February is here and love is in the air. It’s hard to tell, because it’s quite cold outside, but the love is there. We promise.
A good relationship can come from unexpected places, this much is true. But can the same unpredictable pairing of opposites be applied to Beer? We’re talking Black and Tans. This beer cocktail is making a comeback, and we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try it with our own beer.
Typically made with Guinness and a pale lager or pale ale, the Black and Tan is prepared by filling a glass halfway with pale ale and adding the top layer beer slowly over an upside-down tablespoon. This creates a perfect layering of the two beers that’s almost too beautiful to drink (but we’ll drink it anyway.)
We tried ours using Agricultured Rye Porter, Trend Bucker Stout, Yoga Poser Pale Ale, and Take a Chill Pilsner, all in different pairings.
It didn’t go so well.
It took a couple attempts, as well as an emergency run for Guinness. Turns out, our stout and our porter don’t make for an *aesthetically pleasing* Black and Tan.
Important Takeaways:
- Stout and Pale Ale are the best tasting combos
- Not every stout and not every pale will make for a pretty black and tan
- There’s a good chance that even though it doesn’t look great, it tastes delicious.
We certainly struggled with coming up with the best Black and Tans. Can you do better? Send pictures and strategy to mmackey@nocoastbeer.co. Bonus points if you can do it using NoCoast Beer. If you can beat ours, we’ll send you a prize!
