Black and Tan

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Black and Tan is a drink made from a blend of pale ale and a dark beer such as a stout or porter. Sometimes a pale lager is used instead of ale; this is more usually called a half and half. Contrary to popular belief, however, Black and Tan is not a drink commonly consumed in Ireland. Indeed the drink has image problems in parts of Ireland and elsewhere due to the association with the Royal Irish Constabulary Reserve Force which was sent into Ireland by British Secretary of State for War Winston Churchill during the Lloyd George premiership in the early 1920s and nicknamed the Black and Tans. ^[1][2]

Contents 1 History 2 Variations 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

The style is believed to have originated in pubs in Britain with drinkers ordering a mix of dark stout and draught bitter. The name is first recorded in 1889^{[citation needed]}, though an earlier origin of an 18th century blend of porter and pale ale has been conjectured. Several American breweries currently make premixed Black and Tan, and it is a popular blend at American bars. One of the oldest and best known commercial examples is Yuengling's Original Black and Tan.

The name "black and tan" had earlier been applied to dogs, such as the black and tan coon-hound. It was later used as a nickname for the Black and Tans paramilitary reserve during the Irish War of Independence. In March 2006, Ben and Jerry's released an ice cream flavor in the United States for Saint Patrick's Day inspired by the drink; the name offended Irish nationalists because of the paramilitary association. Ben and Jerry's has since apologized. A spokesman told Reuters, "Any reference on our part to the British Army unit was absolutely unintentional and no ill-will was ever intended."

The most common type of Black and Tan in the United States uses Guinness Draught (not Extra Stout) and Bass, though variations using Harp Lager or Newcastle Brown Ale instead of Bass are sometimes also referred to as Black and Tans. Guinness and Harp is more commonly referred to as a Half and Half, and Guinness and Newcastle is generally called a Black Castle. The "layering" of Guinness on top of the ale or lager is possible because the relative density of the Guinness is less than that of the ale or lager.

To prepare a Black and Tan in the American way, first fill a glass halfway with the ale, then add the Guinness Draught (from the can, bottle, or tap). The top layer is best poured slowly over an upside-down tablespoon placed over the glass to avoid splashing and mixing the layers. A specially designed black-and-tan spoon is bent in the middle so that it can balance on the edge of the pint-glass for easier pouring.

In the United Kingdom, another way of preparing a Black and Tan is to pour half a pint of dark stout into a pint glass and then top up with draught bitter, so that both beers are thoroughly mixed together.

In the Republic of Ireland a Black and Tan is normally made from a half pint of Smithwick's topped off with Guinness^{[citation needed]}. This version is also sometimes referred to as a "Blacksmith". During the summer months stout drinkers may order a black and tan due to its lighter texture. Likewise ale drinkers may order a Smithwick's with a Guinness head. This is an ordinary pint of Smithwick's with the last inch or so topped off with Guinness.

In Australia, specifically New South Wales, a Black and Tan is made from half a schooner (425ml) of Tooheys New (a pale lager) and then topped up with Tooheys Old (a dark ale)

[edit] Variations

Half and half: In Ireland, a traditional Half and Half consists of half warm or room temperature Guinness and half chilled Guinness. In the early days, refrigeration was of course unavailable. As refrigeration came into existence in the 20th century, it was found that a mixture of the two temperatures created the perfect drinking temperature for Guinness. Most Guinness poured in Ireland is served at about this temperature, roughly 44 degrees Fahrenheit (6° Celsius). In the United States, Half and Half consists of Harp Lager topped with Guinness. Half and half implies that both ales come from the Guinness Brewery.

Other variations, listed alphabetically:

• All Irish Black & Tan, aka, Blacksmith, aka, Irish Nectar, aka, Pint of Special: Guinness Stout and Smithwick's Irish Ale
• Back in Black: Half Guinness and half Sid Richardson College lager. The name is a reference to the AC/DC song of the same name which serves as the official anthem to the 8th of the 11 Rice University colleges.
• Black & Black : A blend of Guinness Extra Stout and Guinness Draught
• Black & Blood, aka, Guinness and Black: Guinness & Ribena (Black Current)
• Black & Blue: Stout with Blue Moon Belgian White, or stout and blueberry ale, Guinness and Pabst Blue Ribbon, Guinness and Labatt Blue. Typically, this refers to any variation of stout coupled with blueberry-flavored ales or brands with the name "Blue" in them.
• Black & Bushy :Half Guinness and half New Glaurs Fat Squirrel Nut Brown Ale
• Black & Gold, aka, Black Apple, aka, Smoothie: Half Guinness Stout and half hard cider (e.g., Westons or Woodchuck). Sometimes incorrectly referred to as a snakebite, which is actually a mixture of half lager and half cider. When made specifically with Woodchuck Cider it is also called a Stout Woody
• Black & Gold: Half Guinness and Half Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
• Black & Red: Half Guinness Stout and half Killian's Irish Red. Also sometimes half Guinness and half Red Stripe
• Black & Red, aka, Red Velvet: Half chocolate stout over half raspberry or cherry lambic
• Black & Sam, aka, Patriot Pint, aka, Boston Half & Half: Guinness and Samuel Adams Boston Lager
• Black & Orange: Stout and pumpkin ale: Also known as a "Black & Blumpkin", a "Black-O-Blumpkin", or a "Blackhead" or "Sleepy Hollow" (Guinness and Shipyard Pumpkinhead of Portland, Maine. The Gilded Otter Brewpub in New Paltz, New York calls this mixture a Stumpkin. *Black & White: Stout with any light colored beer.
• Black & Ornery: Half Guinness and Half Furious (by Surly Brewing Company, Brooklyn Center, MN)
• Black & White: Half Guinness and half Hoegaarden. Also known as a Black Hoe or The Obama.
• Black Bastard, aka, Arrogant Black: Guinness and Arrogant Bastard Ale, an American strong ale from Stone Brewing Company of San Marcos, California.
• Black Belt : Half Guinness and Half Grain Belt
• Black Bully: Guinness and Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
• Black Castle: aka, Black and Brown, Half Guinness and half Newcastle Brown Ale
• Black Cherry: Guinness and Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat
• Black Christmas, aka, Kwanzaa: Guinness draught over Christmas Ale, Half Guinness and Half Sam Adams Winter Ale
• Black Cow: Half Guinness and half New Glarus Spotted Cow
• Black Dead Guy: Half Guinness and Half Rogue Dead Guy Ale
• Black Diamond. Guinness and Tuckermans Ale.
• Black Eye: Half Guinness and Half Black Eye Ale
• Black Girl: Half Guinness and St. Pauli Girl
• Black-Head: Half Guinness and Half MooseHead Lager
• Black-Hearted Lady : Guinness and Bell's Two-Hearted Ale
• Black Honey: Half Guinness and Half Honey Brown
• Black Honky: Half Guinness and Half Goose Island Honker's Ale
• Black Hooker: Half Guinness and Half Hook & Ladder Golden Ale
• Black Light: Half Guinness and Half Samuel Adams Light (or other light beer) #9
• Black Lord: Half Guinness and Half Lord Chesterfield Ale
• Black Magic: Half Guinness and Half Magic Hat #9
• Black Negra: Half Guinness, Half Negra Modelo
• Black on Blonde, aka, Blonde Redhead' : A mixture of (slightly more than) half Guinness and (slightly less than) half Stella Artois (The plural form would be Blacks on Blonde.)
• Blacks on Blondes: Half Young's Double Chocolate Stout and half Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde
• Blackricot: Guinness and Pyramid Apricot Wheat
• Black Rock : Half Guinness and Half Rolling Rock
• Black Sap: Half Guinness and Sapporo
• Black Scotch Ale: Half Guinness and Half Sam Adam's Scotch Ale
• Black Shiner: Guinness and Shiner Lager
• Black Summer: Half Guinness and Half Sam Adam's Summer Ale
• Black Tire: Half Guinness and half New Belgium Fat Tire
• Black Torpedo: Guinness and Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra Pale Ale
• Blacker Pshorr: Guinness and Hacker Pshorr Hefeweizen
• Chicago Black & Tan aka Black Wind: Half Guinness Stout and half Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale
• Chocolate-Covered Banana Bread: Half Guinness, Half Wells Banana Bread Beer
• Dark & Steamy : Half Anchor Steam Beer and half Guinness
• Dirty Busch (Traditional): Half stout Guinness half Busch Light Mixed Seasonally.
• Dirty Hippie: Half Guinness and Half Sweetwater 420
• Eclipse, aka, Black Moon, aka, Dark Side of the Moon: Half Guinness and Half Blue Moon
• Fat & Black, aka, Oprah: Fat Tire and Guinness
• Garnet and Black: Guinness and Killian's Irish Red. This is a regional variation in South Carolina, named after the school colors of the University of South Carolina.
• Gas and Oil: Guinness over Red Hook Blonde Ale.
• The Greatness: Half Guinness and Half Great White. (Great White is from Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, Ca.)
• Green Goblin : Half Heineken and half Hobgoblin
• Imperial Black & Tan: Half Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale and half Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
• Innis & Guinness: Half Innis & Gunn and half Guinness
• Irish American: Half Guinness and half Budweiser.
• Irish Anarchist: Any Irish stout atop any Irish red ale. The name is a reference to the anarchist-syndicalist flag, which is black and red.
• Irish Canadian: Half Guinness and half Molson Canadian
• Irishman in Texas: Half Guinness and half Shiner Bock
• Jack o Lantern: aka "Bruised Pumpkin" Half Guinness, Half Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale[1]
• Jesus Shuttleworth: Guinness and any Abbey Ale, in honor of Ray Allen
• Moon Beam:Beamish Stout and Blue Moon
• The Noogie: Half Guinness Extra Stout (unchilled) and half Pabst Blue Ribbon
• October Night: Half Guinness and half Sam Adams Octoberfest
• Old Dirty Englishman: Half Guinness and half Tetley's
• Philadelphia Black & Tan, aka, Guinn-ling, aka, Bling-ling: Half Guinness Stout and half Yuengling Lager
• Pint of Special, aka, 99: Similar to the all Irish Black and Tan served mostly in the west of Ireland. Made with more than 75% Smithwick's topped up with a Guinness head
• Raging Inferno: Half Guinness, Half Firehouse American Pale Ale
• Red Velvet: Half Guinness, Half Raspberry Cider Jack
• San Patricios: Half Guinness and half any Mexican beer (Corona, Pacifico, Dos Equis, Negro Modelo)
• Slum and Tan: Half Olde English 800 and half stout
• Smokin' Indian: Half smoked porter and half American IPA
• Turbofishhead: Abita Turbodog and Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

[edit] See also

• Shandy : Beer cocktail mixed with lemonade, lemon-lime soda, or ginger ale.
• Diesel Shandy : Beer cocktail mixed with cola.
• Black Velvet Cocktail : This is traditionally made with Guinness and Champagne.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ben and Jerry's flavor
• Ice cream, anyone? from the Irish Echo
• How to make an All-Irish Black and Tan from Google Video
• Dennis Judd: How to make a black and tan
• How to pour a perfect Black and Tan