Plan an Epic St. Patrick’s Day-themed Birthday Menu: A “Beer IN Food” Fest!

Call it the “luck o’ the Irish” to have a birthday right around St. Patrick’s Day! It gives you the perfect excuse to indulge in a beer-infused party menu, from main dishes to sides to desserts. And we certainly found some mouth-watering recipes to get you all excited to serve your guests—each one made with a splash (or more!) of beer, stout, ale or whatever you wish to call it. That’s why what started out as a “beer and food fest” post is now a “Beer IN Food Fest” extravaganza. Happy beer-day!!!

Irish-inspired Recipes from Soup to Nuts—and Main Dishes, Too!

Whether you are Irish or not, these are definitely party fare ideas you can raise your glass to! Click on the links for each delicious recipe.

1 – Ale and Cheddar Soup – Treat guests to a great tummy-warming meal starter, courtesy of Closet Cooking.

2 – Irish Lamb Stew – Here’s hearty fare for your party, courtesy of About Food.com, made the traditional way with lamb, potatoes, carrots and onions.

3 – Guinness Beer Nuts – These pecans, found on Mantitlement, are just irresistible—coated with a sweet beer glaze and tossed with smoky bacon bits!

4 – Glazed Corned Beef and Cabbage – This version of the iconic Irish dish from Just a Pinch is simmered in Irish stout beer and topped with a flavorful glaze.

5 – Mini Stout Pies – Try this easy-to-serve savory (plus stout!) idea with a how-to from Betty Crocker.

6 – Guinness and Cheddar Dip – The snacking will go on and on (even beyond St. Patrick’s Day, we bet!) with this dip recipe from The Curvy Carrot.

7 – Corned Beef Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Guinness Caramelized Onions – Just the name of this sandwich can start your mouth watering, thanks to this recipe from Closet Cooking.

8 – Guinness Beer Battered Onion Rings – Even side dishes get a douse of beer, as found via Foodness Gracious. Yum!

9 – Bangers and Mash with Stout Onion Gravy – This would be “sausage and mashed potatoes” to the non-Irish, but definitely delish by any name. Recipe from Self Proclaimed Foodie.

10 – Guinness Burger with Irish Cheddar and Bacon – It’s the Guinness and the Irish cheddar in this recipe from Garnish With Lemon that make this perfect for St. Patty’s Day.

Delicious Desserts with Beer in Them for Some Sweet Luck!

1 – Pub Cookies – Aptly named, these cookies that are flavored with “reduced” beer also have pretzels mixed in them, as concocted by The Beeroness.

2 – Salted Caramel Guinness Brownies with Jameson Whipped Cream – Talk about a triple whammy! These brownies have Guinness draught beer, Jameson Irish Whiskey and salted caramel chocolates ingeniously worked into them by Nutmeg Nanny.

3 – Mint Chocolate Guinness Brownies – It’s that pretty mint frosting that makes these goodies from The Cookie Rookie more than just a beer-infused treat.

4 – Guiness Cupcakes with Toasted Beer Marshmallow Meringue – How clever that the fluffy topping on these cupcakes mimics the froth on a mug of beer! A party-ready dessert from Sprinkle Bakes.

5 – Irish Apple Beer Bread – This version of a beloved Irish staple, from A Spicy Perspective, owes its rich flavor to dark beer in the batter, a touch of molasses, and a hefty dose of apple butter.

6 – Beer Jello Shots – These mini beer mug replicas by 1 Fine Cookie are such a cute way to serve Guinness-infused jello topped with Bailey’s Irish cream “foam.”

7 – Guinness Chocolate Pudding – Dark chocolate and stout in the pudding, then a Guinness reduction and whipped cream in the “froth” make this one decadent dessert from Sprinkle Bakes.

Beverages Made with Beer, Too!

1 – Green Beer – How hard can it be adding green food coloring to beer for St. Patty’s Day? Well, learn some vital tips (including how to avoid green teeth!) in this post from Betty Crocker.

2 – Guinness Kahlua Mint Chocolate Chip Shake – Sweatpants and Coffee shows how tossing stout, Kahlua and mint chocolate chip ice cream into a blender can yield this yummy result!

3 – Fake Guinness at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet: This creative take on a classic coffee martini features espresso, coffee liqueur, milk and Guinness beer via Four Seasons Press Page.

4 – Boozy Guinness Ice Cream Floats – A scoop of coffee ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate turn rich, dark Irish stout beer into a dessert drink for adults—featured on Williams-Sonoma.

5 – Dublin Iced Coffee – A delicious but dangerous recipe from Bon Appetit—a blend of coffee, stout, whiskey and simple syrup, “marbled” with cream and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Just reading this post has probably made you tipsy already! So as you choose from this amazing array of recipes infused with various “Irish intoxicants,” here’s wishing you all the best for your St. Patrick’s Day-themed birthday!