Guinness goes with everything!
Well, not really everything… but there is a great deal of other brews that Guinness can be added with to make a spectacular drink. Many people feel left out on St. Patrick’s Day because they don’t enjoy Guinness to the extent that other’s do (or at all). Though, by itself, it is a spectacular stout with coffee and malt notes that never really goes out of fashion all year around. These upcoming mixes are for the folks that maybe want to enjoy “Guinness Light” that doesn’t have the full body of a pint of Guinness. Hardcore fans may also enjoy these if they have not tried them (however, if they are like me, they may have already tried almost all of them).
Guinness Float
Ingredients
Method
1 tall glass Guinness or other dark stout
1 large scoop vanilla ice cream
Place ice cream in Guinness. Drink
Black Velvet
1/2 qt Guinness
1/2 qt Champagne
Combine Guinness and champagne in a tall chilled glass. Stir and serve. Makes 1 quart.
The story behind Black Velvet from Guinness itself.:
"The death of Queen Victoria's beloved Albert in 1861 was responsible for the introduction of that prince among drinks-Black Velvet. As the whole of England mourned the Consort the bar steward at Brook's Club in St. James Street, should go into mourning by simply mixing it in equal parts with Guinness. (You’ll need a spoon for these next few, preferably one pre-bent or made like the one pictured below)
Poor-man's Black Velvet (aka Snakebite)
1/2 pint. Guinness 1/2 pint hard cider.
Any Hard cider would do, if you want to be a hardcore brit fan then use Strongbow or Magners…
Black & Tan
1/2 Guinness & 1/2 Bass
How to pour a Black & Tan:
Hold your pint glass at an angle as you would when pouring a Guinness. Fill just over halfway with Bass Ale on tap. Slow the flow control on the Draught Guinness tap down to a mere trickle. Fill to the top, letting Draught Guinness hit the side of the glass -OR- pour Draught Guinness over an upside-down spoon to disperse the flow. Let settle.
Half & Half
1/2 Guinness
1/2 Harp
Some people believe this is the true version of a Black & Tan. They feel that Guinness/Bass Import Co. has changed the name of this drink to increase their bottom line by selling both products at once. (Brilliant!) This also been increased with the addition of Smithwicks which can also be used in a “Black and Tan” Some people will remember that before the mid-1980s Guinness was mixed with other beers to give them added taste. In fact, the authors have an advertisement dating from the 1940s that promoted adding Guinness to "your favorite beer" for "added enjoyment." (oh yes I will!)
Black & Red (aka Black Cherry)
Guinness & Kriek (or my favorite Framboise, which will make the end of the drink sweet indeed)
Carbomb recipe
1/2 shot Irish whiskey
1/2 shot Bailey's® Irish cream (or a generic Irish cream)
1 pint Guinness® stout
Combine (proportions of 50/50) Bailey's Irish Cream and Irish whiskey into one shot glass. Drop the shot into a mug of Guinness and chug until empty. This can also be done with subtracting the Irish whiskey which makes it more palatable for some.
These are some of my favorite Guinness mixes and I hope you will try them out this St Patrick’s Day and all the rest of the year. Guinness has also come out with other variations of the their stout including their “Extra Stout” which is even more full bodied than the draught and should be used in these mixes with extreme caution. Guinness has also recently released a “Foreign Extra Stout” which is not as full bodied and has a more chocolate overtone though you may want to try it by itself before you incorporate it into any of these combinations. Remember to enjoy your libations safely this St Paddy’s day and as the Irish say, Sláinte!
