Remember what you drank last St. Patty’s Day? No? That’s distressing but not surprising. Odds are, though, that if you weren’t guzzling something “lite” dyed green, you were having yourself a stout.
What kind of stout, do you suppose? For Guinness is not the only one out there; in fact, it’s not even the only Irish example. But first, what makes a stout? They are easily recognizable from their dark brown to black opaque color and many appear (and feel) creamy. That’s not always the case, though; what does tie almost all stouts together is the use of roasted barley, which gives the style a dry feel and a toasty taste that can range from coffee to chocolate.
The traditional Irish brew, and probably the most common, is called the Dry Irish Stout. They will feel light in your mouth, yet still creamy: two seemingly mutually exclusive sensations, but anyone who’s had a Guinness knows the touch on their tongue. After Guinness the other two big guys are Murphy’s and Beamish, both of whom are owned by Heineken. A few more local brews that come recommended include Gritty McDuff’s Black Fly Stout, Bluefin Stout from Shipyard Brewing, and Riley’s Stout from Paper City Brewing.
Another essential type of stout is the Oatmeal Stout. Oats are actually thrown into the mash, creating a super-smooth, sweetish stout. Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout is probably the best known of them, followed closely by Young’s. If you’re still staying local, both Ipswich and Wolaver’s have oatmeal stouts.
More hearty stouts after the jump!
Photo courtesy [puamelia] on Flickr using Creative Commons License
And then there’s the ever intriguing milk stout. It too is sweeter than your average dry Irish stout, but the sweetness cuts the roasted taste a bit. The milk stouts get their name because they are brewed with the unfermentable sugar, lactose. It doesn’t break down and thus sweetens the beer. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout is, of course, a famous example, and the Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery in North Carolina does it quite well. But around here you can try the Left Hand Milk Stout or Sam Adams Cream Stout.
Lastly, we mustn’t ignore the Russian Imperial Stout. According to BeerAdvocate, the English brewed a strong stout to export to the Balkans in the 1800s; the Russians were particularly taken with it, especially the Russian Imperial Court, hence the name. The alcohol by volume is high and the tastes of roasted, chocolate, and other malts are even bigger. A number of great breweries make imperial stouts including the Rogue Imperial Stout, North Coast’s Old Rasputin, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, and even Great Lake’s Blackout Stout. Close to home you can try imperial stouts from Sam Adams, Smuttynose, Left Hand, and Clipper City (their Heavy Seas Peg Leg always being a crowd favorite).
So celebrate St. Patty’s day with a stout (of any variety) and let us know what your own favorite is…if you remember.
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