A type of ale, stouts have a different personality altogether and come in interesting variants. A chilled stout makes for a great companion, be it on a chilled weekend or at a club party – it’s a beer that can be enjoyed on any occasion! If you’re still trying to figure out the world of stouts, look no further! Let us hop in and get a complete run-down on ‘what is stout’.
What Is Stout?
A stout is a popular beer that is dark, top-fermented, and heavy-bodied. It’s prepared with a blend of ingredients like roasted barley or malt, water, hops, and yeast. The dark-roasted malted barley makes it stronger in taste, darker in color, and thicker in texture. This beer has a particularly large fan base in Ireland and Great Britain, and comes in different varieties like sweet stout, oyster stout, cream stout, and imperial stout.
You’re probably wondering, if it’s a type of beer, then why the name ‘stout’? A stout is nothing but a powerful ale and quite literally has its personality conveyed through its name since, like the word ‘stout’, stout beers are strong.
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The History Of Stout Beer
Wondering how stout beer came into existence? To answer your question, stout as a beer originally got its identity and name from a beer style known as the ‘porter’ in London. The porter was the preferred style of beer for the dock workers and street porters in London; it’s due to the latter that the beer got its name! Stout porters were simply stronger porters and were a hit with the people, to the extent that almost every other brewery was brewing only stouts. Later on, they went on to brew different flavors and types of stouts because of its huge popularity.
These stout porters got such a huge following that they traveled to different parts of the world, Ireland being one of them. This made Arthur Guinness, an Irish brewer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, start a brewery of his own, brewing porters with a twist. Arthur introduced newer and bolder versions of porter at his brewery in Dublin, which went on to become the world-famous Guinness Irish dry stout.
Over the years, people still tend to get confused between porter and stout – the distinction depends on how they’re made. Stout is slightly different from a porter, and is the stronger version of the two. Dark malted barley is used for making porters, whereas black malt goes into making stout beer.
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Taste
Although stout beer comes in a variety of styles, the one common thing all stout beers have is their color, which is dark black, making it a strong, bold, and powerful alcoholic drink. Stout beers have a balanced taste of both sweet and bitter, making them compatible in their own way. The flavors can range from chocolate to dried fruits to caramel to coffee, leaving your mouth with a smooth, velvety finish. Ever since its existence, stout has been an evergreen alcoholic drink, and there is no looking back.
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Types Of Stout
1. Irish Dry Stout
The Irish Dry stout is an extremely dark and bitter beer. Unmalted roasted barley is used in its preparation, which balances its overall characteristics and makes it a bit drier than the rest of the stout beers. Dry Irish stouts tend to be bitter and have a coffee-like texture. This is one of the most famous members of the beer troupe.
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2. Milk Stout
Milk stout is a dark beer that is brewed with lactose. Cream stout, also known as lactose, is a type of sugar that does not get exposed to yeast during the fermentation process, making the stout tastier and sweeter.
Milk stouts are not too sweet; they just have a balanced sweet taste to complement the bitterness from the dark malts. Nitrogen is added to many milk stouts to make them thick and creamy in texture; it creates nitro bubble foam, which is thicker and lasts longer.
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3. Oatmeal Stout
Since oats are considered to be on the healthier side, breweries tried their hands at healthy beers by adding oats to their stout. Healthy or not, this type of stout continues to exist! While brewing malt, only 30% of oats are added so that it does not get too bitter in taste. Oats are fully loaded with fats and proteins, giving the beer a smoother, richer, and finer texture and taste. Oatmeal stouts are on the sweeter side compared to other stouts when it comes to taste.
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4. Oyster Stout
Back in the 18th century, when stout was almost at its peak, pubs and taphouses used to serve oysters as food or a side dish with stout beers. The breweries tried to put a twist on it by adding oyster shells or meat to the stout, which resulted in the birth of oyster stout. You might be thinking that the flavor would be fishy and unpleasant, but the answer is no. Oyster stout beers prove you wrong; they taste beautiful, adding a bit of sweetness, subtleness, and marine tanginess tastewise. Stout beers that include both oysters and shells are said to have a savory taste.
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5. Chocolate Stout
Beers are great, and who doesn’t like chocolate? Chocolate stouts combine the best of both worlds! Malts are typically roasted in chocolate stouts to achieve a color similar to chocolate, imparting a bitter, strong, and dark flavor. Different breweries add different amounts of chocolate or chocolate flavors into their stouts depending on their customers’ preferences and demands. This makes the chocolate stout more flavorful and rich in taste.
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6. Imperial Stout
Imperial stouts contain high amounts of alcohol. Taste and flavor-wise, it is dark, complex, and intense, usually said to be the larger and full-bodied stout – now you know why it’s called “imperial”. Imperial stouts are brewed with strong roasted malt and have flavors like caramel, chocolate, and coffee. These are the main features of stouts that make them more flavorful and awesome.
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7. Pastry Stout
The pastry stout does have a great taste similar to that of pastries, which is where it gets its name. These stouts have literally everything thrown into them to achieve a taste like pastry: sweet, overpowered, rich, and flavorful. While brewing, confectionery ingredients like coconut, coffee, chocolate, bananas, and marshmallows are thrown in for a thick, smooth, and milkshake-like texture. Because of their sweet flavor, these stout beers can’t be consumed all at once.
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How To Serve Stout
There is a particular way for stouts to be served without affecting the taste and flavor, making it an enjoyable drink rather than a disappointing one. Now, you might be curious to know why? The main reason behind this is that the darker the stout, the warmer the serving temperature. This is also what makes a stout unique from other beers! It’s supposed to be served at a temperature of 12°C to 15°C. Also, different types of stout are served at different temperatures. The right serving temperature will help you enjoy stout beer’s uniqueness and infused flavors in every sip.
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Summing Up!
This brings us to the end of the article – here’s hoping it covers all your questions and gives you the gist of what a stout is. Since stouts have many variants in them, the strong aroma and dark color should influence you to try each of them at least once. You never know when you will end up falling in love with stout beer, making it your go-to drink!
FAQs
Is Stout Stronger Than Beer?
Yes, stouts are stronger than beer as regular beer is made from malted barley, but stouts are made by using roasted malts. Stouts are also deep in color, thicker, heavier, and stronger in taste and texture compared to beers.
Is Stout The Healthiest Beer?
Stout makes the list of healthy beers because it contains twice as many antioxidants as light-colored lagers. The dark and opaque color is due to the flavonoid, an antioxidant present in the stout.
Is Stout A Lager Or Ale?
A stout is a dark-roasted ale. Their flavor is more bitter than that of potters, which is why they’re called ‘stouts’ i.e. stronger porters.
What Is The World’s Best-selling Stout Beer?
Guinness happens to be the best-seller out of all the other beers. It’s an Irish dry stout that was created way back in 1759!
Is Guinness Good For Your Skin?
Strangely, yes, Guinness beer is good for your skin! This beer contains brewer’s yeast, which helps kill bacteria. Rinsing your face with Guinness beer helps clear acne, making it helpful for people with acne-prone skin.
What Foods Go Well With Stout?
Stout always tastes great with foods that are roasted, grilled, smoked, and salty. They also go well with chocolates, desserts, and oysters.
Is Coffee Stout Made With Coffee?
Yes, coffee stouts contain some amount of coffee. Almost all stout beers have some amount of coffee in them to make them stronger and more bitter, so they taste better, are richer, and are full of flavors.
