St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us and while some people really don't need much of a reason to drink they're going to use the occasion as one anyway.
Some folks will take the chance to chug and glug their way through all manner of alcohol, though many will be trying to stick to the usual tipple of the occasion and stay on Guinness.
A plethora of pubs and bars are standing ready with taps primed and glasses polished for you to 'split the G', and then have an argument with your friends over exactly what classes as splitting the G.
For those of you who aren't planning on quaffing pints of stout all night you might be on the Baby Guinness instead, a drink so named because when you make it the thing looks like a miniature measure of Guinness even though it doesn't actually contain any.
Advert
Baby Guinness is a mixture of coffee liqueur and Baileys, and if you fancy mixing some yourself for St. Patrick's Day you might want to check your ingredients.
Just to be on the safe side here, you do know that Baileys goes off don't you?
While it's got a pretty decent shelf life you'd best be aware that if that bottle of Baileys has been sitting at the back of the fridge for yonks it might not be in such a drinkable condition any more.
Baileys say you can safely keep their drink at a decent temperature for around a couple of years before it curdles but it you've had some left over in the fridge forever it might be time to freshen up the supplies.
You wouldn't want to spoil your Baby Guinness with curdled Baileys and be taking shots tainted by a congealed, lumpy mess.
Yuck.
If you are planning on chucking any out, there's something else you should be aware of, too.
Baileys can play absolute havoc with your plumbing and even end up blocking your pipes if you're unlucky.
This is due to the ingredients in the drink, which are a huge no-no for drains.
Since dairy cream contains a lot of fat, it puts Baileys in the list of things that should never go down your sink - with the big three being fat, oil and grease.
Instead, you're best pouring the liquid contents into a container and then chucking that in your bin.
Whatever you do, don't pour it into the bin directly either or it'll probably end up all over the kitchen floor when you come to empty the bins.
Additional words by Lucy Devine.
Topics: Food And Drink
Joe Harker