We had read once that a Dog’s Nose is two ounces of gin mixed with beer. Sounds awful, and it is–if that’s all you do. We assumed any American lager style beer would do, and that it was served cold. Wrong! A proper Dog’s Nose should be served warm with a little sugar and a little nutmeg, and it needs a heavier beer like a porter or stout.

Somewhere in our travels across the internets, we came across a book called called Drinking with Dickens, which is quite fascinating for many reasons, one of which is that it is written by the grandson of Charles Dickens. It also goes into detail about all the various types of alcohol being consumed in all of Dickens’ novels. And finally, its recipe for the Dog’s Nose is not just drinkable; it’s delicious and a perfect addition to a chilly November evening in front of the fireplace.

For historical accuracy, I used Hayman’s Old Tom gin, and I’ve also had good results using Bols Genever. Any gin you happen to have around will probably work fine though.

Dogs Nose

16 oz Guinness
2 oz of gin
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Warm ingredients in a saucepan (medium heat) until hot but not boiling. Pour into two large coffee mugs and sprinkle with nutmeg and/or cinnamon.