St. Patrick, Beer, and Whiskey.
(Largest statue of St. Patrick in the world, at the foot of Slemish Mountain in County Antrim, photo by the author)
On Good Friday, two years ago, I knelt on an overgrown patch grass on Whitesands beach near Tyddewi (St. Davids) Wales. I’d hiked there with a group of pilgrims, but I wanted some quiet time while they wandered on the more scenic parts of the beach. I wanted to m edit on this overgrown patch of grass contained a significant link to St. Patrick.
I squinted as I looked north, to see if could catch a glimpse of Ireland, a place I’d visited in 1996. On that particular trip, Patrick became an important saint for me. We visited his statue near Slemish where the young Maweyn Succat (Patrick’s original first name) tended sheep as a slave, stolen by Irish pirates. We saw Saul Church, the site of his first church among the Irish. Finally, Downpatrick, where he is most likely buried with St. Colmcille (Columba) and St. Brigid, the Three Saints of Ireland.
(Likely Resting Place of St. Patrick, St. Colmcille, and St. Brigid, photo from the author)
I named my first son after him. Indeed, in a fun twist, he was born on St. Patrick’s Day. However, I didn’t know how Irish I was until the magic of DNA tests. When I visited in 1996, I would have just said I felt connected to Ireland and Patrick spiritually, but I admitted (sadly) that I had no ancestoral ties. I didn’t grow up in an Irish Catholic family.
Thanks to the miracle of science, I found out that I have a lot of Scotch-Irish DNA from my mom’s side. Apparently, we’re not just related to the Scots who came over during the time of King James and his plantations. Our roots can be traced to some of the oldest Irish noble families who intermarried with the Scots, mostly from the areas I visited in 1996.
When I started planning and researching for my pilgrimage to Tyddewi, I came across an interesting article about an archeological dig on Whitesands, at the very place I would end up on my pilgrimage. As most people know by now, St. Patrick wasn’t Irish, but a Romano-Celt. Various people have argued that he was actually from Scotland, but south Wales has, in my judgment, a better claim, given that around the time of Patrick (5-6th cent), it still contained significant Romano-Celt settlements.
The archeological site on Whitesands was first mentioned in 1603 by George Owen who noted, “Not far off (from St. Davids) is Capel Patrick, full west of St. Davids and placed near his country, Ireland, as well as could be. It is now wholly decayed.”
(Ruins of Capel Patrick, Whitesands, Wales, photo by the author)
The dig found a church site dating from the 11th century which was built on top of an older church which contained over 200 graves. Further, they found a number of trinkets that connects the site to places in Ireland. Mostly likely, this show it was, at one time, a significant place of pilgrimage and a place where Christians of the time wanted to be close to, especially in death.
The local stories link this site to where. St. Patrick left for his mission to Ireland after receiving his dream where “Victoricus” visited him with a scroll. As he began to read, he heard the voice of the Irish, his former captors, calling him back to talk about Christ.
Patrick left his family and the “civilized” folks to live among a people that most considered barbarians and beasts. He became Irish loving them, defending them and standing up to so-called Christian kings that kidnapped and raped Irish converts. In his lesser known Epistle to Coroticus, he called out a vicious “Christian” king by telling him,
The Most High does not accept the gifts of evildoers. The one who offers a sacrifice taken from what belongs to the poor is like one who sacrifices a child in the very sight of the child's father.Riches, says Scripture, which a person gathers unjustly, will be vomited out of that person's stomach. The angel of death will drag such a one away, to be crushed by the anger of dragons. Such a one will the tongue of a serpent slay, and the fire which cannot be extinguished will consume.And Scripture also says: ‘Woe to those who fill themselves with what does not belong to them’.And: ‘What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and yet suffer the loss of his or her soul?’
As I knelt on the ruins of the chapel, I looked at the 600 foot hill, Carn Llidi, which I now wish I had climbed. Supposedly, you can indeed see Ireland from there, and it’s not hard to imagine Patrick climbing it himself. When he went to Ireland, he expected martyrdom. He didn’t go with the power of the sword and had no wish to force Christ by armed conflict. He didn’t need the protection of a king or a president. Instead, Patrick went to serve the very people who made him shiver on a mountainside, half naked and far from home. Maybe one day, I’ll have that sort of love and trust.
With that serious reflection, you might ask, can should I have a wee dram or a pint on St. Patrick’s Day? Most emphatically yes. Indeed, St. Brigid, buried with him, had a prayer dedicated to beer (see below). But, make sure it’s not green and you don’t get blinding drunk. Pretty sure he wouldn’t approve.
Here is what I would recommend on the beer and whiskey front:
Beer:
Guinness: Really, do I need to say much about Guinness? It’s one of the national drinks of Ireland and pretty much everyone in the states drink it on St. Patrick’s Day. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not high on the ABV scale, which means, two or three will be just fine. It contains all of the creamy chocolate notes mixed together in a nearly perfect beer, in my mind. Fun Fact: Dorothy Sayers, one of the Grand Dames of British Crime fiction and sometime Inkling, came up with the now famous Toucan when she wrote the marketing line, If he can say as you can, Guinness is Good for You, How grand to be a Toucan, Just think what Toucan do."
Merica Stout, Red Rooster Brew Werks, Hillsboro, Illinois: Full disclosure, I work for the brewery and distillery that makes Merica Stout. Rather than giving you pause, it should give some credibility to what I’m saying. Stouts, porters and Irish ales are my favorite beers. I’ve had a lot of them. But, I can tell you, Merica is right up there with the best of them. Given that it’s an American stout, you would expect the flavors of coffee and chocolate to be more intense than Guinness. You would be right, but the balance is so well done, you’ll be asking for another. It’s what I’ll be drinking myself on this St. Patrick’s Day.
Smithwick (owned by Diageo, Guinness): I love Irish Red Ales and Smithwick is the standard. Originally Brewed on the grounds of a 14th century monastery, it’s become the gold standard for Irish Ales. I highly recommend it.
Others to consider
Fulsome Irish Red-Engrained Brewery
Bedhead Red: Opera House Brewery
Now, to the whiskey…
Irish Whiskey has been growing in popularity for the past few years. Everyone has their reasons, but for me, I appreciate the middle ground between bourbon and Scotch that it occupies. Most Irish whiskey is triple distilled which smooths it out quite a bit. It can take the following forms:
Single Malt: Made entirely from malted barley.
Single Pot Still: Made from a mash of both malted and unmalted barley.
Single Grain: Made from a single grain, such as corn, wheat, or rye.
Blended: A combination of two or more styles of Irish whiskey.Irish Whiskey: Irish whiskey has quickly become my go too dram. Roughly, it’s a good in-between point of Scotch and bourbon.
I enjoy all of it, but there are three that I go to on a consistent basis:
Bushmills: It’s one of the oldest operating distilleries in the world, having started production in 1784. However, the landowner had a royal warrant to make whiskey that dates back to 1608. Most people know Jameson but I think Bushmills is the better whiskey, especially the Black Bush expression. One of these days, I’m going back to the North of Ireland to visit the distillery so I can see St. Columb’s Rill, the source of all Bushmill’s whiskey.
Slane: Slane is a recent addition to the Irish Whiskey world and it’s just delicious. Even more, it’s pretty inexpensive. Slane is Triple casked to add an amazing blend of notes for a whiskey that’s usually priced around 25 dollars. Interesting note, it’s distilled on the grounds of Slane Castle in the North of Ireland, seat of the Cunningham’s in Northern Ireland, my ancient Scotch-Irish ancestors, the site where U2 wrote the Unforgettable Fire, and a number of legendary concerts have been held.
Silkie: This blended Irish Whiskey has to be tried. Distilled by Sliabh Liag in County Donegal, it’s just tasty, especially the Dark Version, which contains notes of chocolate and peat.
Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
(Prayer of St. Brigid)
I should like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I should like the angels of Heaven to be drinking it through time eternal. I should like excellent meats of belief and pure piety. I should like the men of Heaven at my house. I should like barrels of peace at their disposal. I should like for them cellars of mercy. I should like cheerfulness to be their drinking. I should like Jesus to be there among them. I should like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us. I should like the people of Heaven, the poor, to be gathered around from all parts.