Half and half-The Daily Ledger

"Half and half" is the name of various beverages and foods made of an equal-parts mixture of two substances, including dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks.

Alcoholic beverages

Belgium

In some cafés in Brussels, a "half en half", Dutch for "half and half", is a mixture of white wine and champagne. Originally, it was a mixture of two different typical beer types from Brussels: 50% lambic and 50% faro.

Half and half

Denmark

If you order a "half and half" in a Copenhagen bar, you will get a mixture of dark beer and pilsner (lager). The dark beer is a Danish version of an Imperial stout-type beer; in Denmark simply called "porter", which is a little sweeter than a Guinness.

Half and half

Ireland, England and North America

In Britain, a half and half may mean a mixture of mild ale and bitter.

Half and half

In the North East of England, a request for a half and half would more commonly produce a combination of Scotch ale and India pale ale (IPA). This drink fell from favour when the Scottish & Newcastle brewery were obliged to sell many of their tied public houses and McEwan's Scotch and IPA disappeared from public bars across the North East.

In Canada and the United States, Black and Tan refers to Guinness and a lager or ale that will support the Guinness, most commonly Bass Ale, although some Irish-themed bars shun the term for its association with the Royal Irish Constabulary's "Black and Tans" force. A Half and Half is Guinness and Harp. A Guinness and Smithwick's is a Blacksmith.

Scotland

In Scotland, a "hauf an a hauf" (half and a half) is a glass of whisky (a "wee hauf", a quarter gill) and a half-pint of beer as a chaser.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia

"Pola pola" ("half and half") is a slang term for the drink spritzer, made out of equal parts of white wine or rosé wine and carbonated water. Different ratios of wine and carbonated water are named with various slang terms, depending on the region. "Pola pola" is also known as "litra i voda" (one bottle of wine and one bottle of carbonated water), as well as "Litar-litar" (as in 1 liter of wine, 1 liter of water) and "Gemišt".

Switzerland

In Switzerland, and more particularly in Valais, a half & half is a mixture of dry and sweet liquor of the same fruit. In the canton of Geneva, a "moitié-moitié" generally refers to a digestif containing one half Williamine liqueur and one half Williamine eau-de-vie. In the canton of Ticino, a mezz e mezz (literally half and half in the local Ticinese dialect) refers to a mixture of one half local Merlot wine and one half gazosa (a local lemon-flavoured carbonated soft drink).

Uruguay

In Uruguay there's a beverage called "Medio y Medio" ("half and half") that consists of sweet sparkling wine and dry white wine in equal parts. "Medio y medio" comes in Red, Rosé and White varieties, the latter being the original and most popular. It is massively consumed during the holidays but it can be found in certain places throughout the year as well. The most common "Medio y Medio" is the one produced by Roldós, a local restaurant that claims having invented the mixture.

"Medio y medio" is also the name for another cocktail, made with White Vermouth and "Caña" (literally "cane"), a 35–50% alcoholic beverage distilled from sugar cane. This name, however, is used not in the majority of bars but only in the most traditional ones, probably due to the existence of Roldós' "Medio y Medio".

Non-alcoholic beverages

The Arnold Palmer, also known as a half and half, is popular in the Northeastern United States. The drink consists of 1 part lemonade and 1 part iced tea; variations may include a mixture of sweet and unsweetened tea. In the Southern United States, "half and half" may also refer to a mixture of half sweet, half unsweetened tea. Some coffee shops in colder climates serve a half and half drink consisting of half coffee and half hot chocolate, similar to caffè mocha. Half & Half might also refer to a flavor of soda that combines the flavors of grapefruit and lemon.

Canada and the United States

In Canada and the United States, half and half almost always refers to a light cream typically used in coffee. (See below.) The name refers to the liquid's content of half milk and half cream. It is widely available in the United States, both in individual-serving containers and in bulk. It is also used to make ice cream. Non-fat versions of the product are also available, containing corn syrup and other ingredients.