If you believe the stories, St. Patrick led quite an extraordinary life. You’ve probably heard about him leading the poisonous snakes out of Ireland, but did you know he was kidnapped at 16 and spent six years as a slave before he escaped? Not to mention, he’s credited with bringing 33 people back to life. With that kind of resume, no wonder the guy got a day named after him!
St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in Ireland dating all the way back to the 9th or 10th century. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of all things Irish – parades, green everything and of course, drinking! It’s no news that St. Patrick’s Day is the most popular holiday for drinking. In fact, the average person out celebrating the luck of the Irish drinks four to five drinks on St. Patrick’s Day. And get this, 13,000,000 pints of Guinness are consumed on St. Patrick’s Day worldwide.
Guinness Draught
When thinking of testing out some new cheese pairings for March, I couldn’t help but to wonder what might go best with the most iconic of all Irish beers. Guinness has been brewing beer since 1759. I was surprised to see that Guinness Draught was only developed in 1959, since when I think of a Guinness, it’s this particular beer with its dark color and creamy head that I think of. The Draught looks and smells of coffee and has a perfect balance of bitter and sweet with such a great malty taste. Guinness Draught is so full of flavor that it made it hard to pick a couple of pairing options, but after sampling a couple of dozen different cheeses, I found two pairings that really sham-rocked it!
Cahill’s Original Irish Porter
An Irish Cheddar combined with Porter, this cheese is made in the county of Limerick about two hours away from the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin. When doing pairings, we always say “What Grows Together, Goes Together.” I think this is close enough to qualify.
Cahill’s Irish Porter is one of the coolest looking cheeses in the case. The cheddar is mixed with Porter and the result is a really magnificent marbling effect. The cheese by itself has caramel and chocolate notes with a buttery finish.
The Guinness Draught and Cahill’s Porter really blend together nicely. The cheese takes away some of the bitter from the beer and allows the roasted malt flavors to come through. The butterfat from the Cheddar covers your tongue and it finishes with a surprising buttery flavor.
Baetje Farms Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coeur de la Creme
This Chevre (fresh goat milk cheese) is flavored with raspberry and dark chocolate. Made in Bloomsdale, MO this little local dairy has quietly produced some of the best goat cheeses in the country year after year.
Coeur de la Creme is french for “heart of the cream” and you’ll easily spot this cheese in the case, because the folks at Baetje Farms lovingly handform it into the shape of a heart. Goat cheese has a slight tart flavor and when combined with the raspberry and the rich dark chocolate it makes this the perfect dessert cheese. I love eating this particular cheese with some Anna’s Ginger Swedish Thins as a sweet snack.
I was blown away with how well the dark chocolate and malt created a coffee flavor. I love the way this pairing lingers with a fruity sweet cream finish … woah, it is so good! This was undoubtedly my favorite pairing for St. Patrick’s Day.
The fun thing about pairing cheese and beer is that your experience is going to be different than anyone else’s. You can try sweet or savory or sour items. If you like it, it’s a good pairing. Be adventurous. Try different combinations. When you find something you like, share it with the world. Always remember the Irish Proverb, “Laughter is Brightest Where Food Is Best.”
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
St. Patrick's Day Inspired Recipes
You don't have to be Irish to appreciate these delicious eats and drinks.
VooDew Cocktail
Beer, Wine & Spirits, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day
5M
1
This tropical tipple garnished with grilled pineapple gives off island vibes!
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Beef, Budget Friendly, Dinner, Flavors Of Fall, St. Patrick's Day
50M
4
With so many affordable options—such as russet potatoes, ground beef and frozen vegetables—Schnucks-brand items let you take full advantage of our Great Low Prices! This comfort classic utilizes plenty of flavorful, cost-effective ingredients and comes together in under an hour, making it a true autumn weeknight winner!
Caraway & Golden Raisin Soda Bread
Side Dish, St. Patrick's Day
50M
10
An Irish classic made with simple ingredients to create a soft bread with a hard crust.
Jameson Manhattan-Style Glaze
Sauces, Jams & Marinades, St. Patrick's Day
30M
20
Dark sweet cherries and Jameson Irish Whiskey balance each other in this glaze best suited for your corned beef served on St. Patrick’s Day.
Jameson Burger Glaze
Sauces, Jams & Marinades, St. Patrick's Day
15M
4
A full-of-flavor glaze to top your patties this St. Paddy’s.
White Claw Mojito
Beer, Wine & Spirits, St. Patrick's Day
5M
1
Mojito made simple using White Claw lime.
Sauza Lucky Rita
Beer, Wine & Spirits, St. Patrick's Day
5M
1
Introducing the St. Patrick’s Day margarita, full of refreshing lime flavor.
Pinnacle Sour Apple Highball
Beer, Wine & Spirits, St. Patrick's Day
5M
1
This drink is simple to make and festively green making it the perfect drink for any St. Patrick’s Day get-together.
Jameson Cold Brew & Cola
Beer, Wine & Spirits, St. Patrick's Day
5M
1
An unexpected combo made with familiar flavors – the Jameson® Cold Brew & Cola is the perfect way to shake up any occasion. Try it for yourself to discover the smooth taste of Jameson combined with the rich taste of coffee and cola.
Jameson Ginger and Lime
Beer, Wine & Spirits, Game Day, St. Patrick's Day
5M
1
A simple whiskey drink that couldn’t be easier to make.
Companion Bavarian Pretzels
Appetizers, Oktoberfest, St. Patrick's Day
2H 30M
10
Enjoy this heart-warming recipe from local favorite, Companion Baking.
Cheesy Spinach, Broccoli and Potato Soup
Lunch, Soup & Chili, St. Patrick's Day, Vegetable
50M
4
Eating healthy doesn’t mean your meals have to be bland or boring. For example, this Cheesy Spinach Broccoli and Potato Soup is delicious.
Cabbage and Potato Mash
Dinner, St. Patrick's Day, Stovetop, Vegetable
40M
12
You’ll wish you had more of this delicious dish.
Shamrock Punch
Beer, Wine & Spirits, St. Patrick's Day
10M
4
On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish.
Corned Beef Cubanos
30-Minute Dinner, Sandwiches, Tacos & Wraps, St. Patrick's Day
25M
4
Elevate your cubano sandwich with corned beef.
BBQ Corned Beef Wraps
15-Minute Lunch, Sandwiches, Tacos & Wraps, St. Patrick's Day
15M
4
You haven’t had corned beef until you’ve had it in a wrap.
Turkey Reuben Sandwich
15-Minute Lunch, 30-Minute Dinner, Sandwiches, Tacos & Wraps, St. Patrick's Day, Turkey
15M
4
Add a Schnucks twist to the classic Reuben sandwich.
Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Corned Beef with Vegetables
Beef, Dinner, Hanukkah, Slow Cooker, St. Patrick's Day
8H
6
Elevate your corned beef with this recipe from Schnucks.
Corned Beef Hash ‘N Egg Cups
Beef, Breakfast, St. Patrick's Day
45M
12
It doesn’t have to be St. Patrick’s Day for you to enjoy this breakfast meal.
Shepherd’s Pie
Beef, Dinner, St. Patrick's Day
1H
8
Add a Schnucks spin to this classic meat pie dish.
Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
Beef, One-Pot Wonder, Slow Cooker, Soup & Chili, St. Patrick's Day
7H
8
This recipe from Schnucks is stew good to be true.
Spiked Irish Brownies
Desserts, Oven-Baked, St. Patrick's Day
1 H 15 M
24
Try these brownies for your next get-together.
Reuben Casserole
Beef, Cheese, Dinner, St. Patrick's Day
1H
8
Love Reuben sandwiches? Try this Reuben casserole interpretation.
Cookie Truffles
Desserts, St. Patrick's Day
45M
8
These cookies are the perfect treat for holidays and get-togethers.
