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:

1. Pour half of a bottle of Bass Pale Ale in pint glass
2. 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.