The booze layering thread.

[the_bird]

My question for the peanut gallery; what IS it that causes one liquid to float on top of another? Is it just differences in density, i.e. the target for this project should be two beers with a large differential in their FGs, or is there some other property of the beers that impacts their surface tension? Like, does the bottom need to be less carbonated?

 

[olllllo]

I'm not at home but the test would be to have 2 glasses of water with different food coloring. Assuming that the food colors don't impact the viscosity, i think that with the proper spoon technique, you can float one over the other no problem.

Is there a bartender here?

 

[the_bird]

I'm not a bartender, but I've successfully poured a black and tan before, and I couldn't get it to work. Almost immediately the colored water difused throughout the glass. But, I'm not a professional.

 

[olllllo]

I'm not a bartender, but I've successfully poured a black and tan before, and I couldn't get it to work. Almost immediately the colored water difused throughout the glass. But, I'm not a professional.

Nice work. I guess my hypothesis is wrong.

Anyone have a 12 year old? Because this is going to be an excellent science fair project.

 

[Ryan_PA]

An answer, ala Wikipedia:

The most common Black and Tan in the United States uses Guinness and Bass. The stout is "layered" on top of the ale, taking advantage of the fact that Guinness is carbonated (nitrogenated) with a (lighter gas) mixture of nitrogen (N2 28g/mole) and carbon dioxide (CO2 44g/mole), versus Bass being carbonated with only CO2.

Link

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

It's dependent on density. In Trader Vic's Guide to Bartending, there's a chart listing the gravities of lots of different types of booze so you can layer them and make fancy girl-drinks.

 

[the_bird]

Crabmeat, you have any idea how much of a gravity differential one would need to get good layering properties?

 

[the_bird]

I think the biggest challenge P-funk is going to face will be on the vanilla-beer side, if it has to be low-gravity. I know you can get the sweetness, but that would seem to be a beer type that could use a big of body itself. The dark beer should be straightforward, a chocolate porter of some kind, but the vanilla beer might need some tweaks to get right.

 

[olllllo]

It's dependent on density.

There's a joke here, but I just can't get it into my my brain... too thick.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

http://www.hungrymonster.com/bar/Specific_gravity.cfm
http://www.drinkstreet.com/article.cgi?article=16

Check this out, there's tons more info out there.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

CC spot on, as always (or very frequently). Last winter I had a keg of stout and a keg of PA hooked to the same CO2 tank (single regulator) and I was able to easily make black and tans.

 

[SwAMi75]

Once you get your gravities sorted out, check this: www.brutul.com

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Once you get your gravities sorted out, check this: www.brutul.com

Love mine!

 

[david_42]

For beer, it doesn't take much of a difference. 1% in the ABV is plenty.

If you wanted to do make layers with water & food coloring, they would have to be at different temperatures. The simplest way is to freeze one of the colors & let it thaw in the glass.

I've seen layered boiler makers. I can't remember the name, but there's a black & tan with a shot on top.

Of course, if you are working with liquors you have many more choices. Layered drinks

 

[the_bird]

Ok, cool.

Just as a little background, the whole reason for this thread (and the reason that it was separated out by one of the mods) is that P.Funk is trying to create a couple of beers - one something like Cheesefood's Caramel Cream Ale and the other a darker beer, I think a chocolate beer of some kind, but he wants to be able to layer them. Is the key, then, that he just design one beer to have at least a 1% difference in the ABV? Both beers could be full-bodied, as long as one of them had a higher alcohol content?

I'm actually kind of intrigued by the project. I have a mocha stout that I know my wife would LOVE mixed with a vanilla-based beer of some kind. Personally, it does nothing for me, but she'd love it.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

ABV shouldn't have anything to do with it. I drink crown floats all the time that's Guinness layered on top of Strongbow cider, and the cider is around 5.3%ABV I think. It purly has to do with the density of the fluid. Heavier on the bottom. That's why you can layer water at different temps, the colder it is the higher it's SG (until you get to 4C then it starts going back down, it's how we're all alive - but that's a different thread.)

 

[Desert_Sky]

not totally off topic, but I had a nitro poured Guiness floated on top a SmithWicks last night. Very smooth and very good IMO.

 

[david_42]

ABV has a lot to do with it, because alcohol is lighter than water. It's not the entire story, just the first five chapters. Guinness can run as high as 7.5% in the Extra Stout versions.

If the cider was chilled & the Guinness not, that also makes a difference. Take your finish hydrometer along next time & do as much research as necessary. There will be a test in the morning ... early.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Take your finish hydrometer along next time & do as much research as necessary. There will be a test in the morning ... early.

LOL, I concede! No tests!

 

[the_bird]

I'd be happy to do all the research, but I'm afraid I'd have to let the beer go flat before I could get an accurate hydrometer reading. Ugh.

 

[olllllo]

Yes barkeep, I'll have the HSA Threat Level... and make it Severe!

 

[Cap'n Jewbeard]

Man, how lame- I didn't even realize this thread was about me... (Youuuu're so lame... you probably think this thread is about you...)

So, here's what I'm planning- I'll be posting a recipe thread later.

For the bottom layer, a thick, high FG chocolate porter (sweet, almost no hoppiness if any; like Framboise but with chocolate), not very carb'd.

For the top layer: an effervescent, relatively light-bodied semi-sweet vanilla, higher alcohol, high carbonation, hopefully high attenuation. The sweetness here will come from just a little lactose, mostly it will be suggested by the nose and flavor of the vanilla.

That should work, I hope...

Thoughts?

(And I will cross-post this into the recipe thread when I start it, as long as the mods don't mind)

 

[Cheesefood]

I did ones that were oatmeal stout and Wit. The first couple were delicately layered, the last couple were just dumped in together. They were really, really good though.

 

[Cap'n Jewbeard]

So... $11.95 for a "BruTul"... or...

This, for, like, $.99 cents.

 

[olllllo]

So... $11.95 for a "BruTul"... or...

This, for, like, $.99 cents.

Bent spoon is free... but c'mon... this is all about presentation as well as taste.

go with the turtle.

ETA:
Arg#2:
You can't lay down a Carly Simon reference and not have some lounge sensibility.
turtle...turtle...turtle...turtle...

 

[dantodd]

I'd be happy to do all the research, but I'm afraid I'd have to let the beer go flat before I could get an accurate hydrometer reading. Ugh.

doesn't the carbonation contribute to the ability of one beer to float on top of another?