Question: Is Guinness the perfect beer? It seems natural to ask that question in the middle of March, so close to St. Patrick's Day, when all the bars have specials on the opaque ale, while at the same time trying to convince us that green beer is really worth our shillings.
But honestly, can you name one other beer so recognized around the world, a beer that is so thirst-quenching yet tasty, and so pleasing to watch as it cascades its carbon dioxide bubbles down the glass after delivery from the tap?
I can't think of one. And though I wouldn't want to mess with perfection, Guinness is also one of the most versatile beers, playing nicely with Bailey's and Jameson in Irish Car Bombs, and other beers, like in the Black and Tan.
At Kildare's in Newark, where we stopped for lunch last week, they have a full menu devoted to mixing the perfect Irish beer with all kinds of other beers, so we sampled a few.
First of all, anyone out there who might still be a little frightened by the "black" color of Guinness, thinking it's a heavy beer, please don't judge a book by its cover.
Guinness is technically ruby in color, and a "light beer," weighing in at an original gravity of 1.070 and an ABV (alcohol by volume) of about 4.1 percent. (For comparison, Miller Lite's original gravity is 1.041 and its ABV is 4.3 percent.)
That low gravity, or essentially its weight, is what gives Guinness the ability to "play nice" with other beers, in that it can sit atop another heavier beer, creating a layered effect. This is most commonly known as the Black & Tan.
While the traditional Black & Tan is a combination of Ireland's Guinness Dry Stout and England's Bass Ale, Irish purists might sub in the golden lager Harp instead. At Kildare's, they'll mix up any respectable beer they've got on tap.
Like these, for example:
Black Velveteen ($4.75) * A mix of Guinness and Strongbow Cider (which accounts for more than half of the cider sold in Great Britain) this black-n-gold leaves quite the tart aftertaste, due to the apple effervescence.
For those who like Guinness, but might find it a bit on the bland side (for shame!), this combo is right up your alley and will go down at an average ABV of about 4.7 percent.
Blacksmith ($4.75) * A combination of Ireland's most famous ale, Guinness, and its oldest ale, Smithwick's, you'll be hard pressed to denote where one ale begins, and the other ends, because the two are so close in color.
But for those who like dark and roasty, this here is your black-n-black, with a nice malty finish that weighs in at 4.55 percent.
Half & Half ($4.75) * Ahh, yes, the classic Irish concoction mentioned before, mixing Guinness with Harp. This all-Irish Black & Tan will suffice for those who don't enjoy the British pale ale, and would rather go with a lighter lager mixed in with their Guinness. ABV is a meager 3.85 percent.
Black & Blue ($4.75) * Blue Moon's Belgian white ale has come a long way in popularity over the last few years, so mixing it with the most popular beer in the world makes sense.
Because Blue Moon is naturally sweet (due to the orange and coriander), it blends well with Guinness, but for purists who dismiss fruit in their beer, you might want to steer clear of this combo, which weighs in at 4.75 percent.
Black Velvet ($5) * We first tried this one at a New Year's party a few years back, which was appropriate at the time, since the recipe calls for half a pint of Guinness, mixed in with your favorite champagne.
However, unless you're celebrating something other than St. Pat's Day, you're better off sticking with beer. This one's tartness falls somewhere between the Black Velveteen and the Half & Half, but it does clock in at 7.55 percent.
Dirty Gaarden ($5.50) * A bit lighter on the fruit than Blue Moon, this mixer of Hoegaarden and Guinness makes for a fine combination. The bottom will be a little cloudier, due to Hoegaarden's bottle fermentation. This bad boy weighs in at 4.55 percent.
