I remember this party was the first time that I ever had "Guinness Draught" beer in a can... I'm normally not a fan of canned beer. It was also my first experience with a widget.
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What is the widget –and how does it work?
The widget is a molded plastic device that sits on top of the contents of each can of Guinness Draught. When the can is opened, a small amount of beer and nitrogen trapped in the widget is forced out through the beer, which creates the famous surge and creamy head that you find on a pint of Guinness Draught served in a pub. The nitrogen-filled ball gives Guinness Draught in cans at home the taste and texture of a pub-poured pint.
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Although not as good as freshly tapped draught Guinness, it's not bad. Better, IMO, than any other canned beer.
According to Guinness:
"You might have always thought to yourself that there’s no way you could replicate the Guinness draught experience in can. Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Poured correctly, and the result is a perfectly smooth beer that’s unmistakably Guinness. Our Global Head of Quality Steve Gilsenan has honed the craft so you can enjoy that same great tasting Guinness from the comfort of your own home."
Even so, at home, I'm still a glass bottle only (bottled in Ireland only) fancier of Guinness. And Guinness is the only beer I'll drink at home. I'm not a big fan of beer, but I do like an occasional Guinness. I prefer it on tap.
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As for how the above party ended, I remember enjoying more than one "Grasshopper" after I had quickly gotten bored with beer. These dessert-like cocktails were green for St Patrick's Day. Although I don't drink very often, a grasshopper has long been one of my favorite cocktails.
Green creme de menthe
White creme de cacao
Ice cream
Chocolate Shavings
It’s Not Easy Being Green: The Weird History of The Grasshopper: A brief history of that super sweet, minty green cocktail, the Grasshopper: https://www.eater.com/2014/10/23/7036159/a-brief-history-of-the-grasshopper
I think my much older sister introduced me to the drink long before I was of legal drinking age, and it's been a favorite ever since.
Much later, as an adult, I learned to like Guinness in Ireland.
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Anyhow, today was a great St Patrick's Day party: even beyond the Guinness and Grasshoppers. The above photo is of the lady leading a good old fashioned, Irish, singalong. Corny but fun. Would it have been as much fun without the Guinness and Grasshoppers? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, this was a St Patrick's Day to remember.
Copyrighted Image. DO NOT DOWNLOAD, copy, reproduce, or use in any way without written permission from Elizabeth Bickel.