The first green of spring will be served by the pint tomorrow. Many students are looking forward to toasting St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow with a St. Patrick’s Day staple – green beer.
- Jessica Boullion
- A sign advertising green beer outside of Campus Corner on the corner of State and Packard streets yesterday. (JEREMY CHO/Daily)
“It makes it more than just a typical house party,” LSA junior Elizabeth Conrad said.
The attitude on campus turns everyone a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
“It’s a big celebration,” said Steve Whidman, vice president of sales at the Silver Foam Distribution Company, which distributes malt beverages in southern Michigan.
More than 300 kegs of green beer have been ordered from Silver Foam in the last week to prepare for the holiday.
At least 10 of these kegs will be served at Ashley’s Restaurant and Pub on State Street. Ashley’s anticipates the need for a second delivery of the dyed Labatt beer that will be served on two lines at the bar to keep the flow of the crowds running smoothly.
“Last year when we left the night before there were already people lined up at 3 am,” said Brian Carlson, a bartender at Ashley’s. “They were lined up around the block by 6 a.m.”
Silver Foam distributes kegs that are individually dyed and consistent in color. The Silver Foam employees involved in the dying process take pride in their work and strive to make each keg equally as green as the next, Whidman said.
“We use pressure to carefully inject green dye into the bottom of the cylinder so that it filters into the beer from the bottom up,” Whidman said.
The dyed beer is completely safe and maintains the beer’s original flavor, although LSA senior John Bolton recalled a startling side effect of green beer consumption.
“Your urine is green, which is weird and surprises some people,” Bolton said.
Ashley’s will open at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow and begin serving alcohol at 7 a.m. Ashley’s will offer a $10 cover until 9:30 a.m. that includes breakfast and a St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt. Green Labatt and Jello shot specials will be served for $3 until 2 a.m. Ashley’s is prepared if the green kegs are tapped before closing time.
“We have green food coloring if people want green beer at the end of the night,” Carlson said.
LAUREN SLETE