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Black Velvet Beer Cocktail is a luxurious, silky smooth cocktail made from equal parts champagne and Guinness stout. It seems to be a strange combination of fancy and working-class but it works!

Foamy, black cocktail in a glass beer mug with bottles of Guinness and champagne in the background.

The story behind this black velvet drink:

It was first made by the steward at Brooks’s Club in London in 1861 to mourn the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s Prince Consort. It is supposed to symbolize the black armbands worn by mourners. They felt that “even the champagne should be in mourning.”

Black Velvet Cocktail in a glass tankard.

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Black Velvet Cocktail ingredients:

You will need a dark, stout beer such as Guinness and sparkling white wine such as Champagne or Prosecco.

A bottle of Guinness beer, a bottle of Korbel champagne and two empty beer tankards with green beads on a wooden surface.

How to make a Black Velvet Cocktail:

Fill a tankard, beer glass or champagne flute half-way with champagne.

Half a tankard of champagne with a bottle of Guinness and green beads in the background.

Pour an equal amount of stout beer into the glass.

Looking down on a glass of foamy black beer with a bottle of champagne and green beads in the background.

Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:

Chill the stout and champagne the day before making your cocktail.
The amount of cocktails will depend on the size of glasses that are used.
To store leftover champagne: replace the cork with a silicone stopper, place the cage on top of the stopper and twist to secure. Store in the refrigerator.

Cage and blue silicone stopper on champagne bottle.

Use leftover champagne or prosecco within a day or two.

Tools used to create this cocktail:

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Variations of this cocktail:

Poor Man’s Black Velvet – when sparkling apple or pear cider is used in place of the champagne outside of the UK.
Bismark – the name given in Germany when Schwarzbier (a dark lager) is used instead of stout, and it is served in a beer stein.
Italian Velvet – substitutes two parts Birra Moretti La Rossa (now owned by Heineken) for the stout and one part Prosecco.
Bien Jojay – is made of cider, white beer and Guinness in Quebec, Canada.
Champagne Velvet – equal parts cold porter and champagne stirred slowly in a goblet.

Additional Irish cocktail recipes:

Traditional Irish Coffee – made with Irish whiskey, brown sugar, brewed coffee and lightly whipped cream.
Jameson & Ginger – a combination of Irish whiskey, lime juice and ginger ale served over ice.
Irish Mule – a combination of Irish whiskey, lime juice, and ginger beer served over ice in a copper mug.
Boozy Shamrock Shake – vanilla ice cream and milk blended with peppermint schnapps and topped with whipped cream and decorative sprinkles.

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This drink is an obvious choice for St. Patrick’s Day, but it would also be perfect for New Year’s Eve and Halloween!

Sláinte!