The Skinny on Stout

Originally Published in Vol. 1, Iss. 1 (Jul/Aug 2007)

Mark West

So many stouts ... so many that looking beyond the usual staple stouts like Guiness, Murphy’s and Beamish can be intimidating. When I first started to consider a review of stouts, I thought of matching up lesser known varieties against one of these stout competitors. But a comparison of those dry stouts to a cream stout, milk stout, or Imperial stout would be unfair. Not to some of the lesser known brands, but to all stouts in general. The catalog of stouts is so vast, and each variety has it’s own wonderfully unique characteristics. It would be like comparing a Merlot to a Cabernet. Both are reds, both dry, both with many of the same characteristics, but different in some very important ways.  So I decided that education and exploration of the different types would lead to a greater appreciation of one of today’s most serious beers.
 
In order to understand the stout, you must first learn about the porter. After all, porters and stouts share much of the same origins and characteristics. Porters were first on the scene, debuting in London, England in the 1730s. They were given their name because of the street and river porters who enjoyed them. Porters are medium- to full- bodied dark ales with wide ranging flavors, from bitter to sweet. Porters gave birth to the stout, first known as “stout porters,” meaning “strong porter.” The principle difference between porters and stouts is the use of unmalted, roasted barley in stout recipes. This gives the stout a pronounced dry, coffee-like, roasted flavor. Today there are many variations in stouts. The original, and most popular type of stout is the Dry or Irish Stout. “Dry” refers to the higher hop content of the beer. Hops are the spice of beer. Without hops, beer would be rather sweet. It contributes a bitterness to the beer, therefore, much like the tannins in wine, hops are what make a beer dry. Guiness, Beamish and Murphy’s are all examples of Dry Stouts. But the Stout family consists of more than just the popular Dry Stouts. I tasted four beers of the less popular Stout styles and have given you, the reader, some information regarding that particular style of Stout, as well as my personal take on them.

Imperial stouts are less hoppy. In fact, they are usually intensely malty in flavor. Imperial stout is also known as Imperial Russian Stout because the original recipe was developed by Thrale’s Brewery in London for the Tsar of Russia. It has a high alcohol content (sometimes 9-10%), which was originally done to preserve the beer through the long journey to Russia and through the harsh cold of winter.

Availability: February - March

They Say:
A Russian Imperial Stout with a hearty malt body and bold hop flavor. A.B.V.: 9.0%. A.B.W.: 7.2%.
        
I Say:
At first glance, this beer looks like an ordinary stout — dark black body with a heavy, caramel-colored head. Hops dominate the aroma. The mouth is between creamy and oily. It’s not until the flavor hits you that you realize what makes an Imperial stout an Imperial stout, and what makes this Imperial stout a
pure example of one: alcohol. 9% alcohol by volume. We’re talking strong ... just shy of rocket fuel. But in my book, if you’re going to drink a stout you should be serious about it. The good news is that this strong alcohol content is well balanced with a rich, creamy, heavily roasted flavor. That helps take the edge off.

Oats, as a grain in brewing, have fallen in and out of favor over the history of beer making. They first found prominence in beer during medieval times, when they sometimes comprised up to 25% of the grains in certain European ales. The problem with using oats in the brewing process is that too much can lead to a bitter taste. For that reason, they had all but disappeared from brewing recipes by the 16th century, but made a strong comeback in the late 19th century, when people began to look to beer as a health aid. Porridge was believed to be very healthy, and led to the resurgence of oats as an ingredient in brewing, so much, in fact, that it sometimes comprised up to 30% of the grains in oatmeal stouts of that time period. Today’s oatmeal stouts avoid the bitter consequences by only contributing to 5% of the total grain composition. These are hearty stouts with a smooth mouth and slightly bitter finish.

Availability: Year-round

They Say:
An aromatic blend of oats, chocolate and roast malts enhances our classic Oatmeal Stout. Encompassing award-winning flavor, a rich black over ruby hue and a creamy tan head, this stout is memorable and enduring. All in all, a truly drinkable brew.

I Say:
As for the appearance of this beer, I think Goose Island’s eloquent description mirrors my observation. The hops and chocolate malts are detectable in the aroma. The mouth is slightly more oily than other varieties of stouts, but still quite creamy.  It has a heavily roasted, coffee-like flavor that is a little bitter. The finish is predominated by the sharp hops. All in all, a well balanced, hearty stout. Roasty, sweet and sharp all at once ... the way it should be.

What characterizes a cream stout is its sweetness, which is achieved by the addition of lactose, a sugar derived from milk. Lactose is unfermentable, which means that the sugars remain in the finished beer, adding not only sweetness, but also calories. As usual, the sweeter something tastes, the less healthy it is.

Availability:  Year-round

They say:
“‘Fuggles’ and ‘Challenger’ hops plus a blend of 4 local barley malts create an aromatic, robust, dark chocolate cream stout with a satisfying bittersweet aftertaste ...” “Gold Medal winner in the International Beer Competition in 2003 and 2004. Serve at room temperature.”

I say:

A very refined and sophisticated cream stout. The pour produces a thick, caramel colored head and a dark, nearly opaque body. The aroma has a strong, piney characteristic. The mouth is smooth and creamy. The finish is as advertised. I found it to be a wonderful balance of sweet and bitter. At $4.00 a pint (Discount Liquor), I would say it is a worthwhile, occasional treat.

Milk stouts are the sweetest variety of stout. Lactose is joined by maltodextrin to further offset the roasted, coffee-like flavor of the beer. Also, the maltodextrin is added only at the tail end of the brewing cycle so that those flavors are less incorporated in the brew and, therefore, shine through in the finish.

Availability: Year-round

They say:
2006 world beer cup gold medal winner in sweet stout category. Strong roasted malt and coffee flavors build the foundation of this classic cream stout. The addition of milk sugars mellows the intense roastiness and gives this beer the most incredible creamy mouth feel.

I say:
Pours out black as night with a light-colored head. The aroma is faint — neither too sweet nor too spicy. Oddly enough, it almost has the fragrance of a glass of chocolate milk. The mouth is very creamy. The dominate taste is sweet and chocolaty with the faintest tinge of hops. This is one of the mildest stouts I have ever tasted. For a first time stout drinker I think this is a very safe place to start.

The next two types of stouts get their name from the color of the featured malts used in brewing. Chocolate stouts are
typically brewed with chocolate malt, which is a dark brown, almost cocoa bean color, achieved through a longer roasting period to lend a sweeter, smoother and almost chocolaty taste to the beer. This can sometimes be emphasized by adding a small amount of chocolate as an adjunct to the beer. The darkest malt available, black patent malt, is usually the featured grain in coffee stouts. When the malt is roasted to an almost black color, it starts to turn somewhat acidic or bitter. This gives the beer a mouth and finish similar to that of coffee, and can be further accented by the addition of coffee as an adjunct. The final variety of stout is the oyster stout. Yes, I said “oyster.” Oysters were often served in pubs and taverns in the 1800s and paired quite nicely with these dark beers. It found its way into the preparation of stout in New Zealand in 1929. Today’s oyster stouts may have some oysters used in the brewing process, but can also simply imply that it is a great accompaniment to oysters.

Just think — this is only one category of beer. Yes, when ordering a stout you can expect to be served a dark, roasted, coffee-like beer, but within that basic category you can tailor your order to your individual tastes. If you like the finish sweeter, go with a cream or milk stout. If you prefer a hoppier taste, a dry or coffee stout will suit you well. When trying to find something a bit “middle-of-the-road,” go with an Imperial or chocolate stout. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try an oyster stout. So, as our beer review for this issue turned more into a beer school, I feel good that we have covered a lot of ground in this column and I can review these different types of beer for a more educated audience. Until next time, remember: beer is just good, spelled wrong.