This week we’ll explore cheaper and more accessible stouts that are perfect for beginners. Many recreational beer drinkers cringe at the sight of darker ales, thinking it will be overly rich, strong or bitter. Compared to extreme domestic alternatives, United Kingdom stouts offer great entry-level options for adventurous drinkers. They are traditionally richer and sweeter than their American counterparts, not to mention the lower alcohol-by-volume percentage. U.K. citizens love drinking several beers for a long period of time at a bar, whereas the American fans prefer a high-alcohol, robust stout with a punch of flavor. Here are some great gateway stouts.

Double Chocolate Stout

Brewery: Wells & Young’s Brewing Company, Bedford, England

Style: Milky, Sweet Stout

ABV: 5.2 percent

Cost: $4.50/1 pt .9 oz (500mL)  

Rating: 3/4

Instead of ordering that chocolate cake and a cup of coffee for dessert, get a bottle of this. This beer has a pleasant, dark chocolate sweetness that is offset by light coffee and toffee flavors. Oddly, it even smells like chocolate milk. It is very rich and creamy, so drinking even a whole bottle may prove to be a challenge. But at least it’s a delicious one.

Extra Stout

Brewery: Guinness Ltd., Dublin, Ireland

Style: Irish Dry Stout

ABV: 6.0 percent

Cost: $4.00/22 oz

Rating: 2.5/4

Ah, Guinness: The world’s most well-known stout. Straight from Dublin, everyone who has had a beer has at least heard of Guinness. In typical U.K. fashion, it is more brown than black. The stout smells mildly like nuts and bread, with some coffee and chocolate notes. This is Extra Stout, so it’s a little bit more intense than the standard Guinness. Take notice of the higher ABV. Unlike the other U.K. stouts, this one is inherently bitterer. Not overbearingly, mind you, but not nearly enough to be considered a sweet stout. Give it a try, even if it’s just for the namesake.

Oatmeal Stout

Brewery: Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, Tadcaster, England

Style: Oatmeal Stout

ABV: 5.0 percent

Cost: $4.00/550 mL

Rating: 3/4

This beer comprises the best of both worlds: It’s cheap, but it’s also an exemplary entry-level stout. It smells like breakfast food, with hints of oatmeal, coffee, chocolate and dark fruit. Upon first taste, it is typically British, with low carbonation and a rich, smooth finish. It has a strong oatmeal flavor up front, but is then offset by chocolate and coffee bites, making it simultaneously well-rounded and affordable.  

— Compiled by Lucas Sacks, staff writer, ldsacks@syr.edu

Published on September 29, 2010 at 12:00 pm