Eclipse: Black&Tan variant

[ForresterModern]

I used to drink Black & Tans when I threw darts competitively for a bar in Cincinnati called Haps Irish Pub over 20 years ago, as at the time it was the least expensive draught beer that was not an american domestic (like Budweiser). Our team drank more than its share over the three years we threw out of that venerable pub. Still have my team shirt----the Hap's Hazards, green with a large biohazard sign as our logo.

The Eclipse is a new one for me, but I am quite familiar with Blue Moon, I believe it is known as a Belgian White Ale. That zing you are tasting is actually orange peel gratings/zests that are used in the post brewing prebottling phase of the beermaking process that gives it an interesting citrus finish that a lot of people like. Not me, however. But I do like the ideas of the other over/under pairings you and others in the thread have mentioned, particularly the Guinness-Smithwicks and the Guinness-cider pairings. Thanks for starting this thread.

[OC Richard]

That zing you are tasting is actually orange peel gratings/zests that are used in the post brewing prebottling phase of the beermaking process that gives Blue Moon an interesting citrus finish...

Very interesting and thanks for the information!

Since my local doesn't have Blue Moon, I shall undertake, at great personal sacrifice and purely as a Civic Duty to my Fellow Man, to bravely sample each on-tap product available at my pub, under Guinness.

[artificer]

but I am quite familiar with Blue Moon, I believe it is known as a Belgian White Ale. That zing you are tasting is actually orange peel gratings/zests that are used in the post brewing prebottling phase of the beermaking process that gives it an interesting citrus finish that a lot of people like. Not me, however. But I do like the ideas of the other over/under pairings you and others in the thread have mentioned, particularly the Guinness-Smithwicks and the Guinness-cider pairings. Thanks for starting this thread.

Blue Moon is actually a pretty commercialized attempt at a Belgian White.
They use citrus instead of grains of paradise.

I'd call it, at best, "in the style of a Belgian White", since it bears little resemblance to a true Belgian brewed white ale.

ith:

[Standard]

Here's a couple of more that we choose from when down at the Rose and Crown Pub at EPCOT at Walt Disney World.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/med...m-menu-pub.pdf
I like the Bumblebee, and my wife is rather fond of the Cider and Black. Our local 'pub' the Wine Sellars does a good Black and Tan and whatever variant you can come up with.

[Beertigger]

A few years back, some friends and I experimented a bit and came up with a Half & Half variant to honor the founder of Tucson: Hugo O'Conor, an Irishman in the service of Spain.

Thus, the Hugo is Guinness floated atop Dos Equis.

[mayberry]

As noted by PEEDYC, the Guinness/cider combination is often called a Poor Man's Black Velvet. The original Black Velvet was Guinness and Champagne, apparently invented to honour the passing of Prince Albert.
The interesting thing is that the Champagne floats on the Guinness, but Guinness floats on cider. Anybody want to try to make a "Black Velvet Sandwich", with Champagne on Guinness on cider? Is there a better name for it?
Cheers,
John

[J_Mimbs]

Never tried Guinness with Strongbow but I'll have to give it a try.

[DScottHunter]

Here's a bit of history on the label "Black and Tan". This label is one not heal in high regard in Ireland since it was the term used for the enforcement unit put together by the British to quell disturbances in Ireland. It's sorrid history involved terrorizing and killing local to keep peace . Refer to this article for some further information. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/black_and_tans.htm. Because of this history, in traditional Irish pubs, you will not find any beer mixtures refered to as "Black and Tan" so as not to give glory to those times.

[seanachie]

And just to throw into the mix...The Lazy Dog Cafe the OP mentioned is great if you like beer, dogs and kilts. I wear my kilt and take our dogs a few times a year. They even have a menu of items to order for the dogs.

[PEEDYC]

In my days in Glasgow a Black and Tan was Guinness or a Brown Ale mixed with Heavy (Bitter beer). Brown ale tended to be sweeter. A Sweet Brown Ale and Cider was a poor man's Black Velvet which was very potent and I only allowed myself a few each "session". It was avery sweet drink and an acquired taste. If you didn't like the sweetness then Heavy (Bitter) and Cider was the alternative known as a Snake Bite.

In my experience as a drinker and a bar tender etc anything mixed with cider is very potent.