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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by learning how to make green beer!

This DIY shows how to make green beer using green food coloring (or without!) and beer for a fun, foamy, emerald-hued brew!

adding beer to top off glasses of green beer on a white platter

Holly’s Recipe Highlights

  • Flavor: Your fave brew will taste the same, just a fun, festive green!
  • Skill level: Just drop (food coloring!), stir, and raise a pint!
  • Time-Saving Tip: Pop a few drops of green food coloring into a freshly opened bottle of brew and watch the lucky magic happen.
  • Easy Cleanup: Food coloring discolors clothing, hands, and Irish smiles. If this happens, rub hands and clothing with dish soap and gargle with a mouthwash made with a teaspoon of baking soda and 1 cup of water.
adding drops of food coloring to two pints of green beer for how to make green beer recipe.

2 Easy Ingredients

Beer: Any pale ale, American lager, Pilsner, or regular beer will create the brightest green. Darker beers like Guinness will require more food coloring. This mixture also works on non-alcoholic (near beer) as well. Follow the same directions if pouring from a draft pump or directly from a keg; just pour in about 4 ounces, add food coloring, and top off with more beer.

Green Coloring: Widely available food coloring drops make it easier to adjust to the perfect green hue. Gel food coloring works, but is a little more difficult to get a consistently perfect shade every time.

two hands toasting with glasses of green beer, with beer spilling out onto counter

How to Make Green Beer

  1. Pour 4 ounces of beer into a chilled glass.
  2. Add food coloring (full recipe below) and stir gently.
  3. Top off the glass with beer.

Make It Green! (without green food dye)

For a non-food coloring method (one that won’t stain your teeth or your clothes), here are three alternatives to turn beer green!

  • Stir about 1 tablespoon of wheatgrass juice into a glass of beer.
  • Put 1/2 teaspoon of spirulina powder or 1 teaspoon of matcha powder in a small bowl, whisk in a little beer, and then pour into a beer glass and add the rest of the beer.

These options will result in a change in the flavor of the beer but will result in a fun green color! Happy St Patrick’s Day!

St. Patricks Day Favorites

Did you make this green beer recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
adding beer to top off glasses of green beer on a white platter
5 from 8 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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How to Make Green Beer

Learning how to make green beer is mandatory for St. Patrick's Day for a recipe that is festive and so easy!
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 beverage
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Ingredients  

  • 12 ounces light beer
  • 2-3 drops green food coloring additional if required

Instructions 

  • Chill glasses in the freezer for 15-20 minutes if time allows.
  • Fill the glass with about 4 ounces of beer and add 2 drops of food coloring.
  • Pour the remaining beer over top.
  • Very gently stir to combine and enjoy!

Notes

Start with 2 drops of food coloring and add additional drops if required to darken the color. 
Light beers are best for green beer. Dark beers like stout won’t color as well and may require more color
5 from 8 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 99 | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 71mg | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beverage, Drink, Drinks, Party Food
Cuisine American, Irish
two hands toasting with pints of green beer for how to make green beer recipe, with writing
adding green food coloring to pints of beer for how to make green beer recipe, with writing
Top image: two hand holding pints of green beer and toasting with them Bottom image: Two pints of green beer on a platter with writing.
hands toasting while holding glasses of green beer, with writing, for how to make green beer recipe

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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