How To Make a Proper Black and Tan

[Lapis]

I recently received a free Bass brolley and, not particularly knowing what I was doing, followed the rather simple instructions to make myself several Black and Tans using Bass Pale Ale and Guiness Extra Stout. I've now been informed that I was not supposed to use Guiness Extra Stout, but Guiness Draught and that I also could have substituted Harp's Lager to make a Half and Half, which is similar.

What is the correct way to make a proper Black and Tan and what are your favorite variations on the theme for those that like to break with tradition and try something different? I have attached a picture of the device, so feel free to tell me what a twit I am for using it. ;-)

[matrat80129]

While living in Scotland a B&T was half Guinness and half Tennants Sweetheart Stout. I grew fond of this combo, bottled B&T's in the US have been pretty bad so far.

[JessKidden]

"a B&T was half Guinness and half Tennants Sweetheart Stout"

Wouldn't that be more properly a "B&B" (tho' that would be confusing, I suppose). It certainly would make for a particularly low alcohol blend- around 3% ABV - given GD's 4.something% and SS's 2%. Isn't Sweetheart noted as one of the sweetest of the sweet stouts? I'd imagine that any US "premixed" B&T wouldn't come close to such a mix since they're usually a stout or porter and a "normal" US adjunct beer (Yuengling) , a "continental pilsner" (Mississippi Mud) or an amber lager (Saranac) - the latter two both brewed by F. X. Matt.

Maybe a (uh, I'm not gonna do the initials on this one out of good taste...plus you might wind up with a plate of baked beans if you ordered it) mix of a malta (it's dark, sweet and even lower alcohol) and Guinness Draught?

[DavidBlends]

That's a great flavor, I really enjoyed that!

[JohnE O]

Guinness draft from the can works best (unless you have a keggorator) as the bottle draught is meant to be consumed from the bottle and not poured. I prefer the bottom beer to be a little more hoppier. American style beer (i.e., Miller & Bud) just don't have enough flavor and all you taste is the Guinness. I like Guinness over Whitbread, personally.

[kelarry]

Don't use Bass or Guinness

[Jonny509]

Wow... just wow.

Looks like I have my work cut out for me. Guess I'll start at the top and work my way down.

[DavidBlends]

Jonny509: I have about 4 to 6 times that, once you get thru all those and want a suggestion as what to try next, let me know.

[Lapis]

Alrighty then! I did my own research and found these variations. Anyone try any of these?

Black Hearted Lady : Guinness and Bell's Two-Hearted Ale
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 by the same name which serves as the official anthem to the 8th of the 11 Rice University colleges.
Black & Cherry: Guinness and Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat
Black & Gold, aka, Black Apple: 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 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 & Black : A blend of Guinness Extra Stout and Guinness Draught
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 & Orange: Stout and pumpkin ale: Also known as a "Black & Blumpkin", a "Black-O-Blumpkin", or a "Blackhead" (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 Bastard, aka, Arrogant Black: Guinness and Arrogant Bastard Ale, an American strong ale from Stone Brewing Company of San Marcos, California.
Black Castle: Half Guinness and half Newcastle Brown Ale.
Black Christmas, aka, Kwanzaa: Guinness draught over Christmas Ale.
Black Cow: Half Guinness and half New Glarus Spotted Cow
Black Dead Guy: Half Guinness and Half Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Black Girl: Half Guinness and St. Pauli Girl
Black Hoe: Half Guinness and half Hoegaarden.
Black Honey: Half Guinness and Half Honey Brown
Black Honky: Half Guinness and Half Goose Island Honker's Ale
Black Magic: Half Guinness and Half Magic Hat #9
Black Negra: Half Guinness, Half Negra Modelo
Black on Blonde, aka, Blonde Redhead' (Invented by Christopher Donaldson): A mixture of (slightly more than) half Guinness and (slightly less than) half Stella Artois (The plural form would be Blacks on Blonde.)
Black Sap: Half Guinness and Sapporo
Black Scotch Ale: Half Guinness and Half Sam Adam's Scotch Ale
Black Summer: Half Guinness and Half Sam Adam's Summer Ale - Created by Casper Tavenor
Black Tire: Half Guinness and half New Belgium Fat Tire
Blacks on Blondes: Half Young's Double Chocolate Stout and half Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde
Dark & Steamy (invented by Joe Fahrner): Half Anchor Steam Beer and half Guinness
Dirty Bush (Traditional): Half stout Guinness half Bush Light Mixed Seasonally.
Eclipse, aka, Black Moon, aka, Dark Side of the Moon: Half Guinness and Half Blue Moon
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.
The Greatness: Half Guinness and Half Great White. (Great White is from Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, Ca.)
Green Goblin (invented by Geoff Wayne): Half Heineken and half Hobgoblin
Guinn-ling: Half Guinness and Half Yeungling- Created by Jeff Thornton
Imperial Black & Tan (invented by David Hatling): Half Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale and half Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Innis & Guinness (invented by Brent Swallowell): Half Innis & Gunn and half Guinness
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 American: Half Guinness and half Budweiser.
Irish Canadian: Half Guinness and half Molson Canadian
Irishman in Texas: Half Guinness and half Shiner Bock
Old Dirty Englishman: Half Guinness and half Tetley's
Philadelphia Black & Tan: 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)
Smoothie: Half any hard draft cider and half Guinness
Snake Bite: Half any hard draft cider and half any lager
Sweet Black and Tan: Sweetheart Stout and any light ale (i.e. 60 shilling)
Tetness: Half Guinness and half Tetley's
Thistle & Shamrock: Beamish & McEwan's
Thundercloud: Half Boulevard Dry Stout and half Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat

[JessKidden]

" I did my own research.."

>snip list<

Research?
Uh, isn't that just copy/pasted from Wikipedia?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_an...

[DavidBlends]

Jesskidden: Wikipedia has a small list and helps, ever so slightly. It's about getting out therem going to bars and seeing what layers, what mixes, and how many can be made, how many has already been made and the names that go with it. Go out, see what can be done, it's fun!

[Ernie Diamond]

This reminds me of those lists of "Positions enjoyed by two consenting adults" that folks enthusiastically invent but never actually try.

I challenge you to go into a bar and get served ordering any of these by name alone.

[Solstice444]

I have heard people ordering the Black and Blue. As I've been to the Gilded Otter in New Paltz, when pumpkin ale time rolls around I'll have to go and order a Stumpkin.

[vanierstudent]

Sorry, I like my Black and Tan old school. Guinness and Bass. Maybe apple Cider and Guinness, but that the biggest change to the classic i'm willing to drink.

[DavidBlends]

I've tried most of those, plus many more. I 10+ pages on beer with beer blends. I also have beer with liquor, beer with liqueur, liquor with liqueur lists. I am a beast when it comes to things like this. If you want a recommendation let me know.