St. Patrick’s Day festivities kick-off this weekend, and if you plan on doing the holiday right, we suggest eating and drinking your way through it all. That means grabbing a pint or five of Guinness along with some Irish dish that inevitably has potatoes in it. To optimize on your food and drink degustation, we’ve put together a list of Irish beer and food pairings. So cleanse your palate and make sure you save some room for dessert. Sláinte!

Oysters and Irish Stout

Not sure what you want as your main course? Start off with an oyster appetizer – deep-fried, baked, or raw – or try an oyster stew. To compliment the wet and salty taste of the oyster, try a dry, light-bodied Irish Stout like Guinness or Murphy’s.

Colcannon and Irish Red Ale

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish consisting of mashed potatoes, green onions, chopped kale or cabbage, and milk or cream. There’s usually a butter-filled hole in the middle into which you can dip the mashed potato mixture, and the dish is so good, there’s even a song about it. Try Colcannon with a sweet and toasty Irish Red Ale like Smithwick’s or Sam Adams Irish Red.

Irish Beef Stew and a Black and Tan

Irish Beef Stew typically contains beef, celery, potatoes, and carrots, and often has a red wine and dark beer mixed into it. Pair this hearty meal with a pint of the beer that was used to make it, or for more flavor, try a half-and-half mixture of ale and stout, otherwise known as Black and Tan.

Boxty and Irish Red Ale

Boxty, Irish potato pancakes, will most likely be your go-to drunken carb dish for the weekend. Chow down on Boxty with an Irish Red Ale, and for more flavor, try some smoked salmon – often found in Irish waters – on top of your potato pancakes.

Soda Bread and Lager

Irish Soda Bread is made with eggs and butter, and is flavored with raisins and caraway seeds. Instead of yeast, baking soda is used to leaven the bread, which gets its “soda” name from this substitute. Pair this sweet pastry with a smooth and light lager, such as Harp.

Shepherd’s Pie and Irish Stout

Also known as “cottage pie,” Shepherd’s Pie is a traditional Irish dish made from ground beef or lamb, mashed potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas. Wash down this heart meal with a pint of dry, roasty Irish Stout.

Corned Beef and Cabbage and Irish Red Ale

Corned Beef and Cabbage is an Irish meal that used to be the traditional dish served for Easter Sunday dinner. It contains corned beef, mustard, herbs, cabbage, and of course, potatoes. Try this dish with a sweet, caramelly Irish Red Ale.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

If your stomach isn’t completely weighed down by potatoes and beer, or even if it is, finish off your Irish feast with a slice of Chocolate Guinness Cake. This cake is made using cocoa and Guinness, and is usually topped with a cream cheese or Bailey’s whipped cream frosting. And as its name suggests, Chocolate Guinness Cake goes best with an Irish Stout.

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