Beautiful cascading brown bubbles reach frothy beige head of jet black milk stout less creamy and drier than Guinness foe. Sour coffee frontage, roasted hop backing, smoked nut nuance, and tar-stricken backlash given lactose chocolate-maple aridity by chewy vanilla-butterscotch finish just a tad oily and parched for perfection.
Tag Archives: irish stout
SHIPYARD BLUE FIN STOUT
CHELSEA DRY IRISH STOUT
THREE FLOYDS BLACK SUN STOUT
Complex ‘inky black’ stout boasts lingered black coffee bitterness intensifying flaked oat sweetness and unrefined maple sappiness to resinous molasses bottom. Roasted hops secure charred wood-charcoal tone and tar-like murk to harsh cinder finish. Adjacent rich milky creaminess penetrates anise-spiced grapefruit splash and black licorice hint.
E.J. PHAIR STOUTER
FRENCH BROAD IRISH STOUT
GUINNESS DRAUGHT STOUT
Archetypal nitro-injected draught in can retains frothy whipped cream head, full-bodied coffee nuttiness, deep roasted chocolate malt insistence, clumped eclair globule, burnt caramel richness, black tea spot and charred cedar chip twinge. On tap, these pour like a thick chocolate malted and can’t be beat. In distressing bottled version, watery bottom smooths subtle up-front nuttiness, mild charred hop bitterness, and milky mocha creaminess, dreadfully leaving barren black malt astringency to carry the load of underwhelming presentation. However, in iconic black can, it’s never overtly heavy, just well rounded, superefficient, steadfast and absolutely world class. These Irish trailblazers inspired a thousand worthy imitators by inventing the Stout style in 1820.
GUINNESS EXTRA STOUT
Label’s “robust, mellow” description is undeniable. But this renowned dry stout, first brewed in 1821, also maintains an unmistakable gargantuan coffee bitterness merging maple malt creaminess and persistent coarse nuttiness to black chocolate richness. Hop-fizzed cedar-charred mocha-roasted molasses pungency coats the tongue to ample nutty coffee finish. When you die, this is what you’ll no doubt smell on God’s breath. Beware: bottled version loses both espresso-like frothiness and true essence.
HALE’S DUBLIN STYLE STOUT
LAKEFRONT SNAKE CHASER IRISH STYLE STOUT
Frothy cascading pour, thick tan head, and opaque black body reminiscent of Guinness Stout, though nutty finish seems thinner. Efficient dry coffee ground bittering strikes palate initially as aromatic chalky cocoa waft hits nose. Milky chocolate addendum and creamy vanilla tease balance hop-charred roasted coffee frontage. Dried fruit tartness adds depth, nullifying distant astringent mustiness.
MENDOCINO BLACK HAWK STOUT
MURPHY’S IRISH STOUT
Well-established brown-bodied dry stout brings creamy cascading froth and aromatic mocha-nut ogle to mellow coffee bean entry. Grain-toasted chocolate malt solace and watery texture soften over time. Recessive hazelnut, cola nut, and walnut notes linger softly. Compared to thicker, richer Irish stouts, a tad flat or unassuming, though subtle nature perfect for less hearty thirsts at sunny afternoon barbecue.