The Henry House
There's no need to turn to Europe for a seriously tar-black brew on St. Patrick's Day. Choose from The Henry House's selection of darker beers, priced at $6.25 a pint: Indulge in the Montreal-based McAuslan's St. Ambroise oatmeal stout, brewed from dark malts and roasted barley and packing a distinct mocha flavour. Try the Halifax-based Granite Brewery's Keefe's Irish stout, a slightly sweet, bitter black stout. Or slowly sip Propeller's multiple-award winning London porter, a hoppy blend of chocolate, roasted and pale malts. One of the great things about The Henry House is that its menu features several beer blends, allowing you to rediscover old favourites: try mixing Granite's Keefe's Irish stout with Granite's Best bitter or Strongbow cider.
You might as well forget your cell phone, as reception is patchy in the depths of the main bar area. Clambering down the stairs and into the Henry House's historic basement pub will transport you to a simpler era. Best to focus on relaxing by the fireplace and engaging in raucous conversations with friends, as you up your flavonoid intake and B Vitamins with each dark pint. -Lizzy Hill
1222 Barrington Street, 423-5660
Brussels Restaurant and Brasserie
Alcohol-fueled pedestrians and cars are never a fun combination. Escape the noise and traffic of Barrington and Argyle Streets on St. Patrick's Day and head to Brussels Restaurant and Brasserie, located on the car-free Granville Street. Manager Matt Bent has been playing with light beers and food colouring, with plans to unleash a fun sampler platter, consisting of four different beers of varying shades of green ($9.95/platter). Brussels is the spot to go for beer lovers with eclectic palettes, as the menu features brews from all over Europe and North America, from from ales crafted by Belgium Trappist monks to German-style smoked ale.
If you're looking to embrace your Irish roots (or are under the impression that you're Irish today), grab a pint of Guinness draught stout or Kilkenny for $8.25. For a very Canadian porter, slurp down Rickard's dark, a creamy porter brewed with just a hint of maple syrup. And Halifax hedonists will love Brussels' dinner menu, with several beer pairings selected by beer sommelier Mirella Amato. The fresh oysters with mignonette and lemon ($14.95) taste delicious when slurped down with the St. Ambroise oatmeal stout. -LH
1873 Granville Street, 446-4700
Rouge's Roost
Rogue's Roost is just the spot to grab a table with a group of friends and sip strong, affordable micro-brew. This month, brewmaster Lorenzo Romano has two seasonal beers on tap: the Russian imperial stout and the barley wine, a slightly sweet, malty brew. The stout resembles an Irish stout, making it a great St. Patrick's Day pick, and both the stout and the barley wine are sure to get the conversation flowing-each has an alcohol content of nine percent. Due to their absurdly high alcohol content, Rogue's only sells these beers by the half-pint ($4.75), but that doesn't have to stop you from having seconds. For something a little less strong, server Robyn Schleihauf recommends the IPA ($7/pint), which she says is one of Rogues' best sellers.
For the best bang for your buck, be sure to come during happy hour-5pm to 7pm everyday (and until close Sundays)-as you can score a pint for $5.50 and a half pint for $3.75. But if you miss happy hour, relax! Rogue's features a different one of their microbrews at happy hour price all day every day. -LH