St. Patty's Day is here again. This holiday perhaps more than any other—particularly the religious ones—is associated with drinking beer. It's a suds-fueled release of energies pent-up during Lent's long days of denial. Another important part of this Saint's day celebration is the adoption of certain "traditionally Irish" foods. Sounds to me like the perfect excuse to create some tasty beer and food pairings. More

Mint isn't even part of the Irish tradition at all. It's just an inexpensive way to turn a lot of things green on St. Paddy's. I have nothing against mint; it's a lovely herb and has great flavor. But isn't it time that pistachios got some St. Patrick's Day love? More

Corned beef and cabbage is best with lighter-flavored beers so it won't be overpowered. Dry Irish stouts are a great place to start, but my favorite pick is a red ale from Dublin with subtle caramel flavors and moderate bitterness. More

I could wax poetic about Ireland's budding cider revival and hand-crafted Irish ciders, but shipping a bottle of cider half way around the world is expensive, and Irish ciders aren't widely available in the States. Instead, we pretty much have one option in America for a St. Patrick's Day cider: Magners. More

When you think of Irish beer, you probably picture a perfect pint of Guinness or a refreshing glass of Harp. But what else is brewing in Ireland? We looked into the craft brewing scene on the Emerald Isle, and were pleased to discover that a few entrepreneurial folks are trying to provide the public with alternatives to mass-produced beers. More