Stout

Stout is the name given to a general category of dark beers, usually featuring some roasted flavors, which originally evolved as a darker version of English Porter.

History of Stout

In eighteenth and nineteenth century England, the strongest versions of Porter were known as Stout Porter; over the years, this was shortened to simply Stout.

The most famous porter in the world is undoubtedly Guinness, one of the few internationally recognizable dark beers. Guinness were among the first to add roasted barley to a dark, strong porter, which quickly became a hallmark of the style. During World War I, when roasted malts were not available in England, Ireland came to dominate the Stout market and became closely associated with the style.

The worldwide popularity of Guinness led to a number of regional stout styles which emerged throughout the world, from the strong, dark Russian Imperial Stout to the fruity, bottom-fermented Tropical Stout. And with the emergence of the craft beer movement in the United States and England, this dark, roasted beer, so different from the popular golden lagers, became a signature beer for many microbreweries and brewpubs.

Types of Stout

The beer most modern drinkers associate with stout is Guinness. However, Guinness is just one representative of a whole family of dark, roasted beers.

Dry Stout

The stouts which have grown up around Guinness and its Irish rivals is generally known as Dry Stout or Irish Stout. This is a relatively low-alcohol, light-bodied, dark but easy-drinking session beer. Dry Stouts have a significant roasted flavor from unmalted roasted barley and a creamy character, often enhanced by special dispensing techniques such as stout faucets or nitrogen.

Milk Stout

Milk Stout is similar to Dry Stout, but sweet rather than dry. Sometimes called Sweet Stout or Cream Stout, Milk Stout is usually sweetened not by low attenuation but by the addition of unfermentable sugars, usually lactose (derived from milk). Due to UK and EU regulations, the traditional name, "Milk Stout", can no longer be used by English brewers but is still used in many American commercial examples.

American Stout

Foreign Export Stout

The Guinness brewed for export was traditionally brewed to a higher gravity, resulting in a higher alcohol, stronger flavored beer. Until recently, this was the only kind of Stout known in many parts of the world, and became the standard style of bottled or canned stout until the introduction of nitrogen widgets and other new dispensing technology. Beers brewed to this standard are known as Export Stout or Foreign Export Stout. They are sometimes brewed with brettanomyces to create an extra strong flavor.

Tropical Stout

Tropical stout is the term usually applied to the sweet, high-gravity stouts often brewed in the Carribbean and elsewhere. These stouts were often brewed as domestic versions of the Foreign Extra Stouts that were available for import in those countries, but modified to fit in with existing Carribbean brewing traditions. Unlike any other style of stout, Tropical Stouts are often brewed with bottom-fermenting (lager) yeast.

Russian Imperial Stout

Some stout brewers brewed special dark, strong beers for export to the Baltic states, which became known as Russian Imperial Stout. These are strong beers, 8% ABV or more, with correspondingly more malt and hop flavor and bitterness. The Russian Imperial Stout is the original source of the term "Imperial", now used generically to indicate any beer brewed with higher than traditional original gravity and bitterness, as for example an Imperial IPA.

Imperial Stout

Home and craft brewers now call almost any large, strong stout an Imperial Stout. These beers are united by high alcohol content and enormous flavor profiles, usually with some noticeable alcohol and (especially in American versions) significant bitterness. However, many of them bear little resemblance to the historical Russian or Baltic stouts and they are probably better thought of as their own category.

Historical or Throwback Stout

Brewing Stout

Dispensing Stout

Competition Styles

Both the BJCP and the GABF style guidelines recognize multiple styles of Stout for competition purposes.

BJCP Style Guidelines

Reflecting the widespread popularity and varied nature of Stout, the BJCP defines six substyles of Stout, more than for any other category. The BJCP's Foreign Export Stout category combines the very different Foreign Export and Tropical categories, as well as traditional Russian Imperial and more recent, experimental Imperial Stouts.

Dry Stout

Sweet Stout

Oatmeal Stout

Foreign Extra Stout

American Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

GABF Style Listings

The GABF guidelines also lists several styles of stout.

Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout