Photograph by Kristen Boehm
BLACK & TAN
The Den | $10
Ingredients: Pale ale, stout
Bellingham has a certain affection for beer cocktails—if you’ve ever enjoyed a night at Cap Hansen’s bar, you probably know what we’re talking about. One of the simplest (and tastiest) beer cocktails out there is a Black & Tan, made by floating half a pint of a stout beer (usually Guinness) over half a pint of a pale ale (traditionally Bass Pale Ale). Despite the popular belief of stouts and dark beers being “heavy,” pale ales are usually more dense, meaning that the stout can be carefully poured over the back of a bar spoon to create a stark layered effect. Combining the full, creamy taste of a stout with the more hop-forward brightness of a pale ale creates a flavorful and velvety beer cocktail, but do try to stick to pairing beers that have similar notes. And yes, for you curious St. Patrick’s Day celebrants, the drink is popular in Ireland! However, it’s called a Half & Half there due to Black & Tan being reminiscent of wartime slang.
*Note: The Black & Tan is not on the menu at The Den, but they happily made one for us with a $7 can of Guinness and a $3 pour of domestic pale ale when we asked.
