11 Beers for St. Patrick's Day

I've always had a love/hate feeling for St. Patrick's Day.  I never quite understood the wearing of the green, or how a day honoring a Catholic saint became a free-for-all drunk fest.  There's nothing wrong with celebrating your heritage with a few hundred friends, but let's not go too crazy.  After all, friends don't let friends drink green beer.  With that out of the way, here's a list of eleven beers for the irish in you.

11.  Guinness Draught Stout.  Guinness.  Ireland.  4.20% ABV.
There are more myths and wives tales about Guinness than just about any other beer.  The truth is the Guinness you find on tap at the local pub is a very mild beer that's equal in strength to Bud Light.

10.  Dogfish Head Chicory Stout.  Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.  Delaware.  5.20% ABV.
Dogfish Head is known for experimental brewing and extreme beer.  Chicory Stout fits the experimental label, but it's hardly extreme.  It's a little step up from the pint of Guinness.

9.  Conway's Irish Ale.  Great Lakes Brewing Co.  Ohio.  6.5% ABV.
Conway's Irish Ale comes out just in time for the holiday.  It's a little stronger than my first two choices, but it's hardly an extreme beer.

8.  Anchor Porter.  Anchor Brewing Co.  California.  5.6% ABV.
The term "stout" (in the case of Guinness) is a shortened version of "stout porter".  Anchor's porter predates most of craft breweries in the U.S.A.

7.  Founders Breakfast Stout.  Founders Brewing Company.  Michigan.  8.3% ABV.
If your going the kegs and eggs route, go with a hearty breakfast beverage.  Made with oatmeal and coffee, you could make it breakfast on it's own.

6.  Sam Adams Irish Red.  Boston Beer Co.  Massachusetts.  5.8% ABV.
Sam Adams is often talked as gateway beer.  Take a step toward beervana with this red ale.

5.  Guinness Foreign Extra Stout.  Guinness.  Ireland.  7.5% ABV.
There are actually many different versions of Guinness Stout.  The FES is the big brother of the draught stout.  It's stronger and maltier.  The bottles are carbonated unlike the draught's nitrogen gassed body.

4.  Old #38 Stout.  North Coast Brewing Co.  California.  5.6% ABV.
North Coast's Old #38 is a little stronger, but still very drinkable stout.

3.  Brian Boru Old Irish Red.  Three Floyds Brewing Co.  Indiana.  5.9% ABV.
Three Floyds is favorite brewery of midwestern hop heads.  Brian Boru doesn't shy away from hops, but it's not as powerful as the Alpha King.

2.  Kalamazoo Stout.  Bell's Brewery, Inc.  Michigan.  6.0% ABV.
Bell's is the godfather of Michigan brewing.  Their Kalamazoo Stout is a good match for your corned beef and cabbage.

1.  Edmund Fitzgerald Porter.  Great Lakes Brewing Co.  Ohio.  5.8% ABV.
There is a fine line between porter and stout.  Edmund Fitzgerald is a good choice any day in my book.  I wonder how a half & half pour of Conway's & Edmund  Fitz would work...

11 Valentine's Day Beers

Here we go.  It's 11 beers for Valentine's Day!

11.  Russian River Temptation.  California.  (won't find outside CA)

http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/pages/brews/barrel.html

10.  New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red.  Wisconsin  (WI only)

http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/Beers.cfm?BeerCategoryID=1&BeerID=10

9.  Young's Double Chocolate Stout.  England.  (relatively easy to find)

ttp://www.wellsandyoungs.co.uk/home/our-beers/ales/young-s-double-chocolate-stout

8.  Lindeman's Framboise.  Belgium  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/lindemans_framboise.html

7. Abaye De Rocs Brune.  Belgium.  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.abbaye-des-rocs.com/page%20en%20anglais.htm

6.  Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue).  Belgium  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.chimay.com/en/chimay_blue_220.php

5.  Goose Island Sofie.  Illinois.  (somewhat available)

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/sofie/28.php

4.  Short's The Soft Parade. Michigan.  (Michigan only.  tough)

http://www.shortsbrewing.com/beer/our-portfolio/annual-beers/the-soft-parade/

3.  Rogue Chocolate Stout.  Oregon.  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.rogue.com/beers/chocolate-stout.php

2.  Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock.  Michigan.  (fat chance)

http://www.kbrewery.com/beer/beer.html

1.  Foothills Sexual Chocolate.  North Carolina.  (special release. NC only)

http://www.foothillsbrewing.com/brews.html