Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Black Velvet cocktail, a classic Irish cocktail made with stout beer and champagne.

This St. Patrick’s Day, I think it’s time to bring out the classy cocktails. It’s easy to associate the non-classy ones with this holiday. I’m all for Irish Car Bombs, green beer and mint chocolate martinis when the time is right. Last year I even made Baby Guinness Irish Coffee Jell-O Shots. But when St. Paddy’s falls mid-week, it’s not a bad idea to go a little lighter.

So this year, I’d like to introduce you to the Black Velvet Cocktail. This black beauty is a strong, smooth blend of champagne and stout beer. You could use traditional Irish Guinness beer, or you could opt for a coffee or chocolate stout. (I did!) Served in a champagne flute, this cocktail has all the poise of a champagne cocktail with a touch of the luck of Irish luck. Sláinte! // susannah

Click through to see the Black Velvet Cocktail recipe!

Black Velvet Cocktail

Name: Black Velvet Cocktail
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 3 ounces stout beer, chilled (such as; 3 ounces champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

A smooth and velvety drink made with Guinness beer and champagne to enjoy for St. Patrick's Day. Black is the new green!

Ingredients

3 ounces stout beer, chilled (such as
3 ounces champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Instructions

Holding the champagne flute at a 45° angle, slowly fill champagne flute halfway with beer.
Hold the bowl of a spoon upside-down (convex side up) over the glass, and pour champagne over the spoon on top of the beer. (This process is called floating, and gives the illusion of a foamy head on the beer.)