Stout
Stout is a black ale made with roasted barley or roasted malt, which gives it a coffee-like bite. The family is wide. Irish dry stout is light and easy to drink, oatmeal and milk stouts are smooth and sweeter, and imperial stout is strong enough to sip like a spirit.
Food pairings
- Oysters
- Beef and ale pie
- Chocolate cake
Glassware and serving temperature
Tulip pint glass46 to 54°F (8–12°C)
What it tastes like
Espresso, dark chocolate and toasted grain. Dry stouts finish crisp and slightly bitter. Oatmeal stouts feel silky, milk stouts add sweetness from lactose, and imperial stouts bring dried fruit and warming alcohol.
Where it comes from
Stout began as the strongest version of porter. Arthur Guinness started brewing porter in Dublin in the 1770s, and his brewery's dry stout became the best-known example in the world. Imperial stout was brewed in London for export to the Russian court in the eighteenth century.
How to serve it
Serve at 8–12°C. Dry stouts poured with nitrogen have the famous creamy head, and cans with a widget recreate it at home. Stronger stouts suit a smaller tulip or snifter glass.
What to eat with it
Oysters, beef and ale pie, grilled steak, blue cheese, chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream.
