P. Wexford’s Pub By Kate Serpa
St. Patrick’s Day has always held a special place in my heart. Perhaps it’s the fact that I am a good portion Irish and like the notion of celebrating my heritage. Or it might be that with my lovely (totally natural) red hair I look especially fetching in green attire. But it’s likely the fact that good ol’ St. Paddy’s Day revolves exclusively around drinking, a traditional Irish pastime I gladly practice. And though I’ve never figured out whose genius idea it was to make cabbage a food staple on a beer-based holiday, St. Paddy’s always promises a fun time. P. Wexford’s Pub is a renowned location for Modesto’s Erin go Bragh festivities.
P. Wexford’s has an impressive 23 beers on tap and 25 taps in total. The remaining two taps are a hard cider and Jameson Whiskey. That’s right: Jameson freaking Whiskey on tap. The beer selection is rotated often,occasionally daily, but never fear, the Jameson is there to stay. TheIrish pub not only boasts an excellent beer selection, but also a great bar-menu spread, a healthy scattering of sports-playing flat screens (including one out on the sizable back patio), an unofficial steel-tips dart league, very attractive waitresses, a big fat fireplace, and did I mention the Jameson tap?
Ron Hurst has been the Operational/Nighttime Manager/Jack-of-all-trades at P. Wexford’s for the last six years. I have been told, on more than one occasion, of Hurst’s extensive beer knowledge, and he did not disappoint. I did admit to Hurst that I am not the most avid of beer drinkers, but he was quickly able to find me brew I liked and even offered to blend two together to find an ideal taste. Hurst states about P. Wex: “There’s an atmosphere here you can feel, and there’s never a reason not to talk to someone.”
I wasunder the impression that P. Wex was exclusively a beer bar, which, Hurst informed me, is not the case. Wine, liquor, along with a substantial selection of whiskey cater to anyone with, as Hurst put it, a “thirst for life”—life, of course, meaning alcohol. I’ve long heard P. Wex has a good selection of whiskey, which Hurst claims is “not enough,” but he’s lying because there’s more than enough. Not including that lovely Jameson tap.
Where did the name P. Wexford’s originate you ask? It’s a rather complex story, so try to stick with me: Previous owner Patrick Johnson threw a dart at a map of Ireland, and the dart stuck in Wexford. And thus, a Modesto-favorite bar-name was born.
St. Patrick’s Day is, naturally, P. Wex’s biggest day of the year. The Best Small Event MAMA award winning bar remains packed throughout the day and everyone, has Hurst puts it, is “in the right atmosphere” for the drinking holiday. There will be considerable pub fun on March 17th, so be sure to plan your day accordingly.
And remember, when someone wishes you well on St. Patrick’s day to respond with a smile the traditional Gaelic response: “Pug Mahone**!” And also remember to never trust an Irishman.
**Not a traditional St. Patrick’s Day phrase.
Your P. Wex Weekly To-Do List: Monday: Monday night football (and weekend recovery day) Tuesday: Trivia night & Irish pint night! Specials on all Irish beers on tap Wednesday: Live music with Neil Buettner Thursday: The Modesto-famous Pint-Night and Johnny & Kelly Friday: Live music with Rick Barnes Saturday: Live music Sunday: Football Sunday and breakfast (9 am- 11 am)
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P. Wex’s Black & Tan
What you need: -Guinness -Bass(beer, not fish) -A spoon What you do: Fill a pint glass half-full with Bass. Then, while pouring over a spoon you’ve placed over the glass, fill the rest with Guinness. Yell out a healthy “Sláinte!” before downing it like an Irish champ.
www.pwexpub.com 209.576.7939 3313 McHenry Ave., Modesto
