Beyond black and tan: Stout drink recipes

You won't catch me drinking green beer on St. Patrick's day. I'd much rather have a pint of the black stuff, as some like to call Guinness and other stouts. I'm a purist  when it comes to my Irish nectar, but I admit I have had a few black and tans in my day, and am curious to try some of the more unusual recipes I've found.

A black and tan, is equal parts stout (Guinness or otherwise) and lighter colored ale, often a Bass Pale Ale or Harp's lager. Many an Irish barman will tell you that a layered black and tan is simply a Yank affectation and that in the homeland the two beers are simply poured together. But if you want to get all fancy, here's what you do:

• Pour your pint half full of ale.
• Now either slowly pour your stout in by letting it hit the side of the glass, or by letting it stream over the back of a spoon. And sure as Bob's you're uncle – a proper black and tan.
  

A black velvet combines equal parts of champagne and stout. You can use the same spoon trick to achieve a layered effect. Substitute cider for champagne and you've got a poor man's black velvet or a snakebite, as we like to call it here in the States.

Drop a shot of Chambord into your pint and you have a black fog, so named because of the purple splotch the raspberry liqueur leaves on top of the head. The raspberry and stout are a wonderful combo that bring to mind raspberry truffles. A purple meany is half stout, half ale (preferably the dregs of the keg) and a shot of raspberry liqueur. I think I'll hold off on trying that one.

Among the other varieties that I'm not looking forward to sampling is the miner's lung, which is made by topping off three shots of vodka with stout. I'd be more inclined to try a black death, which is stout and Trappist ale. Then again purist that I am, I'd probably drink my Chimay by itself. After all, I can always follow it up with a stout.

[image: BeerAppreciation]

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