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Smooth and surprisingly decadent, this cocktail is as divisive as it is delish.
About the cocktail
Yep, we know. We had the exact same thoughts when scanning the words Guinness and Champagne. Two top-tier tipples in their own right, both with a storied past and avid – some might even say hardcore – devotees. “Sure, but together?” we hear you say. It may sound like a polarising combination in a glass, but the Black Velvet cocktail just works so well. The pairing of the luscious Guinness stout with the effervescent brightness of Champagne or sparkling wine feels like a rebellion against all things proper. But from the first sip, it becomes clear: this isn’t chaos, it’s craft. Rich, creamy and crisp, the Black Velvet is for beer lovers and Champagne connoisseurs alike, uniting these Irish and French icons in one decadent drop. Still not convinced? It tastes a little like the full-throttle love-child of a bourbon and coke and an Espresso Martini – but better. And it looks just as bewitching. Created in 1861 at Brooks’s Club in London, the Black Velvet was created as a tribute to Prince Albert’s passing. But don’t be fooled by its origins; this drink wears its tuxedo well. It’s become an under-the-radar luxury in modern times; the kind of cocktail you’d expect to see sipped at a candlelit soirée or a speakeasy with jazz lilting through the air – not just something that comes out on St Patrick’s Day. Smooth and indulgent, a touch of bitterness is offset by a bubbly lightness that keeps it fresh and inviting. This dark horse epitomises ‘don’t knock it ‘til you try it’.
Watch: How to make a Black Velvet
Ingredients
120mL Guinness Draught 60mL Champagne or sparkling wine Glass: Champagne flute
Method
Pop your glass in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill Once the glass is frosty, pour in the Guinness Add the sparkling wine carefully from a height to ensure they combine and froth
Dan’s top tips
After much research by our dedicated drinks team, who write and test all our cocktail recipes, we landed on the best ratio – two-thirds Guinness to one-third sparkling. However, if you’re using Champagne, feel free to go with equal parts. As always, once you’ve mastered the base recipe, you can play around with these levels to modify it to your taste. When selecting your Guinness for this cocktail, the bottled version is generally best as the canned stout may not always give you the right level of fizz. For the sparkling wine element, if you feel like Champagne is a touch too extravagant for mixing in a cocktail, we recommend choosing your favourite bubbles, but it will make quite a difference to the end result. Too sweet? Choose a dry – or brut – bubbles, or use a little less. Too dry? You could even splash in a dash of sugar syrup with a swift stir. If you feel like something other than sparkling in this drink, the ‘poor man's Black Velvet’ subs the wine for cider. Typically served in a pint glass to showcase the lovely layered effect when poured correctly (read: carefully and from a height), the cider adds a lovely fruity, tart edge. But no matter which version you go for, we think you might just be surprised by this unexpectedly decadent cocktail.
image credits: Shelley Horan (photography), Raye Scerri (videography), Bridget Wald (styling), LSS (production).
