Black and Tan

Black and Tan is a beer cocktail made by layering a pale beer (usually Bass) and a dark beer (usually Guinness stout). In Ireland, the drink is called a half and half. The pale ale is poured into a glass first, and the stout is slowly added over the back of a spoon to create a layer of tan and a layer of black. The name is derived from the two beers that it requires: a pale ale (usually Bass Ale) at the bottom and Guinness stout (or a similar dark stout) on the top. These two beers make perfect "black and tan" layers in the glass if they're poured correctly. As you drink it, the two layers remain separated and the last sip is the complete opposite of the first.

The density of the beers is important. As with any layered drink, one liquid will only float on top of the other if it has a lighter density (or specific gravity) than the liquid on the bottom. Because beers are not like liquor, they can have different densities, even if the two are of the same style. Not all stouts will float on top like Guinness (though many do) and not all pale ales can withstand Guinness's weight the way a Bass can. If you want to try this drink with different brands, you may need to experiment to find successful combinations.

The other key component to making a successful black and tan is the spoon. This drink has transformed many bar taps, which are now often decorated with a "black and tan spoon." Taking lessons from layered cocktails and shots, the black and tan will only work with a slow, indirect pour. By pouring the beer over the back of a spoon, the flow is interrupted and distributed, allowing the two liquids to remain separate as they come together in the glass.

The term Black and Tan likely originated in England, where consumers have blended different beers since at least the seventeenth century. The tradition of blending beers can be traced to London during the 1700s where beer blends or “three-threads" and “five-threads" were consumed. Each thread was a beer type that was blended into a drink. Three threads was a form of mixed beer alehouses sold to avoid paying a higher tax on beer. By taking a strong beer taxed at a higher rate and mixing it with a small beer taxed at a lower-rate afforded brewers a profit. This practice continued from the late 1690s to 1700s. The earliest recorded usage of the term in the drink context is from 1881, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, in the American magazine Puck. The first recorded British use of the term to describe a drink is from 1889.

Though the beer drink is named for the colour of the two layers, the Black and Tans were a group that assisted the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921). Known for violent tactics, the name Black and Tan brings back memories of a tragic time in Ireland's history and is seen as offensive. Instead, ask for your Guinness straight from the tap or try ordering a "half and half." The same etiquette rule applies to the Irish slammer (for years known as the Irish car bomb).

6 oz Bass, other pale ale or lager, chilled
6 oz can draft-style Guinness stout, chilled

Pour Bass into a 12-16 oz tall glass.

Float the Guinness on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon to fill the glass.

Makes 1 cocktail.