Drink This: Six Irish-inspired beers for St. Patrick’s Day

This weekend is St. Patrick’s Day, but that doesn’t mean you have to drink Guinness or some cliched green-colored swill.

Local breweries are brewing some Irish-inspired beers and other goodies to make sure imbibers are drinking good beer while painting the town green.

Here’s my recommended St. Paddy’s six pack:

Wooden Jesus, Dreadnought Brewing: This Monroe brewery aged its Chocolate Jesus oatmeal stout in rye barrels from Skip Rock Distillery and then infused it with coconuts for this special St. Patrick’s Day release. Want something closer to a Guinness? Check out their Shamrocks and Shenanigans, a sessionable dry Irish stout. Both available on tap at the brewery.

Mr. O’Malley, At Large Brewing: Named after head brewer Jim Weisweaver’s high school shop teacher, this hazy IPA is St. Patrick’s Day via New England. Made with Chit malt and loads of Mosaic, Cashmere, Azacca and Amarillo hops, it clocks in at 7.9 percent ABV. Available on tap at the brewery.

The Rising of the Moon Irish Red, Crucible Brewing: Brewed exclusively for Crucible’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Saturday, this red ale is named after the Irish rebel song of the same name that recounts a battle of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Crucible used roasted barley to give the beer both its red color and slight coffee flavor. Crucible will also tap a keg Saturday of its “Putin Out” Russian imperial stout aged in JP Trodden casks for a year. Available on tap at the brewery.

Ned’s Last Pint, Double Bluff Brewing: This traditional Irish stout by the Whidbey Island brewery is the perfect complement to a heaping helping of corned beef and cabbage and some bawdy limericks. Revelers can find all three at Double Bluff’s St. Patrick’s Day Fest this weekend. Available on tap at the brewery.

2019 Anniversary Ale, Foggy Noggin Brewing: The annual release of this Bothell brewery’s anniversary ale coincides nicely with St. Patrick’s Day. It might not be Irish, but this authentic English Old Ale is always a crowd favorite. Head to the brewery Saturday and Sunday to try vintage bottles of Anniversary Ales from years past. Available on tap and in 22-ounce bottles at the brewery.

Blaze On Juicy Pale, Beardslee Public House: All right, there’s really no connection to St. Patrick’s Day on this one, besides the fact the beer sounds amazing. Beardslee head brewer Drew Clulely teamed up with former Port Townsend Brewing’s Carter Camp to brew the brewery’s first hazy, a pale ale dry hopped with Amarillo, Jarrylo, Idaho Gen and Mosaic. Expect complex layers of tropical fruit. Available on tap at the brewery.