(Courtesy Diagio)

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. We’ve been drinking since breakfast and suggest you show some support for this important holiday as well. But you’re gonna need the right beers and those beers are stouts.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Any discussion of St Patrick’s Day beer starts and ends with the most authentic of them all, a beer from an Irish brewery which was founded in 1759 and remains the largest brewer of stout in the world.

Much lower in alcohol (7.5% ABV) than its American compatriots, and unlike their flagship, carbonated rather than nitro-infused Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is as close as the brewery gets to what might be considered an “Imperial” in the United States.

Deservedly popular around world and accounting for 45% of their overall sales, Foreign Extra is less ubiquitous in the states and a valuable find when you happen upon it.

Left Hand Brewing Milk Stout Nitro 

If ever there was an American craft brewery whose reputation was deservedly built on the back of a stout, it’s Longmont, Colorado’s award-winning Left Hand Brewing. And on St. Patrick’s Day it even makes more sense.

Pumped out of its mind on lactose (the milk sugar that gives this beer its appealing creaminess), and on the nitrogen that ensures its deep rich head, Left Hand Brewing Milk Stout Nitro is 6% ABV classic that NEVER disapoints.

“Milk Stout Nitro has long been the craft beer of choice for St. Patrick’s Day,” says Jason Ingram, National Sales Director at Left Hand. “As most of us continue to celebrate holidays there’s no better way to bring a taste of our favorite holiday home.”

Hill Farmstead Earl

Vermont’s Hill Farmstead Brewery is responsible for many legendary beers and this dark “opus to oats and coffee” is among their best. It may not be what you’d call a classic St Patrick’s Day beer, but it is a stout, and it is a classic.

Named after founder Shaun Hill’s great uncle, who once owned the land that the brewery now stands on, Hill Farmstead’s Earl is an unfiltered and naturally carbonated 7.2% Oatmeal Stout that’s a coffee-infused masterpiece of balance. Spectacular!

DuClaw The PastryArchy Irish Cream Stout 

Baltimore Maryland-based DuClaw Brewing pulled out the stops for St Patrick’s Day 2022 with something MASSIVE and uber-special. Available in 24 US states and DC, as well as in Canada, DuClaw The PastryArchy Irish Cream Stout is a 9.4% ABV Dessert Stout with rich, creamy vanilla, chocolate and coffee notes that linger.

“As one of our boldest takes on tradition, this stout stands out with a surprisingly soft mouthfeel,” said Dave Benfield, founder and CEO of DuClaw. “Much like the rest of our PastryArchy lineup, the aroma is one of the most inviting features, especially with this powerful roasted blend. Given the timeliness of this release, we were thrilled to see strong order numbers.”

Guinness Draught

As we’ve said any serious discussion of St Patrick’s Day Beer starts and ends with Guinness. And if your celebrating out on the town out today this is the only beer you need to order.

Brewed at St James Gate in Dublin, Ireland and available worldwide, Guinness Draught is a rich and creamy nitro-fueled Irish Dry Stout which at 4.2% ABV is super-approachable and brewed to be paired with several.

Developed in 1959, this beer marked a celebration of Arthur Guinness signing his 9,000-year lease and 200 years of groundbreaking brewing.