Stouts come in several styles. Which do you like best?
What’s your favorite style of beer? This is not an easy question for many beer lovers to answer. I am often asked this very question, but for me, the answer comes easily. The award goes to stout. This style of beer comes in many varieties and it is a popular beer in the craft- beer market. Let’s take a look at some facts about this style of beer:
History of Stout:
Stout is a relatively young style of beer. It was first introduced to the world by Ireland’s famed Guinness brewery, which introduced it in 1759, as an “extra stout” version of its porter. The name “stout” referred to the fact that this beer was a little more assertive than the regular porter. This new beer was, indeed, darker, hoppier, and richer than the porter, and it eventually overtook porter in popularity, becoming a style of beer in its own right.
Types of Stout:
Stout is usually brewed using roasted unmalted barley, pale malt, and sometimes caramel malt, along with generous amounts of hops. Stout is brewed using ale yeast, and thus it isn’t surprising that there is such an emphasis on the flavor of hops as well as the malt. Stouts vary, just like any other beer style, but they are often divided into four separate categories, based on sweetness level and alcohol content. The categories are:
1. Dry Stout: Dark brown or black in color, this type of stout often has a coffee- like taste and a roasted character. Guinness is the most popular of all dry stouts. The majority of stout produced in Ireland is of the dry variety. The alcohol level in these stouts varies, and people are often fooled into thinking that, because they are flavorful, the alcohol content must be high. This isn’t always the case. Guinness, for example, actually has less alcohol than many popular American beers.
2. Milk Stout: These stouts also have a dark color. They usually are a little lower in alcohol than dry stout. Their main characteristic is the addition of milk sugar (lactose) in the brewing process, making the stout taste sweeter, smoother, and creamier than dry stout.
3. Imperial Stout: Again, Imperial stout is dark in color, but it can sometimes be more of a dark brown than black. The thing that sets this stout apart from the others is the stronger alcohol content, which usually ranges between 6 and 11 percent by volume. Imperial stout was originally brewed for consumption by people in Russia, to help them stay warm during the frigid winter months. The high alcohol content is evident in this type of stout, especially in the finish.
4. Oatmeal Stout: This type of stout is similar to milk stout, but it’s even sweeter and silkier, often with a bittersweet finish. The addition of oats makes it this way. The sweetness of this beer makes it a good companion with sweet desserts. Oatmeal stout was first recognized for its nutritional value and it was popular in England with nursing mothers and athletes.
Stout is a great beer style, characterized by its roasted malt taste and dark, rich body. I’m partial to this style of beer, and whenever I’m out in a restaurant or shopping for beer in the store, stout is usually the first style that I look for. I like darker beer the most, because the roasting of the malt brings out more flavors when compared to lighter beer.
As you can see from the list above, stout is a varied product and a little bit of knowledge can go a long way in finding the style of stout that is right for the occasion. Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a sweeter brew and oatmeal stout hits the spot. Other times, a rich, strong, flavorful stout is what I crave and imperial stout is the beer I reach for. Depending on your mood or the circumstances, there should be a stout to fit your needs.
Many styles of beer exist, and they all have something good to offer. For me, I enjoy all styles of beer to an extent, but stout will always remain at the top of my list. It’s the style of beer I seek the most and with the number of varieties and flavors, there is a stout to fit most any palate.
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