culture Inherent Weisse: What You Should Have Been Drinking on St. Patrick’s Day (But Still Can)

Guinness isn't your only option.

We all know what yesterday was. Some of you were probably out on the town, cramming as much Guinness, Dropkick Murphys, and Shamrock Shakes into your systems at a rate the guys at Top Gear would say is excessive. Or some of you, like me, were hiding in your home waiting for the drunken mobs to pass by, leaving you as safe and intact as possible.

Either way, there is a chance that some of you missed out on some fantastically flavoured local beers that tie into that most stereotypically Irish-themed day. Thankfully, there’s a chance to absolve yourself of that sin! Here are a couple of my picks for some excellent post-St. Patrick’s Day drinks that are sticking around long after the day itself.

Left Field Brewery 1st & 3rd Berliner Weisse

The folks at the Baseball-loving Left Field Brewery on Wagstaff are celebrating their third anniversary in business with the release of some fantastic special beers. One of them, the 1st & 3rd Berliner Weisse—a sour ale made with 50 per cent wheat, lactobacillus, and a blend of both Belgian and American ale yeasts—is a home run, producing a light-bodied tart beer, with delicate hints of citrus and grain. For those who love their beer green, you can head on over to the brewery’s tasting room, and if you ask nicely, they may give you a glass of the beer with some woodruff syrup in. It not only turns your beer shamrock green, but also lends a delicious sweet note that complements its tartness.

Mill Street Cobblestone Stout

Mill Street Brewery’s Cobblestone is a fantastic nitro stout sold year-round in the LCBO. If you absolutely have to have a beer that’s like Guinness in terms of mouthfeel, consistency, light-roasted notes, and head retention, only, you know, better, this is your answer.

Black Creek Irish Potato Stout

Producing their beers for the masses at Trafalgar Brewing in Oakville and to visitors of Black Creek Pioneer Village on their historical equipment, Black Creek Historic Brewery is known for creating beers with a historical context—and the Irish Potato Stout certainly does that. Beyond providing a nod to Ireland’s history, where potatoes became a staple food, the potatoes in the beer offer a nice, creamy texture to an otherwise sweet and lightly roasted stout.

Sawdust City I, the Mountain & the Leprechaun Flute India Red Ale

The folks over at Sawdust City in Gravenhurst are renowned for their clever beer names and this one is no different. Made in collaboration with Peterborough band I, The Mountain and named after the most famous Leprechaun sighting in North America, the beer features distinct citrus and pine notes with bready caramel malts wrapping up in a medium bitter finish. And at 7.5 per cent, it’ll definitely leave you with a cheerful warmth. As of writing, this beer is currently available in cans at The Only Cafe, so pack your special flute that wards off spells and get going.

Jameson Caskmates

Before you start mouthing off in the comments section, I will say that while this isn’t local and it sure the heck isn’t a beer, it’s closely related and deserves a special mention. If you just need that touch of Irish stuff and you want to make it count, double up on the dose of Ireland with this lovely special-edition whiskey. Caskmates is a collaboration in which the famous triple-distilled Irish whiskey has been finished in casks seasoned with stout from the Franciscan Well and Brewery in Cork, resulting in a drink that has a touch of sweetness, distinct cocoa notes, and gentle swirl of caramel and vanilla.