How to Pour a Black & Tan
Updated: How to Pour a Black and Tan – Take 2
My previous article told you all about What is a Black and Tan; now you get to see one poured for yourself.
Pouring a black and tan is easy. The basic steps are:
- Pour half of a bottle of Bass Pale Ale in pint glass
- Gently, fill the glass the rest of the way with Guinness by pouring the stout over the back of a spoon.
The real trick is to get the Guinness in as gently as possible and the spoon helps accomplish this by dispersing the liquid. Traditionally, you use the back of the spoon like the “black and tan spoon” shown below. However, I have found the best means to get the Guinness in there without disturbing anything is to have it trickle lightly down the inside of the glass. Using the front side of the spoon in contact with the glass seems to do the same, if not better.
Happy St.Patricks Day, Thank you for posting this.For years I would patronize my buddys Irish Pub fore he truly pours the best black & tan and now I am able to pour them eith the mastery and skills alike.Erin Go’ Brah
Thanks. I’m sure Ron enjoyed the heck out of making this video. He never did tell me how many takes he needed to get it right.
First take, but I told my wife it took 6 tries.
Went through a 6 back of both before I got it. After 6 tries, went to the internet, followed your video and taadaa, got it in one. Thanks
We’re glad you found it helpful. Although, experimenting like you did doesn’t sound too bad, either.
Glad you liked it. I get a heck of a beating on You Tube comments for not turning the spoon upside down. My mug was not the best vessel to show off the separation either.
I tried this twice, and was not able to get it right. I used the large bottle of Guinness, not the Can or the bottle with the nitro ball thing… Is there a difference?
I see you make the traditional Bass/Guinness black and tan. I’m wondering if anybody else has tried variations with American brews. I’ve tried a number of combinations. My current favorite pairs Magic Hat #9 with Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout.
I tried this varient where I enjoyed the dark half, but not the light half as much:
http://hop-talk.com/2006/12/06/upside-down-black-tan/
Try this. Instead of the bass use a blueberry ale. Its called a black and blue and its F’ing great!!!
Sounds interesting. I’ll have to try that out.
good tip but be aware that no self respecting irishman would drink bass with his guinness. in the future please use a delicious harp
I doubt any self-respecting Irishman would drink a Black and Tan at all.
Where do I find that song,it is fantastic. Love the demo will be pouring many tonight!! Happy St. Patricks Day
That’s “All For Me Grog” a traditional Irish drinking song. You can find it all over the place. One such place is a CD creatively titled “Irish Drinking Songs”.
Irish Drinking Songs
I was wondering about temperature…does it make a difference. I enjoy my beer cold, also would a frosted mug discourage a fine poor?
REQUIRED: Guinness can Draught and Bass in bottle, 2 pilsner glasses and one table spoon.
Pour one half of one Bass into each Pilsner glass, holding them at a 45 degree angle. You should pour with the intent of ending with a head of beer approximately an inch tall and evenly divided between glasses.
Place glasses flat and open Guinness draught can. Hold spoon at low angle near side of glass and immediately begin to pour Guinness over the back of the spoon into the first glass. Quickly share between the two glasses. Finish each glass by pouring Guinness “up” the spoon by forcing the beer towards the handle and raising the can to get the Guinness to foam.
I have had it explained that Guinness is charged with nitrogen and other beers are carbonated and that makes for the viscosity difference. Regardless, I have poured hundreds of these and I can get two, distinctively cut, Black and Tans or Half and Halves using this method.
Maybe I will figure out how to post the video. I am old though and not that cool… until I pour a great Black and Tan and then everybody loves me.