Irish icons - Saint Patrick and Guinness (by Antônio)

Dear folks, once upon the time I was in a pub celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day having a lovely pint of Guinness. What I’m going to do is to try to explain the connection between Saint Patrick’s Day and Guinness.

First of all they are two of the most known icons of Ireland.
Saint Patrick was born around 387 in a small village of Cumberland, Caledonia (Scotland today). When he was about 16, he was captured and sold as a slave by the Irish who were against the roman domains when Ireland was still ruled by The Romans. Saint Patrick spent 6 years in captivity, working as a shepherd and living in miserable conditions. During the captivity he became a very religious man. By the time he returned to England he became a priest and after 12 years studying theology he was pronounced bishop and was named Patricius. Short after he went back to Ireland to evangelize the Irish people who had the druids as spiritual leaders. In the Celtic Ireland, Catholicism was not known, as the myth says Saint Patrick banned all the snakes of the country although there were not snakes in this country. This snake episode symbolized the defeat of the evil and the conversion of the Irish people to Christianity. It was around this time that the shamrock, a 3-leaved clover and one of the Irish national emblems, was adopted to symbolize the concept of Trinity (three divine persons in the one God). The green color of the clover was also adopted as the national color of Ireland. Saint Patrick died in March 17th, 431. Saint Patrick’s day is celebrated in March 17th; in USA it became a feast day in remembrance to Irish emigrants who had run away from the great famine that stroke Ireland in the 18th century.

Guinness is a popular dry stout (kind of beer) that originated in Arthur Guinness’ brewery at St. James’ Gate in Dublin, Ireland. It was originated in London in the early 18th century. It is one of the most successful beer brands in the world and is exported worldwide. Its characterist flavour comes from the roasted and unfermented barley. Its thick creamy head is the result of the beer being mixed with nitrogen when is served. Guinness stout is made from water, barley malt, barley, hops and brewer’s yeast. A portion of the barley is flaked and roasted to give Guinness its dark colour and characteristic taste. It is pasteurised and filtered. Although its reputation as a "meal in a glass", Guinness only contains 198 Kcal per imperial pint. The smoothness of draught Guinness is due to its low level of carbon dioxide and the creaminess of the head caused by the very fine bubbles that arise from the use of nitrogen.