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The Legend and Lure Behind the Black and Tan |
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Monday, 17 March 2008 |
Today is St. Patrick's Day and many Americans will celebrate by tipping back one of Ireland's most famous exports, Guinness Extra Stout beer, or its popular incarnation, the black and tan.
The black and tan is typically made of a half pint of lighter pale ale or bitter with a cap of stout or porter beer floated on top. The physics work because of the different densities of the two liquids. Despite its dark complexion and heavy reputation, Guinness is actually a light beer. If poured carefully, the less dense dark beer will rest on top of the heavier pale ale, creating a double-layered effect.
In parts of Ireland, however, the term "black and tan" can bring back memories of an ill-fated past. According to Richard Bennett, author of "The Black and Tans," the name refers to English paramilitary soldiers recruited around 1920 to help the British government put down the Irish uprising that led to the Irish War of Independence.
The soldiers were called black and tans because they wore uniforms that were a mixture of dark colors and khaki. The conscripted soldiers were veterans of the trench warfare of World War I, and they operated outside the strict conventions of the regular police and armed forces.
The black and tans are accused of some of the worst acts of the Irish War of Independence, including burning villages, torture, abduction and political murder. The black and tans were designed to fight the newly formed Irish Republican Army and the two paramilitary organizations often engaged in brutal guerrilla combat.
Even the recipe for the drink taps into this controversial history. Typically, a black and tan is poured using the Irish Guinness Stout and the English Bass Ale, representing the Irish and the English refusing to blend. The all-Irish version, commonly called half and half, is made with Guinness and Harp lager or Smithwick's Ale.
The black and tan is made by floating a lighter liquid on top of a denser liquid. This can be done with a variety of beverages:
Black Velvet: Guinness on top of Champagne
American Snakebite: Guinness on top of hard cider
Dogfish Black and Tan: Dogfish Head Chicory Stout on top of 90 Minute IPA
Purple Meany: A black and tan with a shot of raspberry liqueur
Black Death: Guinness on top of a Belgian Trappist Ale
Several products make pouring a black and tan easier. One of the newest is the "Brolly," produced by England's Bass Ale, www.bassale.com. This small metal tray rests on the mouth of the glass and diffuses the porter or stout as it's poured over the pale ale, spreading out the surface area. Many bars simply use a bent spoon for the same effect.
(C) 2008 The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved |
