As an Irish girl, St.Patrick’s day is kind of a big deal for me. My family celebrates all day long starting with attending the parade, then lunch at a local Irish Pub, followed by an evening at my uncle’s house. If there’s something else I also love as an Irish girl, it’s beer, stereotypical, I know. I thought it would be fun to get together some friends for a beer tasting party. I have to admit it wasn’t all my idea, we’ve discussed it many times over the years. Everyone brings a bottle or two of one of their favorite brews, and we all sample a little bit of each. If you’re an avid beer drinker, I think it’s a great way to share the ones you love, and also discover new brands and types of beer, all in one sitting.
I thought it was important to have a bit of food as we sampled, and the menu included stuffed red potato bites, and mini reubens (which I’ll be sharing the recipe for soon).
I hate it when I find a new beer I love, then I can’t remember the name of it. We had cards available so people could write down any favorites they wanted to remember and take with them. Angie also introduced us to an iPhone App called Pintley. It allows you to keep track of your favorite beers, rate them, take notes, and even share with friends. It also offers suggestions based on your ratings, so another great way to find new beers to try.
We all sampled each beer and then discussed our thoughts, even doing a little research on some of our favorites to see where their flavors come from. It also helped that one of our friends, Will, brews his own beers, and could give us some insights on what ingredients bring out certain aroma’s or tastes in each bottle.
We rated each beer as we drank it. If you liked it you put a check mark, if you loved it you put a star. The La Chouffe Belgian Golden Ale was the clear winner, with Brother Thelonious in second place.
A big thank you to all our friends for coming and helping us celebrate St.Patrick’s Day. We all had such a good time that we decided to do it again, and take turns hosting. Cheers, and I hope you’ll consider hosting your own beer tasting party!
xo ~ Emily
