The holiday party season is in full swing. You need to bring something to the party that’s fun, festive, a crowd-pleaser, and dare I say, easy. This time of year, you’re running all over the place trying to plan for a million things and honestly, more than two ingredients in a holiday treat is too much to handle. Enter: the Black Velvet.

This beer cocktail is so easy. I modified it from Paste Magazine’s recipe. It’s got two ingredients: stout beer and champagne. Measuring ingredients? Forget about it - it’s just equal parts of each. Serve it up in a champagne glass to feel a little fancy and there you have it.

This weekend, I had my sisters and my friend Maddie over to try it out and it was a hit! The wine drinkers of the group loved it just as much as the beer drinkers. In fact, I would say that the champagne is the dominant flavor in the drink. The stout is there to add some depth. I used Able Seedhouse + Brewery’s Blk Wlf stout. It’s a classic stout that made a great base to mix with the champagne.

So next time you find yourself rushing to think of something to bring to the party - or to serve at your own party! Just pick up some champagne and stouts and mix up some Black Velvets.