I know that most people think of mimosas and bloody Mary bars when the topic of brunch arises, but I say why follow the crowd? With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I think that a beer brunch sound much more appealing (and you may even be able to get the guys excited to join in!)

While Guinness is the traditional Irish stout which is associated with the holiday, that’s not to say that you have to limit yourself to just stouts! We are fortunate enough to have 2 craft beer stores and a brewery in Wilson alone, so we’re certainly not without local options.

Now the way I see it, celebrating this beer drinking holiday can go several different ways. Although certainly not an exclusive list, here are a few ideas for how to ring in St. Patrick’s Day a bit differently this year.

Assign Beer Styles.

If hosting the brunch at your home, I’d recommend having each guest bring a different beer style to share. Coffee stouts, oatmeal porters, or gose’s are all great options for a brunch menu. By having each guest provide a few bottles of their assigned beer style, you can have a larger variety of beer options without having to break the bank buying all of the supplies.

Beer tasting.

Once all of the beer has arrived, you can’t let it go to waste! Even if you’re not a beer connoisseur, the tasting portion is half the fun. You can download free beer tasting sheets for all of your guests, or simply have each bottle numbered and guests can vote for their favorites.

Pro Tip: Be sure to have pretzels on hand as palate cleaners in between each beer type.

Beer Infused Foods.

As the hostess with the mostest, you can bring your brunch to the next level by including recipes that feature beer in them. Some of my personal favorites are soft pretzels with beer cheese, beer soaked french toast, and guinness cupcakes for dessert! Check out the recipe for Beer French Toast below:

Beer Soaked French Toast

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup Chocolate Maple Porter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

• Whisk together eggs, beer, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Coat both sides of bread in mixture and set aside for 10 minutes.

• Cook on stovetop for 3-4 minutes on each side.