Black Velvet: The Guinness And Champagne Combo You Weren't Expecting

When you've freshly turned 21, one of the things some veteran drinkers will emphatically remind you is to never mix different alcohols. The reasoning is that you're often less likely to keep track of how much alcohol you're really consuming. If you start with beer, stick with beer, don't start messing around with shots of vodka or glasses of wine. However, there are a few special mixed drinks that nix this idea completely, opting to combine unlikely alcohols together — and the result is something unexpectedly good. One of those cocktails is the aptly named black velvet. 

This swanky-sounding beverage is a combination of beer and champagne. As unusual as the combination sounds, it's been an unexpected success for decades with its unique flavor and smooth textures. So if you're ever stuck choosing between a chilled pint or a glass of bubbly, now you don't have to. The black velvet might be the favorite drink combo you've never heard of.

There are plenty of unusual cocktails out there that might leave you scratching your head at first mention — but they pack a surprisingly delicious punch. One such drink is the coffee & coke– a cocktail created by mixologists at The Dewberry in Charleston, South Carolina. The drink features unlikely combinations such as espresso, Coca-Cola, chocolate bitters, sweet vermouth, Gran Classico, and rye whiskey. "This cocktail is not only a nice way to end the evening, but a perfect way to start it as the taste profile is a unique blend of chocolate, coffee, and orange," bar manager Juliana Fisher told Forbes. With the recent unexpected trend of orange coffee, it seems these unusual flavor combinations are very much on the rise. 

If you're a fan of Negronis, the Roku Koori Negroni might be more your speed. Combining gin, rice wine vinegar, ice wine, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, and a grapefruit peel for garnish, this drink provides a perfect balance of cool, crisp, and sweet.

Shifting into a similar realm of the black velvet, consider giving the Kalimotxo a try. This drink has its origins in Spain– and you might know it better as the red wine and coke. The cocktail is as simple as it sounds. Not quite a sangria, not really a rum and coke, the Kalimotxo is just something you have to try for yourself. Now if you don't anticipate red wine and soda being your new unusual drink of choice, consider this Guinness-infused sparkling wine.

Out of the whole colorful lineup of cocktails from around the world, the black velvet is arguably one of the most unique. A one-to-one mixture of Guinness and French champagne (or any kind of sparkling wine you have on hand), the drink has been around for decades and is one of the only cocktails of its kind. Created over 160 years ago by a London steward, it was first made to honor Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert after his passing in 1861. 

While it's an elegant drink in terms of its name and looks, it's also super easy to make with only two ingredients. The heaviness of the stout pairs exceptionally well with the light sweetness of the sparkling wine, and it often comes served in a champagne glass for that extra decadent flair. To make one yourself, fill the glass about halfway with champagne. Then, slowly add the Guinness, pouring it over the back of a bar spoon to help layer the mixture to the top of the glass.

The aptly named black velvet is not the only beer cocktail in existence, lest we forget the micheladas, shandys,and caraway stout cocktails of the world. However, it might very well be the first. So give this cocktail pioneer a try. Even if you don't like dark beer — this drink might make you change your mind.