A stronger, darker brew flavored like a porter (lots of roasted malt character), is commonly referred to as stout. Wildly successful in London during the mid-1700s, the stout style?lots of malt, hop and alcohol?rapidly spread throughout the British Isles and Europe.
Today Stouts are brewed all over the world. Guinness, the most famous stout beer, exemplifies the dry, Irish style. American brewers have blended tradition and experimentation; some brew spend time in used bourbon barrels and might even contain chocolate or coffee.
Samuel Smith Imperial Stout
$11.99/4-Pack at CNG Wine & Spirits
4 pulses
Imperial or Baltic Stouts were brewed with extra alcohol to please the Czar of Russia, the sole importer of the brew, and to survive the long cold sea voyage to the Czar’s palace.
With smells of baker’s chocolate, dried banana and espresso, the robust malt character covers every trace of alcohol. Big, bold flavors of coffee and malt linger and light, lemon flavored hops balance out the huge malt presence. Fairly heavy and creamy but not too rich, this brew makes a great dessert.
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
$5.69/22oz at Beer Depot
5 pulses
Originally brewed as a dietary supplement for invalids, athletes and nursing mothers, stouts brewed with oatmeal contain greater amounts of protein. The Shakespeare Stout benefits from the oatmeal through its fresh, clean aromas of malted chocolate and grapefruit. Tasting of whole grain bread and milk chocolate this stout is creamy in texture but light and delicious enough, to drink more than just one.
Rogue – Chocolate Stout
$5.99/22oz at Beer Depot
4 pulses
Another Rogue brew with Oatmeal, but this one throws another ingredient into the mix?chocolate.
Brewed with actual chocolate and chocolate malts, the Chocolate Stout smells like Hershey’s syrup and malted milk balls. Flavors of sweet dark bread and an obscene amount of chocolate commingle creating an elegant brew perfect for dessert or with fresh berries, although it’s a bit on the heavy side.
Highland Brewing Co. Black Mocha Stout
$9.99/6-Pack at Beer Depot
3 pulses
Loaded with smells of espresso, soy sauce and a mildly astringent hop aroma, Highland’s Stout promises big flavor. Initially sweet tastes of chocolate lead into espresso balanced against floral hops that zing the tongue. Lightly dry on the finish, Highland’s Stout is a little too thin and watery but still worth a try.
BBC Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout
$13.99/4 Pack at CNG Wine & Spirits
3 pulses
Blending two great flavors together, BBC oaks its stout beer in barrels once used to age the award-winning bourbon Jefferson’s Reserve. With a truly stout 11% ABV, this oak-aged brew smells of mocha, caramel, molasses and vanilla with a hint of lemony hops. Malt flavors like bittersweet chocolate blend into the vanilla, honey and butterscotch characteristics borrowed from the bourbon barrels. Creamy and thick although a little sticky, this is a really nice beer?I just wish there was more bourbon flavor.
