fine pot of Irish stew and listen to some fancy fiddlin’ as you cook or lilting harp music during supper.

What to pour in your glass on March 17th

Guinness Hop House 13 Lager
Dublin, Ireland

This was a happy beer discovery. It’s a crisp and refreshing golden lager with citrus, apricot, and slight caramel notes. It’s brewed with Irish-grown malted barley and double-hopped. The name refers to the address of Guinness’ famous St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. Great with spicy chicken wings.

5% • LCBO# 536227 • $3.35 • 500 ml

Calabogie Brown Cow Nitro Milk Stout
Ontario

Stout is another Irish favourite and this is a very popular local version. Nitro stout is made using more nitrogen gas than carbon dioxide, resulting in a thicker, creamier head like this has. You’ll find brown sugar, vanilla beans, chocolate, and espresso coffee on the nose. It’s silky smooth in the mouth with chocolaty, roasted flavours — it’s easy to see why this is so popular. Try it with lamb stew.

5.5% • LCBO# 13827 • $3.60 • 473 ml

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin with Sardinian Citrus
Ireland

Who knew that the Irish make such great gin! The curious name for this gin refers to the Gunpowder tea used in its production. Gunpowder is a green tea that has been slowly dried, then carefully rolled into shiny pellets. This highly fragrant gin is combined with several Asian and Irish botanicals, gunpowder tea and a hint of Sardinian citrus and is distilled in a copper pot still. You’ll find delightful orange and grapefruit notes and a long finish. It’s ideal for making gin-based cocktails.

43% • LCBO# 22453 • $54.95 • 750 ml

Writer’s Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey
Ireland

If you’re new to the world of whiskey, it’s interesting and useful to compare the Irish style with that made in Scotland. Writer’s Tears is a bright golden-orange colour and offers beautiful aromas of citrus, honey, apple, vanilla and malt. On the palate you’ll find notes of caramel and citrus peel, oak and pepper. It’s medium-bodied and fruity with a long finish.

40% • LCBO# 13057 • $59.95 – $54.95 until March 31st  700 ml

 

Happy St. Partick’s Day!

As the Irish say:

May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.

For more wine and food discovery from Jane Staples, visit www.bellovinoj.com