Ingredients
- Guinness beer, chilled
- Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
Chef notes
Intricate cocktails have their time and place, but when hosting a large-scale party or simply not in the mood for complicated, a simple drink that you can construct quickly is ideal. Two-ingredient drinks come in many forms and while it may seem counterintuitive, Guinness and Champagne make for a winning combo in the category. As the story goes, the Black Velvet was created by a London steward and was served while the country was in mourning over the 1861 death of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, because the dark beer added a somber note to the usually festive Champagne. While that may be this simple cocktail's origin story, it can certainly be enjoyed on a day of celebration as well!
Swap option: If you don't want to spring for a real Champagne, any good-quality, brut (dry) sparkling wine can be substituted. Also feel free to swap a highball glass for a flute for a more festive touch.
Preparation
Fill a highball or flute glass halfway with chilled Guinness.
Top with chilled Champagne, pouring it over the back of a spoon into the glass.
