St. Patrick's Day 2021: 10 ways to celebrate at home, from concert streams to craft beer

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has called off the parades, concerts and in-person revelry that typically arrive around St. Patrick's Day.

But staying safe at home is no reason to feel blue on the greenest day of the year. 

Thanks to craft beer, live-streamed concerts and seasonal delights, plenty of the pleasures of St. Patrick's Day can be enjoyed at home. Here are a few of the things keeping us smiling on Wednesday, March 17.

Kane Brewing’s ‘Port Omna’ is one our favorite St. Patrick’s Day beers

Cheers to craft beers

An annual hallmark of St. Patrick's Day season at the Jersey Shore — a region where the big day is celebrated for weeks both in advance and following the 17th of March — the stout known as Port Omna from Kane Brewing Company has returned.

Brewed with British Marris Otter, chocolate and crystal malts, as well as roasted barley and oats, the 5.8% ABV beer is toasty, smoky and darkly sweet.

Port Omna is available now for to-go sales from Kane's location at 1750 Bloomsbury Ave., as well as at select retail locations across the state. Variant flavors also are on the way, and fans can stay tuned to Kane's social media channels for the latest information on them.

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An Irish creme coffee stout is the latest seasonal brew from Acclamation Brewing near Pittsburgh.

Acclamation Brewing in Verona, Pennsylvania, 20 minutes northeast of Pittsburgh, presents its latest seasonal release, Illusional Optics, a 5.6% ABV Irish Cream Coffee Blonde.

"This beer is light, soft and smooth," the beermakers say. "We added a blend of Mexican and Guatemalan coffees from Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange (in Pittsburgh) for a subtle and distinct coffee flavor and aroma. Then we finished it off with Irish cream." 

We Want the Gold, an Imperial India Pale Ale from Icarus Brewing in Lakewood, has returned in time for St. Patrick's Day.

The end of the rainbow can be found in Lakewood, New Jersey, where Icarus Brewing has unveiled a fresh back of the North East Imperial India Pale Ale We Want the Gold, an 8.1% creation dry-hopped with El Dorado, Columbus and Lupulin Mosaic hops.

It’s available in the tasting room, 1790 Swathmore Ave., for on-site drinking and take-out, and at select bars, restaurants and liquor stores. Those searching for this gold can stay tuned to Icarus’ social media channels for updates and details.

Icarus marked the result of this latest edition of We Want the Gold with a merchandise line include a commemorative glass, posters, stickers and hats, all available via icarusbrewing.square.site.

Get your Irish on with New Trail Brewing Co.'s Leprechauns like shenanigans too.

St. Patrick's isn't quite the same without a red ale. If you're looking for a Pennsylvania craft beer with a bit more bite and body than a traditional American pilsner, check out New Trail Brewing Company's leprechauns like shenanigans too. It's an Irish-style red ale that checks in at 5.5% ABV and brewed in Williamsport — home to the Little League World Series and one of the best named St. Patrick's Day craft beers you can find. For the stout fans, try New Trail's leprechauns drink coffee too.  

New Trail's taproom is located at 240 Arch Street, Bldg 18. Also available at select distributors including Wegman's and Giant Food Stores. Visit newtrailbrewing.com.

Naked Dove and Rohrbach are two of the oldest craft breweries in the Finger Lakes region. Rohrbach Brewing Company, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is known for its Scotch Ale and representations of classic styles. Its Patty’s Cream Ale, named after the brewery founder’s wife, is one of those classic Rohrbach seasonals. It has become a March tradition for those in the Rochester area. an easy drinking, medium-bodied ale with a sweet finish.

Naked Dove, based in Canandaigua, a buzzing beverage hub in the heart of the Finger Lakes, is the oldest brewery in Ontario County. Since it opened in 2010, the brewery, which was the brainchild of a former head brewer at Rohrbach and Genesee, has become known for the classic, malty, dark, and German. Its Drink Me I’m Irish Red Ale is no exception. It’s another easy-drinking winner, with its burst of caramel sweetness and a dose of roasty dryness.

Both beers are perfect for a COVID-friendly home celebration.

Live-streamed concerts

Irish/American rockers and road warriors Flogging Molly have partnered with Bushmills Irish Whiskey to present a live-streamed concert direct from Dublin airing at 3 p.m. East Coast time on Wednesday, March 17.

Flogging Molly, on stage at the Vans Warped Tour at Monmouth Park Racetrack, Oceanport, in 2009.

Tickets start at $20 with merchandise, VIP tickets and other options all available at floggingmollylive.com. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund supporting musicians and music industry workers in need.

The music continues with "Still Locked Down," a livestream from stalwart Boston punks Dropkick Murphys at 7 p.m. It's free to watch the stream, but fans can make donations to the band at DKMSTREAM.com.

Grateful Dead singer and guitarist Bob Weir and Wolf Bros. will close out the night with a performance livestreamed via Fans from Weir's TRI Studios in California.

Kicking off at 9 p.m., the show will find Weir and his Wolf Bros., Don Was on bass and Jay Lane on drums, joined by Jeff Chimenti on keys, Greg Leisz on lap pedal steel guitar and the Wolf Pack ensemble.

Tickets to view the show are $19.99, with special merchandise for the night available. For more information, visit bobweir.net.

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Irish potatoes for a sweet treat

For a sweet ending, don’t forget a box of Irish potatoes, which actually aren’t potatoes at all.

The tuber-shaped treat, which has coconut inside and cinnamon outside and is shaped like a mini potato, is a seasonal Philly-born confection, and you can find them throughout the city in bakeries, coffee and candy shops. On the Jersey side, they can be found at Van Holten’s Sweet Shop in Seaside Heights, Sweetsboro Pastry Shoppe in Swedesboro and Reily’s Candy in Medford, which all make them for St. Patrick’s Day.

Irish potatoes, a candy with coconut inside and cocoa powder and cinnamon outside, from Van Holten’s Sweet Shop in Seaside Heights.

Check grocery store shelves, too, or place an online order with OhRyan’s Original Irish Potatoes, a Pennsylvania-based company that’s been making the candies for decades, at ohryans.net.

Have yourself a wee laugh

If you've resorted to watching "Schitt's Creek'' or "The Good Place'' for the fourth time because the pandemic has cleared out your to-binge list, use the holiday at home as an excuse to visit a County or two.

"Moone Boy,'' which streams on Prime Video, is a tween-friendly, heart-on-its-sleeve Irish sitcom created by Chris O'Dowd ("Bridesmaids,'' "The IT Crown''), who also co-stars in the role of Sean Murphy, imaginary friend to a rather feckless young boy. 

Martin Moone survives in a world full of strong-willed teen sisters, altar boy bullies, bands of squatting travelers and wayward donkeys, with Murphy offering well-intentioned if slightly misguided advice along the way in Boyle, in the west of Ireland in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The show is made even better by the Sultans of Ping title track and the periodic cartoon interludes.

"Derry Girls,'' meanwhile, shares "Moone Boy's'' family- and friend-centered scenes, but instead of imaginary friends, you get a sarcastic nun/principal (Sioban McSweeney) and a host other adults offering a running commentary on the antics of a group of hormone-fueled teenagers making the most of their high school years amid the end of The Troubles in Derry, Northern Ireland. The comedy shares "Moone Boy's'' sharp writing (this time by Lisa McGee) and Catholic humor, but it's best to be shared only with older children as the language is salty and the bloodshed is never out of mind. Now streaming on Netflix.

Alex Biese has been writing about art, entertainment, culture and news on a local and national level for more than 15 years.

Neil Strebig, York Daily Record; Scott Tady, Beaver County Times; Tammy Paolino, Courier-Post and Will Cleveland, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle contributed to this report.