According to Irish legend, on the day of Judgement, while Christ judges all other nations, St Patrick will be the judge of the Irish. So we always see St. Pat in luxurious green robes, presumably in sympathy with Irish independence. Having grown up in New York, summers in New Haven, CT, and gone to school in Boston, I’m well-trained in my annual anticipation of this holiday, a wonderfully festive and warming celebration at the start of often chilly Springtimes… I’ve always felt that St. Patrick’s Day and Columbus Day were the patron holidays of New York/New England cities.
You can be served green beer in most Eastern bars on this holiday, generally colored with green food coloring. After having started our tea business, I decided to try a matcha green beer one St. Patty’s Day, and it was a hit! Whisk in just a quarter teaspoon of powdered Japanese green tea (or you can grind up our Boulder Blues green tea, which will work too!). The Japanese green tea holds its own with a more flavorful light beer, such as an ale, whereas the Boulder Blues will taste nicer in a lager. And if you’re willing to indulge underage drinkers in a green “beer”, the non-alcoholic version made with ginger ale and green tea is delicious!