Opie Dravitz List

Why Beer is Green on St Patrick’s Day By ODL Staff

When you order a frosty cold one on March 17^th, you will most likely get a surprise. The beer that you usually get that is of an amber tone is now green! That’s right, all things are green when celebrating the great day of St Patrick, and most people that order beer know about this grand standing tradition. When you go out to celebrate with the Denver St Patrick’s Day 2013 celebration, you owe it to yourself to check out this green treat. The green dye is not going to hurt the taste or the effect of the beer which is sometimes a concern for people, and will be a nice way to celebrate the glory of what some might think is the “greenest” day of the year.

Oddly enough, according to the origins of St Patrick, the original color was blue. That’s right, the blue color was the original color of the celebration, but that seems to throw a wrench into the whole thing. However, over time the wearing of green turned into the iconic symbolism of what you do on the day of celebration. The saint would use the clover to explain the doctrine of the Trinity and after a rebellion in 1798 the change over from blue to green really started to take on a new role.

With that in mind, the feasting and enjoyment of the day has been changed to reflect the green of the shamrock. The shamrock’s iconic 3-leaf structure is one of the many pieces to the big puzzle of the green beer. You see, it’s the green color of the shamrock that is the main reason why beer is green on St. Patrick’s Day. With that in mind, you will see even the darkest of beers get the colorful treatment, and it is only a mere gesture of tying together the color of the day with the drink of the day.

So the next time that you’re enjoying a pint during the Denver St Patrick’s Day 2013 celebration, think of the origins of the story, and raise your glass for the greatness of the day, and don’t forget the roots of the date. You’ll find that by simply taking a second to remember the color, the change, and the story of the shamrock you will be in good spirits with everyone around you. Just make sure you don’t miss out on this simple tradition, you’ll regret it (if you miss out).