Harp Lager is one of the four beers in the Guinness family, the others being Guinness, Smithwicks and Kilkenney. Harp was first brewed in 1960 at the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, Ireland. The Harp sold in the United States is brewed at the Labatt's Brewery in Canada.
Harp is described as a classic Irish Pale lager. It is golden in color and measures 5% alcohol by volume. A pint contains 152 calories. It is a mainstay at pubs in the US but not widely available in other establishments.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Guinness Stout
There is no subject more near & dear to the heart of a Publican than Guinness Stout. The "black", which is really ruby red in color, is the hallmark product of any good pub.
Sir Arthur Guinness purchased the St. James Gate brewery in 1759 and signed a 9000 year lease at just 45 Irish Pounds per year. He first brewed the famous stout in 1778 after a load of barley was accidentally scorched in a fire. Rather than dump it, he brewed it and gave birth to the legendary Guinness Stout.
All the Guinness sold in the United States comes from the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin and the water comes from the nearby Wicklow Mountains: not from the River Liffey. The strain of yeast used to brew Guinness originated in Egypt.
Many people hold the misconception that Guinness is a heavy beer but in fact it has only 125 calories in 12 ounces, about the same as skim milk and less than orange juice. Most pale-colored lagers have about 150 calories in 12 ounces. Guinness alcohol by volume is 4.2%.
A perfectly poured pint contains 75% nitrogen and 25% carbon dioxide and is poured at 42.8 degrees.
Sir Arthur Guinness purchased the St. James Gate brewery in 1759 and signed a 9000 year lease at just 45 Irish Pounds per year. He first brewed the famous stout in 1778 after a load of barley was accidentally scorched in a fire. Rather than dump it, he brewed it and gave birth to the legendary Guinness Stout.
All the Guinness sold in the United States comes from the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin and the water comes from the nearby Wicklow Mountains: not from the River Liffey. The strain of yeast used to brew Guinness originated in Egypt.
Many people hold the misconception that Guinness is a heavy beer but in fact it has only 125 calories in 12 ounces, about the same as skim milk and less than orange juice. Most pale-colored lagers have about 150 calories in 12 ounces. Guinness alcohol by volume is 4.2%.
A perfectly poured pint contains 75% nitrogen and 25% carbon dioxide and is poured at 42.8 degrees.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Women's Christmas
Women's Christmas is a day of celebration at the end of the Christmas season when the women get to relax and enjoy their friends. It is popular in Ireland, especially in and around Cork. To be exact it is celebrated on January 6, the Twelfth Day of Christmas and the feast of the Epiphany.
The celebration, in Irish is Nollaig na mBan and is also known as Little Christmas.
A typical celebration takes place in a pub where the women enjoy a libation and food and exchange small gifts. The men are encouraged to stay home and tend to the housework.
Keegan's Pub introduced the tradition to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis - St. Paul in 2009 when Sheri O'Meara brought the idea to Terry and Virginia Keegan. Sheri and the Celtic Music group Locklin Road performed for the celebration that year and every year since.
This year, Keegan's is celebrating Women's Christmas on Sunday, January 8 at 1 pm.
The celebration, in Irish is Nollaig na mBan and is also known as Little Christmas.
A typical celebration takes place in a pub where the women enjoy a libation and food and exchange small gifts. The men are encouraged to stay home and tend to the housework.
Keegan's Pub introduced the tradition to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis - St. Paul in 2009 when Sheri O'Meara brought the idea to Terry and Virginia Keegan. Sheri and the Celtic Music group Locklin Road performed for the celebration that year and every year since.
This year, Keegan's is celebrating Women's Christmas on Sunday, January 8 at 1 pm.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Irish Sesiun Music
I was introduced to Irish Sesiun Music one Sunday night in 2002 when David and Suzanne Rhees came in to Keegans and asked if we ever have sesiuns. I had no idea what they were talking about but invited them to have a seat and play, if they wished. They did and it was wonderful. The next week they brought a few fellow musicians and our Sunday night sesiun has grown and prospered ever since. By the way, "Sesiun" is Irish for "Session"
An Irish sesiun is a gathering of musicians who play TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC. You won't hear Danny Boy or McNamara's Band. The tunes - not songs - are all learned by ear and passed on from musician to musician and generation to generation. It is not at all uncommon for the musicians who play at Keegans to travel around the country and around the world playing in sesiuns wherever they go and picking up new tunes.
The instruments usually found at a sesiun are the fiddle, button box, flute, guitar, tin whistle, and bodhran (a drum-like hand-held instrument). Other instruments, like the Celtic Harp, are occasionally present.
A true traditional Irish sesion is self-governed by unwritten rules many of which I have learned just by observing:
1. No sheet music is allowed
2. Only one bodhran should play at a time
3. Nobody should play too loud
4. The lead is passed around the sesiun from player to player
5. Players always defer preferred seating and the lead to a "known" or senior player when he or she arrives
6. Tunes are led by a player in a "set" consisting of three tunes each played through three times
There are many more "rules" I have not yet identified because I have never played in a sesiun.
The Twin Cities is blessed with a large number of very talented Irish musicians who play at the pubs on various nights of the week. We also have The Center For Irish Music in St. Paul which fosters learning of Irish Music for all ages and skill levels.
Go to the following link for a sample of a recent sesiun at Keegan's Pubhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7suN-9bIfxY
An Irish sesiun is a gathering of musicians who play TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC. You won't hear Danny Boy or McNamara's Band. The tunes - not songs - are all learned by ear and passed on from musician to musician and generation to generation. It is not at all uncommon for the musicians who play at Keegans to travel around the country and around the world playing in sesiuns wherever they go and picking up new tunes.
The instruments usually found at a sesiun are the fiddle, button box, flute, guitar, tin whistle, and bodhran (a drum-like hand-held instrument). Other instruments, like the Celtic Harp, are occasionally present.
A true traditional Irish sesion is self-governed by unwritten rules many of which I have learned just by observing:
1. No sheet music is allowed
2. Only one bodhran should play at a time
3. Nobody should play too loud
4. The lead is passed around the sesiun from player to player
5. Players always defer preferred seating and the lead to a "known" or senior player when he or she arrives
6. Tunes are led by a player in a "set" consisting of three tunes each played through three times
There are many more "rules" I have not yet identified because I have never played in a sesiun.
The Twin Cities is blessed with a large number of very talented Irish musicians who play at the pubs on various nights of the week. We also have The Center For Irish Music in St. Paul which fosters learning of Irish Music for all ages and skill levels.
Go to the following link for a sample of a recent sesiun at Keegan's Pubhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7suN-9bIfxY
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