Happy St.Patrick’s day and may the trim of your jib match the wind in your sails, or some other such malarky. I just made that up and I’m no sailor so I’m not sure what it means, if it means anything at all, but it sounds like an Irish toast. It also sounds like a Bette Midler song, and she was Divine.*
Today Canadians from coast to coast are arriving late for work or calling in sick (because they are) or just clocking hours while gutting out a green beer hangover. Everyone except Newfoundlanders that is. You are wondering “Do they not celebrate St.Patrick’s Day in Newfoundland?” and the answer to that question is “ARE YOU DAFT?” Of course they celebrate longer and harder in Newfoundland than anywhere West of Ireland, being the first province to encounter the day and the local folk being of a spirited nature to indulge in spirits. But Newfoundland is the only province that has made today (the day after St.Patrick’s day) a public holiday. You have to appreciate a provincial government with a progressive drinking platform.
As for yours truly, I certainly paid tribute to the snake charming shamrock toting patron saint of the emerald isle. Lord knows I love me a Guiness, but that seemed a bit cliché, and even Kermit knows it not easy drinking green. Instead, I opted for a Canadian style St.Patrick’s day celebration. James Ready was an Irishman that emigrated here after seeing a sign in an Irish pub that said “Drink Canada Dry” and thought he’d give it a go.** It seems only fitting to quaff his namesake brew to pay homage to the Irishman who came across the sea to brew beer for us thirsty Canadians.
Ready started a brewery on the East Coast of Canada that was later bought by the Olands and is part of what is today a fiercely proud Canadian Brewery known as Moosehead. They tout their JR5.5 as “the beer for no-nonsense beer drinkers who just like to drink beer.” We Cranky Old Men can’t claim to be no nonsense, just the opposite in fact, but maybe our love of beer makes up for that shortcoming.
Listening to Van Morrison and U2 to get my Irish up, and even spinning a 45 of Sir Paul telling the Brits to give Ireland back to the Irish! *** Then putting on the hockey game with a James Ready at the ready. It pours clear and golden, definitely not green. No bubbles, no head, no problem. A traditional lager malt aroma. The taste is crisp with a mild malt, no sweet, no hops, no bitters. An easy drinking lager with a crisp fresh finish. Back to basics and down to earth. Smooth, solid, stalwart, strong and steady suds. All nonsense aside, it is as advertised, a no-nonsense beer. Another great Moosehead beer, eh!
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