BLACK VELVET
The story of Black Velvet has something decidedly fascinating.
In 1861, at Brooks's in London, a private "gentlemen's club", people of low and high rank gathered to remember the death of Prince Consort Albert, who had disappeared a few hours earlier.
The cocktail was created to symbolize and honor the mournful union between the aristocracy, represented by sparkling wine, and the common people, represented by dark beer and the preparation technique allowed to create a black band that resembles a mourning band.
Black Velvet combines (used in equal parts) the light and effervescent quality of a dry sparkling wine like Prosecco with the slightly bitter richness of a dark beer (Stout, Dunkel or Black-IPA).
One may think this an unlikely combination but it's actually quite good.