Black And Tan Spoon Views

General Goods

Black and Tan is a drink made from a blend of pale ale, usually Bass Pale Ale, and a dark beer such as a stout or porter, most often Guinness. Sometimes a pale lager is used instead of ale; this is usually called a half and half. Contrary to popular belief, however, Black and Tan as a mixture of two beers 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 in the early 1920s and nicknamed the Black and Tans.[1][2]

The style is believed to have originated in pubs in Britain with drinkers ordering a mix of dark stout and draught bitter. The earliest recorded usage of the term in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1889, though an earlier origin of an 18th century blend of porter and pale ale has been conjectured.[citation needed] 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 instead of Bass are referred to as Half and Half. 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.