Classic Black & Tan Beer Cocktail Review

Breweries: Guinness Ltd. & Bass Brewers Ltd.
Beers: Guinness Draught & Bass Pale Ale
Cocktail Name: Classic Black & Tan
Style: Beer Cocktail | ABV: ~4.6%
Serving Method: ~9 oz. of each bottle poured into pint glass with Brutool Turtle to separate

This review is a part of an article on beer cocktails as part of the monthly beer blogging project The Session.

Black & Tans date back to the late 1800s, when it became popular in British pubs. While any mix of Stout over Pale Ale is considered a Black & Tan, these beers represent the classic combination. However, if you're looking for something a bit more daring, you can easily find list after list of different Guinness + X lists online. They feature names as colorful as "Black Honkey," "Dirty Hippie," & "Old Dirty Englishman."

Appearance: On the bottom, the classic crystal clear, rich golden body of an English Pale Ale. Up top, the standard deep, black body of a Stout with the classic creamy nitro-head of Guinness Draught. There's a very clear line of demarcation between the two that holds for quite a while, with just a few thin strands of Guinness intermingling with the Bass. Gorgeous.

Aroma: Very much the standard Guinness. Perhaps some whiffs of somethng lighter, but that's probably just the power of suggestion. Checking in later when most of the Guinness is gone, a lot of the roasty character fades, and you're left with a darker version of an English Pale Ale.

Taste: At first it's a lot of roasty Guinness, with just a hint of caramel and hops. As you move down the pint, things start to mix a lot more and you end up with a pretty great combination. It's just what you'd think: a roasted and caramel malt body with some dark fruit and a splash of mild English hops. Towards the end, the tides change again and it becomes much more like a somewhat roastier, drier Bass.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and smooth at first. It seems like more Guinness influence than Bass, until most of the Stout is gone and the carbonation crispens up.

Drinkability: Both Guinness and Bass are brilliant session beers, so it's no surprise that this goes down easily.

Verdict: You can see easily this is such a classic mix, the beers just compliment each other perfectly. Just the presentation is worth the trouble itself, I could stare at it all day. Makes me wonder what a Russian Imperial Stout over a Double India Pale Ale would taste like...

Grade: A-

Mississippi Mud Black & Tan Review

Brewery: Mississippi Brewing Co. | Beer: Mississippi Mud Black & Tan
Style: Black & Tan | ABV: 5.0%
Serving Method: 32 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Typically, when one thinks of a Black & Tan, visions of menacing Dry Irish Stout floating atop golden English Pale Ale come to mind. However, according to the bottle, this brew is a mix of "a robust English Porter with a fine Continental Pilsner." Still, the idea of being able to enjoy a good Black & Tan at home without all of the bent spoons and alchemy is attractive to those that either haven't learned the art or just can't be bothered. (Tip: buy one of those "turtles" they sell at good liquor stores, it couldn't be easier . I'm pretty sure even my English Bulldog could make a decent B&T using one, and she's nearly blind in one eye).

The first thing I think most people notice about this beer is it's signature bottle, featuring a particularly wicked looking gator. Designed to look like an old-timey jug (one you could imagine in, say, Mississippi perhaps), it sure stands out on the shelf. I've always been a big fan of traditional Black & Tans, so I approach this beer with healthy skepticism tempered with a good amount of optimism. By the way, Mississippi Mud is brewed by Mississippi Brewing Brewing Company, of... New York. Uh-oh.

Appearance: Mahogany with ruby highlights and a clear body, this beer doesn't really look much like mud. Pours a pleasant off-white creamy head that slowly settles into a creamy skin and then mild lacing.

Aroma: Medium malt with some of the coffee and chocolate notes you'd expect from something that's half Porter combined with hints of sweet, slightly hoppy lager - not much more here.

Taste: Watered down medium roasted malt body with a bit of dark fruit and the tang of cheap hops. It finishes with hints of weird metallic tones (think Shiner Bock). This doesn't resemble the real deal at all, it's closer to a shitty, watery macro attempt at a Stout, Porter or Dark Lager.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is certainly nowhere near mud - fizzy, thin and watery.

Drinkability: Easy enough to drink I suppose, but really, what's the point? I don't even really want to drink the rest of this glass, let alone the two 32 ouncers in the fridge I secured for testing purposes. (Fear not, dear reader, I eventually did finish all 96 oz. for you).

Verdict: Watery and thin, with the lackluster taste to match, the brewery has some stones to call this "Mississippi Mud," it's closer to St. Louis runoff. I'm assuming that the "Continental Lager" mentioned on the bottle is clever code for a typical American macro-lager. And it certainly does taste like a middle-of-the-road, bland, Porter mixed with swill and given a fancy name. While I certainly did not expect this to be as good as a real B&T, I had at least hoped it would be a somewhat decent analog. But alas, this beer lets down it's awesome bottle, name and premise. All marketing, no beer.

Grade: D