Happy Pirates and Snakes Day! A St. Patrick’s Day fun fact
March 1, 2026
Pirates and snakes?! Sounds a lot more entertaining than green beer, right? So, what do pirates and snakes have to do with green beer and Saint Patrick’s Day? Where did all the hype come from in the first place?
Short answer:
Community and an excuse to have a party.
A bit longer answer:
It’s not about the green beer or the party – at least in the beginning.
From a Boy to Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick didn’t start his life as a saint. And he wasn’t even Irish. He was just a mere boy and didn’t even earn the name Patrick until he started down his religious pathway later in life.
This mere boy was kidnapped by Irish pirates when he was 16 years old. He was brought to Ireland and enslaved there for the next six years… until several visions told him it was time to escape.
It was those visions that many believe dictated that he become a priest and return to Ireland to save the citizens. As the story (or fable) goes, they were being terrorized by snakes. Snakes or no snakes, the soon-to-be saint ultimately gained a following and converted many a pagan to Christianity.
Six hundred years after his death in 461 AD, this once mere boy was finally recognized for his sainthood and apparent snake-ridding heroism. Still, it wasn’t until 1631 during Lent that the first official feast took place honoring the now Saint Patrick.
An honor or an excuse to have a party in the middle of Lent is still up for debate, but the party idea has evolved full force since that first official feast hundreds of years ago.
From large community gatherings dating back to the Spanish colonies in what is now known as Florida to Irish soldiers gathering in the streets of New York City, Saint Patrick has been celebrated for centuries and will more than likely continue to be celebrated for centuries more.
But what about green beer?
Green quickly became known as the official color of St. Paddy’s day thanks to Ireland’s rolling hills and the shamrock, so why not green beer, too?
But really, as a brewer, do you really want to turn your hard work with golden hues brewed to perfection into hues of green?
Here at Malteurop Malting Company, we think not! So instead of green beer, delve deeper into MMC’s quality malts to brew a beer with flavor and color befitting a true saint.
After all, good beer shouldn’t just be reserved for St. Paddy’s Day. Good beer is something to gather around and celebrate all year long.
Although, a cheer to Saint Patrick still might be in order on March 17th. He did rid Ireland of those pesky snakes, after all.
A complete history behind Saint Patrick’s Day:
Click here for a detailed history behind the young boy that eventually became Saint Patrick, the green beer phenomenon that followed, and more reasons to keep the green out of your beer.
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About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC
Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America—specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries.
With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring businesses of any size can create the finest beverages and food products on the planet.
Visit www.malteuropmaltingco.com to learn how we can support your malting needs.
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