Invite the gang for a St. Paddy’s Day beer tasting!

Raise a toast to St. Patrick’s Day with a celebration that brings together a trendy beer tasting, snack pairings straight from the pub and plenty of lucky shamrocks to go around!

1 Select your brews!

A beer tasting is about variety! You’ll want to choose one light beer (a pilsener, pale ale or wheat beer, like O’hara’s Irish Wheat), one medium beer (amber lager or red ale, like Murphy’s Irish Red) and one dark beer (porter or stout, like Guinness Stout). Round out your tasting with a cider, like the crowd-pleasing Magners Irish Cider.

2 Pair ’em with pub snacks!

For food, go for snacks that’ll bring out the flavors of each brew! For light beers, delicate flavors like herbed popcorn or classic pretzels work best. Nuttier medium beers pair well with cubes of Cheddar or cheese crackers. The sweet notes of dark beers will sing when combined with chocolate—try Hershey kisses! Fruity beers and ciders benefit from a little flavor contrast—think salted nuts.

3 Organize beer with cute clovers!

Your tasting will be even more memorable with a fun presentation that lets guests know what they’re enjoying—and festive “lucky clover” place mats are perfect for St. Paddy’s! For each, cut four 6"-long heart shapes from green cardstock or construction paper, then tape the straight sides together to form a clover—that’s your place mat! Place tape side down at each setting, then on each “leaf,” arrange one tasting of beer plus a cup with its snack pairing. Use a marker to label everything directly on the leaf, and keep pens by each mat so guests can record tasting notes!

4 Add festive flair with shamrocks!

Shamrock décor makes everything more festive! Green-hued hydrangeas (available at Walmart and select grocery stores) have blooms that mimic the look of clovers—simply pack a few into a low vase for a lush look. And for more four-leaf fun, hang balloon shamrocks on the wall! Just inflate four green balloons, then tie together at their knots to create a clover.

5 Bless guests with an Irish toast!

In Ireland, instead of saying “Cheers,” friends and family salute with a hearty “Sláinte” (pronounced “slawn-cha”), which translates to a wish of good health. Another classic Irish toast that’ll warm the hearts of your guests: “May the luck of the Irish be with you!”