How to Make Green Beer for St. Patrick’s Day

By Amanda Garrity From Good Housekeeping

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, you can either celebrate the traditional Irish way or go festive with green and gold. If you fall into the latter category, then green beer is a must. Because everything — even cheap light beer — tastes luckier when colored green.

What is green beer?

It’s all in the name: Green beer is simply dyed beer. While the Irish still stick to Guinness, Americans love a good color scheme. It first came about in 1910 when theSpokane Press published the headline, “Green Beer Be Jabbers!” Many people, however, credit it to Professor Thomas H. Curtin who made the drink for his New York clubhouse in 1914. By the mid-1900s, the drink was a staple at St. Patrick’s Day parties around the United States. As luck would have it, the drink didn’t make its way to Ireland until 1985 — and it’s still not very popular in the homeland. 

If you ever hear your bartender talk about “green beer” in a negative way, he’s probably not talking about the St.Paddy’s version. Brewers use the term “green beer” to describe beer that’s too young. It has a bad taste since it hasn’t fully fermented and contains acetaldehyde.

How do you dye beer green?

Three words: green food dye. For a vibrant green, add two drops of green food coloring in one bottle of light-colored beer (any brand will do). If you want a darker hue, add four to six drops of food coloring. One thing to keep in mind: The more dye you add, the more likely it is that your beer will turn your mouth green. So, you might be better off with two drops of the green stuff.

How do you make green beer without food coloring?

If you’re not a fan of artificial dyes, use wheatgrass, spirulina, and matcha to give your drink a green hue. Unlike green food dye, these all-natural options will alter the taste of your drink. Here’s the difference between the three options:

• Wheatgrass: Consider this option if you want a bright green drink and don’t mind its grassy taste. To make, add one tablespoon of wheatgrass juice to the bottom of the glass before pouring in the light beer. Continue pouring in wheatgrass juice until it reaches the desired color.
• Spirulina: If you don’t mind this algae’s metallic taste and want a hunter green beer, this is the perfect option. To make, put 1/2 teaspoon of spirulina powder into a bowl and add beer little by little. Whisk the mixture until the powder is completely dissolved.
• Matcha: By far the trendiest option, this powder doesn’t significantly change the taste and turns beer an olive green color. To make, add 1 teaspoon ofmatcha powder into a bowl and add beer little by little. Whisk the mixture until the powder is completely dissolved.

For more on this story and video go to: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/easy/videos/a37082/how-to-make-green-beer/