Grease and Beer, what a great match

Grease Burger Bar is located in downtown West Palm Beach on Clematis Street. Their burgers are juicy, sandwiches plump and salads plentiful. The beer list is also just as juicy, plump and plentiful. Grease offers a beer list of over 70 beers bottled and on tap. After my first visit there I was hooked not only on the burgers, but also their beer.

Another visit there provided some newsworthy information; Grease changes their beer on tap about once a month. During my second visit I was able to try Left Hand Brewing Company's 400 pound Monkey. Left Hand Brewing produced this beer and sent this beer out to only a few selected markets in Fall 2008 with positive reviews. In Fall 2009, they released the beer to more markets and expanded into having it available on tap and bottled. The beer has pale golden color to it with a frothy head that continues to lace as it continues to be drank. This Indian Pale Ale was very bitter at first, but gets better after a few more sips. Boasting a 6.7% ABV, the beer is strong enough to enjoy just one. I recommend the beer, but it may not be for everyone; see what others have to say. 

Grease's beer selection does not stop there, they're selection is vast and can be found on their chalkboard at the back wall or online. In addition to bottled craft beers and beers on tap they have larger bottles of selected beer (750 ml) to share amongst yourselves. It is similar to sharing a bottle of wine, but better. Grease has happy hour every day from 4 to 7pm with 2 for 1 beer, cocktails and wine. Grease is a great place to go whether it is weekly or from month to month just to check out what great new beer they'll have.

Free Beer (Tasting)

Left Hand Brewing will be holding a beer tasting on Friday, March 26 from 4 to 6pm at Total Wine in Boynton Beach.

Left Hand Brewing produces great beers like Sawtooth Ale and Imperial Stout among many others. They also have seasonal beers like Warrior IPA and Fade to Black. So stop by, try some delicious beer and maybe even take some home.

More Irish Festivities

O'Shea's Irish Pub -  West Palm Beach, Florida

Located in downtown West Palm Beach, O'Shea's Irish Pub has been serving patrons the best of Ireland for over 15 years. On Wednesday, March 17 they will be closing the entire 500 block of Clematis Street for their festivities beginning at 10a.m. There will be live music from the traditional Irish band Amadans and Bodhrans , Irish step dancers and bag pipers. The food will be plentiful and so will the beer. O'Shea's Pub carries favorites such as:

• Tucher
• Harp
• Stella Artois
• Guinness and many more

Sláinte - Boynton Beach, Florida

Sláinte Irish Pub is located off of Gateway Blvd. in Boynton Beach. The word Sláinte means cheers to good health and is often used during get togethers with friends and family. On March 17 they will be opening their doors at 8a.m. with festivities going on until around 2p.m. There will be five bands performing including The People Upstairs, Evil Monkey and the Mighty Quinn . Sláinte is also working wth the St. Baldrick's foundation and there will be head shaving from 3p.m. to 7p.m.

The events for St. Patrick's Day are abundant, however, remember to be safe and always choose a designated driver. Enjoy the festivities and sláinte.

Join Roxy's Pub for music, beer pong and raising money for a great cause

Roxy's Pub at 309 Clematis Street is holding its annual St. Patrick's Day Bash on March 17, 2010 from 12pm - close. They are taking over the entire 300 block of Clematis Street. Live music will be provided all day from mini KISS, Spam Allstars, South Side Dub and others to be announced.

Wild 95.5 is also holding their 2nd annual beer pong tournament that day. The competition starts at 6pm in front of Roxy's and its only $20 per team to play.

Roxy's is also holding an amazing new event called Shave-a-thon with St. Baldrick's Foundation to fight children's cancer and raise money to fund research. Anyone can participate either by volunteering thier time, donating money or becoming a "shaveee." Shavees can have their friends, family and coworkers unite to raise money and sponsor their good deed.

With over 50 beers on tap including Purple Haze, Avery IPA, Strongbow and Key West Sunset Ale, Roxy's is going to be a hot spot for St. Patty's Day.

Celebrate St. Patty's for more than just one day

Bar Louie of Boynton Beach is celebrating St. Patty's Day from March 12 - 17. Just a few of their offerings include

• $4  Guinness Pints
• $5 Reuben Sliders
• $4 Jameson Shots
• $5 Naughty Irish School Girl Cocktails
• $5 Irish Car Bombs
• $1 Cup of Guinness Soup

For those not familiar with certain St. Patty's Day traditions I will do my best to explain. Guinness soup is simply beer and cheese soup made with Guinness. Irish Car Bombs are half pints of Guinness served with a shot of half Jameson whiskey and half Bailey's Irish Cream; insert shot glass into the pint of Guinness and enjoy. As for a Naughty Irish School Girl, Blake explains it best.



So if March 17 doesn't quite fit into your schedule, check out Bar Louie any time before that to enjoy their great deals.

Delray Beach's little hideout

In downtown Delray Beach , nestled between some boutiques and an Italian restaurant lies O'Connors Pub. O'Connors is a traditional Irish pub that serves up some great beer and food. The beer selection is not as vast as most places, but for an Irish pub it has what most people are looking for. The bartenders are experts at making half and halfs (Guinness & Harp) so what more can someone ask for.

The crowd there is a mix of old and young, but everyone is usuallly a local. Afterall, O'Connors is in walking distance from several condominiums in the area. The place is a bit on the smaller side, but also offers seating outdoors which is great when the temperatures outside are just right. Several months ago O'Connors' walls were barren from a recent paint job. Now, their walls are once again filled with funny stickers and beer decor.

O'Connors is open 7 days a week from noon to 2a.m. and has live music throughout the weekend.

Make your own green beer

Green beer on St. Patty's Day has been a tradition for decades. So, why do we drink green beer? Most believe that when the Irish settled in Boston and faced discrimination they chose to show their Irish pride by using the color green for all things Irish.

Most pubs, bars and restaurant will readily have beer available for all those who seek it. If you are more of the stay at home type than making your own green beer is an easy task. Simply choose a very light colored beer, such as Bud or Miller Light and use a drop of blue food coloring. Mix the food coloring in and voila, green beer.

If you enjoy ciders, maybe try Woodchuck Pear Cider which is a very light yellow color and has a great pear taste. So enjoy your green beer whether you are out and about or at home.

Why wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

St. Patrick's Day Video — History.com

St. Patrick's Day Pre-Gaming

As St. Patrick's Day looms ahead more and more events will be broadcast. St. Patricks Day falls on a Wednesday this year therefore some people are celebrating a beer drinker's favorite day early. Y-100.7 of Miami is hosting St. Practice Day on Friday March 12, 2010 at America's Backyard in Ft. Lauderdale. Tickets are $10 in advance with drink specials going on all night; festivities are from 6p.m. to 1a.m. There will be live entertainment from a U2 tribute band, disco inferno band and Paul Castronovo with Baker Act.

A portion of proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, so go out and enjoy some great drinks for a great cause. Plus, practice makes perfect for St. Patrick's Day!

Amsterdam's Infamous Beer Bike

Beer Pairings at your fingertips

It seems these days that there is an "app" for everything, and beer is no exception. Beer Brands is a free app on Iphone that lists appoximately 7,800 beers including favorites like Budweiser and Corona to Hennepin and Mephisto.

The app allows users to choose from an alphabetical list, beer style or even choose one at random. After choosing a beer users can see what kind of glass best suits the beer to be poured in, best serving temperature, ABV and even what foods pair best with it. So next time you're in the mood to try something new or pair your favorite beer with something tasty check out this app.

Head back to The Office for Happy Hour

The Office in downtown Delray Beach may have opened in January to mixed reviews, but this gastropub is a foodie and beer lovers delight.

The Office boasts and impressive list of over 20 beers on tap along with several bottled beers. Their prices are also impressive with most beers ranging around $6 to $9. The beers include wheats, ales and lagers and one particularly interesting category- "the drunken monks: trappist beers" which included Chimay Grand Reserve. Chimay Grand Reserve is a chocolatey stout with a 9.0% ABV.

Although they are still working on some kinks, The Office is a great place to go when you're looking for a great beer on the avenue.

America's Gold Medal Beer

When I think of Domestic beer my mind immediately turns to Budweiser. As a craft beer enthusiast I was beyond reluctant to even try this beer. Budweiser has taken a step in a different direction by introducting this ale and even launching its very own website.

To my surprise, the ale was actually good. The first thing I noticed was its richer flavor which was malty with notes of caramel. I expected Budweiser's usual watery and thin consistency but found the ale to be thicker and creamier. Its color was a red amber, somewhat similar to what s displayed on the bottle.

Overall, I was rather impresed by Budweiser's newest addition. It may not be something to have everyday ut Budweiser Ale is something that would make a great beer for a BBQ or tailgating event, or a substitute for when craft beers are not easily accessible.

Skip Disney, take a beer tour instead

New York Times recently posted a great article on Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery's beer tour in New Hampshire. The tour allows beer lovers to indulge in and learn about the craft of making your own beer. Beers tours are nothing new as Anheuser-Busch has been taking beer connoisseurs behind the scenes since the 1800s.

As craft beers become more popular and well-known, beer drinkers come to want to know more about where their beer comes from and how to make some themselves. Some breweries have begun to team up with local inns to offer weekend getaways while others have started to use their own on-site lodging facilities alowing beer lovers to get up close to the action.

As South Florida is not home to its own breweries moe information on tours from Sam Adams, Rogue Ales and Dogfish Head Craft Ales can be found here