Half and half refers to various beverages or liquid foods made of an equal-parts mixture of two substances, including dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks.

Dairy product

In the United States, half and half is a very light cream typically used in coffee. Its butterfat content is about 12.5%, which makes it low-calorie and more stable in coffee. It is widely available in the United States, both in individual-serving containers and in bulk. It is also used to make ice cream. The same product is known as half cream in the United Kingdom.

Alcoholic beverage

Australia

In New South Wales a "half and half" (also known as a "fifties") consists of half Tooheys New (a draught) and half Tooheys Old (a dark ale). In pubs where Tooheys New is not available, Carlton Draught may be substituted. This is commonly known as a "Flaming Carlo", (From Carlton and Old)
Other combinations are:
Tooheys Old & Fosters Light = "Bruiser"
Carlton & Fosters Light = "Tutti Fruitti"
Carlton & Lift with Iceblocks = "Swamp Water" or "Swampie"

Belgium

In Brussels, a "half en half" (Dutch for "half and half") is a mixture of white wine and champagne.

Ireland, England and North America

In Ireland and England, a half and half is a combination of Guinness draught and Harp Lager, with the Guinness in a layer on top.

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 favor 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 the United States and Canada, a capitalized Half & Half is Guinness draught and Harp lager. A lower case half & half is generic for Guinness draught and any lager/ale that will support the Guinness draught. When Bass ale is used, you have a "black and tan".

Scotland

In Scotland, a half and a half is a dram of whisky and a half-pint of heavy as a 'chaser'

Switzerland

In Switzerland, and more particularly in Valais, a half & half is a mixture of dry and sweet liquor of the same fruit. In Romandy, a moitié-moitié (lit. half-half) can refer to coffee mixed with an equal amount of milk.

Beverages

Polar Beverages makes a soft drink called Half & Half which combines the flavors of natural grapefruit and lemon.

A half and half, also known as an Arnold Palmer, is a popular Southern United States drink consisting of 1/2 lemonade and 1/2 iced tea.

Food

In the North West of England, principally Liverpool, and throughout Wales, the phrase half and half is used when you can't decide to have chips or rice with a take out meal. It can generally be ordered with any meal from a (usually) Chinese take away shop e.g. beancurd in blackbean sauce with greenpeppers, chips and rice. It is also popular with vivid yellow plain curry sauce draped over chips and boiled rice.

The term 'Half and half' (pronounced ARF N' ARF) is used on construction sites in London (eg. London King's Cross Station Redevelopment). Canteens, often staffed with cockney middle aged woman, use the term frequently between themselves to describe an order selection to be served to a worker. Most often there will always be a choice of meal where you can select the 'half and half' combination and one need only say when ordering the term 'half and half' to convey a well understood order.

Half and half commonly understood to be a bed of half chips and half rice. A classic selection would be 'chicken curry half and half' or 'chili concarne half and half'. However, slight various do apply. For example, 'spaghetti half and half' would be spaghetti bolognese served on a bed of chips. Rice in that dish would be plain silly.

Generally, 'half and half' is very satisfying given its high carbohydrate content. When consumed in a canteen environment, it is unlikely that one would suffer from food envy.

"Half rice half chips" is sometimes used as a slang phrase to describe a person of the bisexual persuasion.

Tobacco

Half and Half is an Owensboro, Kentucky-based tobacco company.

Notes