If you're celebrating Saint Patrick's Day tonight, wow your friends by properly pouring a half and half—without any special spoon. When served correctly, this beer drink boasts a dramatic two-tone look, but if you don't pour it with proper care, you'll end up with a plain pint, which is far less impressive.
The Half-and-Half (also sometimes called a Black & Tan, which our commenters noted is a controversial name best avoided) is a mix of two different beers. When creating layered drinks, the key is to identify the liquid that has the greatest specific gravity, and begin the drink with that ingredient. In this case, it's the pale ale (we like to use Bass). Pour every ingredient that follows in descending order.
Here are a few other suggestions:
Pour the first beer—the ale—quickly; this creates a bigger head of foam, which helps support layering.
Bend the handle of a wide, round spoon (like a soup spoon) so that it balances on the edge of the glass, making the second beer, the Guinness, easier to pour. This is optional, but helps!
Pour the second beer very, very slowly and gently over the center of the spoon.
Wait until you're ready to pour your drink before opening the Guinness. One that sits around too long will be even more difficult to pour.
And finally, don't let your drink sit around too long, as the beers will start to combine over time. But that pointer shouldn't be a hard one to follow.
Pour the Perfect Black & Tan | POPSUGAR
How to Pour a Black & Tan | Howcast
Photo by Andy L.
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