4 Fizzy, Frothy and Buzzy Guinness Cocktails

 “Guinness cocktail” often conjures up a well-known but insensitively titled beer-and-a-shot pounder, which will not be named here. But Guinness — the very paradigm for stout beer with its malty, roasty notes and light mouthfeel — has more to offer when it comes to its versatility for use in cocktails.

“The classic and iconic taste of Guinness Draught is not overly sweet, which makes it a dynamic option for mixing,” says Zack Berger, Brand Advisor for Guinness. “It’s one of those beers that won’t overpower other ingredients, but rather enhances them,” he says, whether used in its traditional form, or even cooked down into a rich and malty syrup.

With its creamy head and signature flavor, as well as a zero alcohol option that’s as close in flavor and body to its original source as non-alcoholic beers get, bartenders have put Guinness to use in cocktails via a number of classic and creative applications.

Fizzy Guinness: Black Velvet

(Cocktail, Low ABV, or Mocktail variations)

Black Velvet care of Guinness

Guinness has long been used in a simple, two-ingredient mixed drink that predates most of modern cocktail culture. The Black Velvet is a storied libation, thought to have been invented in mid-19th Century London for a “Champagne in mourning” effect to recognize the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort.

Matching the fizz of sparkling wine, but giving it a goth appearance, the Black Velvet still has life among bartenders, especially given the rise of sparkling cocktails, and the trend for low- and no-ABV drinks that have amassed a following among younger generations. Since Guinness only has a modest 4.2% ABV to begin with, the traditional two-ingredient recipe for a Black Velvet already offers up a gentle sipper, all the more so if either or both of its parts is swapped for a no-ABV version. In any case, the result is visual drama, while light and refreshing on the palate with a hint of malt and toast.

Benoit Cornet, General Manager of New York’s Café Select recommends the half and half approach: “We make our Black Velvet with Guinness 0,” he says, “so the ABV stays even lower for those who prefer taking it easy on the booze.”

Black Velvet Cocktail/Mocktail

Recipe courtesy of Guinness

Guinness Draught or Guinness 0

Bubbly or non-alcoholic bubbly of choice, including regular or non-alcoholic sparkling wine or cider

Pour the bubbly while holding a spoon at the top to slowly trickle in the liquid.

Make sure you control the bubbles so they don’t overflow. Add ⅓ Guinness  or Guinness 0 to your flute.

Frothy Guinness: Twilight Zone

Twilight Zone care of The Dead Rabbit

We don’t often think of shaking already fizzy ingredients, but doing so can result in a frothy body that is somewhat similar to that which egg whites can achieve. (Given the price of eggs currently, bartenders — take note.) The team at The Dead Rabbit offers a Twilight Zone cocktail — for both its New York and Austin locations — where Guinness functions as egg white in a Whiskey Sour variation.

According to Beverage Director Aiden Bowie, “we use Guinness in the Twilight Zone to give a light, frothy texture to the cocktail. It wasn't supposed to be a replacement for egg white but more just a way to showcase how beer can be used in different styles of cocktails,” he says. “Whilst the texture is slightly different to egg white or aquafaba, Guinness really helps the cocktail shine and gives it an extra element.” Irish whiskey, maple syrup, fig, creme de cassis, and amaro round out the ingredient list, for nuanced flavor that is earthy, fruity, and spicy.

Twilight Zone

Recipe courtesy of Aiden Bowie, The Dead Rabbit

2 Dash Bittermens Burlesque Bitters

.75 oz Lemon uice

2 oz Roe & Co Irish Whiskey

2 oz Twilight Batch

Nutmeg 

Twilight Batch

.25 oz Maple Syrup

.5 oz Spiced Fig Honey

.25 oz Massenez Creme de Cassis

.25 oz Amaro Pasubio

1 oz Guinness

Shake and serve in a sour glass and garnish with a sprinkling of nutmeg. 

Buzzy Guinness: Selva at The Emily Hotel Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini with Guinness care of The Emily Hotel Chicago

With a tasting note that is often likened to roasted coffee, and providing its own sort of crema, Guinness is also an obvious choice for doubling down in an Espresso Martini variation, adding both depth of flavor and texture to the iconic drink. Not to mention a creative approach to a cocktail that begs for some creativity. (Here’s also another instance where Guinness 0 can be put to use in a non-alcoholic variation.)

Alex Pignotti, Beverage Director of Chicago’s The Emily Hotel, puts Guinness to use in this way for its cocktail bar, Selva. “We put a nice dose of Guinness Nitro draft stout on top,” he says, “for a build that is unique compared to what you get elsewhere around the city, and even the world. The nitro gives it a silky, creamy mouthfeel while also providing a malty chocolatiness I like to think is reminiscent of a milk dud without the overt sweetness.”

Espresso Martini

Recipe courtesy of Alex Pignotti, The Emily Hotel

2 oz Organic Gluten Free Vodka

.5 oz Espresso

.5 oz Coffee Liqueur

.25 Demerara sugar

Top Guinness Nitro Stout

Shake all ingredients besides Guinness and fine strain into a coupe. Top (roughly 1.5 oz) with Guinness Nitro stout and shave dark chocolate over top.

Frothy Guinness: Guinness Float

Guinness Irish Whiskey Float photo courtesy of Lotte New York Palace.

While Guinness has valuable cocktail applications at any time of year, come March, it really takes center stage as many bars tailor their menus in anticipation of St. Paddy's Day celebrations. A Guinness float is bound to make an appearance, a fun approach for both lowbrow and highbrow drinking establishments. Case in point: Exclusively offered in the Gold Room at Lotte New York Palace, the Guinness Float is a trinity of beloved Irish libations: Guinness is spiked with a dose of Jameson Irish Whiskey and poured over a base of Bailey's Irish Cream ice cream, for "a little piece of Irish flair" in Midtown Manhattan. It’s creamy, buzzy, fizzy and frothy, all at once.

Guinness Float

Recipe courtesy of Lotte New York Palace

3 scoops homemade Baileys Irish Cream ice cream

Bottle of Guinness

1.5 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey

Place three generous scoops of homemade Bailey's ice cream into a pilsner glass. Carefully fill the remainder of the glass with Guinness. Pour 1.5 oz of Jameson Irish Whiskey into a shot glass, which can be enjoyed as a float or an accompaniment. Serve with straw(s).