Black Velvet Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/16/22
Tested by Joan Velush
Black Velvet Hero

The Spruce / Emily Baker

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
162 Calories
0g Fat
5g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 162
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 11mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 112mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The black velvet is an interesting mixed drink that combines ​​Champagne and dark beer in a single glass. One may think this an unlikely combination but it's actually quite good. It has been around for a very long time and may even be the original beer mixed drink!

Supposedly, the black velvet was created by a London steward. It was served while the country was in mourning over the 1861 death of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert.

For the stout, Guinness Extra Stout is an excellent choice and the most common beer poured in this cocktail. If you're careful while pouring it, you can get the two ingredients to create the beautiful layers of pale sparkling wine with a thick black base and foamy head. It can be helpful to use the bartender's floating trick by pouring the beer over the back of a bar spoon to disrupt the flow. It's the secret behind other layered beer drinks like the black and tan.

The drink has been such a hit over the years that it inspired a few companies to bottle similar mixes over the years. However, it's rare that these last long on the market. That's not really a surprise because it's such an easy mix that anyone can pull off at home.

“The Black Velvet Cocktail pairs the slightly bitter richness of stout with the light and effervescent quality of champagne. If you’ve never tried stout this would be a great introduction.” —Joan Velush

Black Velvet Cocktail/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces chilled Champagne

  • 4 ounces chilled stout

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    champagne and stout ingredients

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  2. Pour the Champagne into a wine flute, filling the glass about halfway.

    champagne in flute

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  3. Slowly top with the stout to fill the glass. Serve and enjoy.

    stout poured on top of champagne in glass

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

Tips

  • You can also pour this drink in a beer mug or pint glass, though the flute does add a fancy touch. No matter the glass, pour equal amounts of Champagne and stout.
  • Since there is no ice involved in mixing this drink, it really is best when both ingredients are well-chilled. It's something you likely do for both sparkling wine and stout anyway but don't forget to do it when making the black velvet.
  • Though traditionally made with French Champagne, any sparkling wine will create a nice black velvet. You might, for instance, pour Italy's Prosecco or Spain's cava, both of which tend to be less expensive than Champagne.

Recipe Variation

  • Some people prefer the black velvet with more Champagne rather than the 1:1 mix in this recipe. Try a 2:1 pour by visually dividing the glass into three parts, pouring that much wine, then topping it with the stout.

How Strong Is a Black Velvet?

Mixing two light alcoholic beverages is going to result in a light cocktail compared to most which typically include at least one liquor. Guinness Extra Stout is bottle at 5.6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and the average for Champagne is 12 percent ABV. Combining the two, the black velvet will be 8 percent ABV.