The annual Scituate Heritage Days festival in August will honor the town’s Irish roots with an Irish whiskey and beer tasting in an inflatable rubber structure designed to look like an Irish drinking establishment and owned by a company called the Paddy Wagon Pub.
The year-old company agreed to change its moniker for the Aug. 5-7 festival to “Taste of Ireland’’ to avoid offending some members of the Scituate Board of Selectmen, which voted, 3 to 2, on July 19 to allow the tasting as part of the Scituate Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event.
“They wanted it to be more politically correct,’’ said Owen Cahill, a native of Ireland who is one of five owners of the Boston-based company.
Some selectmen and Police Chief Michael Stewart also worried that having alcohol tasting as part of a public event sent a bad message.
“Scituate has a little bit of a bad rep already for alcohol,’’ Selectman Anthony Vegnani said. “I don’t think we need this at our Heritage Days. [It’s] a family event. It seems like it’s the wrong venue.’’
Others agreed with Chamber of Commerce members that the tasting could benefit businesses in town selling the products being showcased.
Cahill said the tasting, which costs $20, would feature four Irish brands that are new to the US market.
O’Haras will have samples of its Irish stout, India pale ale, and red beer, and Creans will have a lager, he said. Teelings will offer three types of whiskey, as will Glendalough Distillery.
Cahill said the samples would be 2 ounces for beer and a quarter-ounce for whiskey.
“This is for people who appreciate whiskeys and beer,’’ he said. “We’re not trying to turn it into a rock ’n’ roll thing. We appreciate the opportunity to show we can do it in a very controlled environment.’’
Selectmen John Danehy supported the venture, and said it was an opportunity for the Chamber of Commerce to try something new. But he warned that “if it fails you’ll never come back to town again.’’
Cahill said the Scituate chamber approached him and was excited about the novelty of an inflatable pub, which attracts attention because of its resemblance to a “bouncy house.’’
“There’s no floor — you can’t bounce at all,’’ he added.
More information about the tasting, which will run from 3 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 and 7, is available on Facebook at The Paddy Wagon Pub.
Additional information about Heritage Days, which will include live music, games, food, a boat parade, blessing of the fleet, races, and vendors over three days, can be found on Facebook on the Scituate Heritage Days page.
Johanna Seltz can be reached at seltzjohanna@gmail.com.
