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Guinness Special Export Stout / Antwerpen Stout
Guinness Ltd.
- From:
- Guinness Ltd.
- Ireland
- Style:
- Foreign / Export Stout
Ranked #6 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #6,146 - Avg:
- 4.1 | pDev: 10.24%
- Reviews:
- 302
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 29, 2024
- Added:
- Jun 28, 2003
- Wants:
- 166
- Gots:
- 130
This 8% abv stout has long been a secret pleasure among beer connoisseurs and indeed our Brewers, who value the mouth watering intensity of its roasted malt, smoked wood and dark chocolate notes, not to mention it's excellent and seemingly endless finish. Since 1944 we have been exclusively exporting this same special stout from Ireland into Belgium through the vibrant port of Antwerp. This is the first time we're making it available for general release in America.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BEERMILER12:
Reviewed by BEERMILER12 from Maine
4.17/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A: Pours a pitch black color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap that leaves decent lacing
S: Roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, dark fruit and a touch of smoke up front. Some earthy hops in the back
T: Follows the nose. Starts off with the roasted malt, dark chocolate, and caramel and then picks up some of the smoke, molasses, and dark fruit on the back end. Finishes with lingering roast, dark chocolate, and smoke
M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation
O: A great stout with a touch of smoke that drinks extremely well. Definitely worth a try
Mar 12, 2018S: Roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, dark fruit and a touch of smoke up front. Some earthy hops in the back
T: Follows the nose. Starts off with the roasted malt, dark chocolate, and caramel and then picks up some of the smoke, molasses, and dark fruit on the back end. Finishes with lingering roast, dark chocolate, and smoke
M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation
O: A great stout with a touch of smoke that drinks extremely well. Definitely worth a try
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by tenbeersbold from Germany
4.38/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Really the only Guinness worth drinking...well ok the Foreign Extra Stout is pretty good too!
Deep, dark and full of roasted malt with a killer mouthfeel
This one goes down full bodied and smooth with a sublime long burnt smoky finish
This one actually tastes like all the marketing BS Guinness throws at their mostly watery low alcohol mass brews
Oct 30, 2023Deep, dark and full of roasted malt with a killer mouthfeel
This one goes down full bodied and smooth with a sublime long burnt smoky finish
This one actually tastes like all the marketing BS Guinness throws at their mostly watery low alcohol mass brews
Reviewed by OlaB from Norway
4.09/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a deep dark color with a medium top of beige head that dissolves slowly.
Aroma is of roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, dark bread, slightly coffee and some dried fruits.
The taste is of roasted malts, allong with with caramel, bready notes and some coffee hints. This is nicely ballanced with dry fruity notes in the flavour. The finish is slightly bitter allong with the roasted notes in the background.
Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with a medium carbonation and a medium body.
This was actually a really solid and enjoyable stout. A little surprised that it was this nice and enjoyable.
Sep 08, 2023Aroma is of roasted malts, caramel, chocolate, dark bread, slightly coffee and some dried fruits.
The taste is of roasted malts, allong with with caramel, bready notes and some coffee hints. This is nicely ballanced with dry fruity notes in the flavour. The finish is slightly bitter allong with the roasted notes in the background.
Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with a medium carbonation and a medium body.
This was actually a really solid and enjoyable stout. A little surprised that it was this nice and enjoyable.
Reviewed by misteil from Ireland
4.17/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.17/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
a beer ive been wanting to try for a very long time (they don’t sell it in ireland, or at least ive never been able to find it) and it’s quite good indeed, big meaty stout, dark malt flavour, molasses, marmite, liquorice, espresso, dark chocolate, tobacco, a nice dark fruit sweetness to it also, prune, fig, plum, hint of vanilla, slightly oaky, high bitterness on the finish, medium bodied, low carbonation, moderately viscous, a little thin for its strength which is the one drawback, but it is quite nice, happy to have finally tried it
Apr 20, 2022Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California
3.5/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Was pumped like a 1990’s Reebok, but I was letdown like Jordan not being in NBA Jam. It’s ok, and better than regular Guinness, but not by much. Just a lil more taste and body. Like those lip Kardashian’s against Kim.
Peace.
Aug 09, 2021Peace.
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
3.94/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
#1746 - Blind-tasted except for the beer's name and brewery/country, zero reviews below read (yet!)...
L- 330ml bottle marked on main front lable as 'Guinness Special Export'.
Superficially black, held up to a halogen actually ultra deep ruby-red. Clear, pours with a 5mm deep tan head (of fine bubbles suggesting it'll stick around). ps It does, and forms lacing, still lingering 20mins later...
S- Toasty-roasty-fireplaces... + some hints of fruit I believe, dark raisons?
T- Here the fruit/raisons... almost a wine-like aspect to it comes first. It's pungent but has a deep + sliiightly sour fruit aspect. It is nothing less that INCREDIBLY different from the swill you would get if you asked to be poured a pint of CO2-forced draft under-license black stuff you'd find in almost all UK pubs
F- It's pretty pungent and somewhat rich. The pungent/rich+slightly sour is a clever interplay.
O- The beer I just had earlier was a Nigerian brewed Guinness. This is different, nothing stands out of place as unblanced or 'wrong [or WTH is this facet]'. It's pungent yet refined, very easy drinking. Expensive but good and an experience, not likely something most will be buying frequently as a specialist import
As I understand it this is brewed in Ireland (shows what they CAN actually brew in Dublin!) and is exported under a special commission contract for the style to Belgium.
I'm not a born Guinness drinker, most UK brewed Guinness is rough. Now if it tasted anything like this I'd happily drink it!
Review/scoring all done, now the reveal, I get to read the bottle lables to see what I missed!
330ml bottle £4.15 BB: 18/06/2021 8% Bought from TremblingMadness, York/UK as part of a large pick-your own consignment to London.
At this shop^ it is described thus: 'Export Stout // 8.0% Abv // 330ml Commissioned by John Martin of Belgium in 1912. The first variety of Guinness to be pasteurised, in 1930.'
Apr 13, 2021L- 330ml bottle marked on main front lable as 'Guinness Special Export'.
Superficially black, held up to a halogen actually ultra deep ruby-red. Clear, pours with a 5mm deep tan head (of fine bubbles suggesting it'll stick around). ps It does, and forms lacing, still lingering 20mins later...
S- Toasty-roasty-fireplaces... + some hints of fruit I believe, dark raisons?
T- Here the fruit/raisons... almost a wine-like aspect to it comes first. It's pungent but has a deep + sliiightly sour fruit aspect. It is nothing less that INCREDIBLY different from the swill you would get if you asked to be poured a pint of CO2-forced draft under-license black stuff you'd find in almost all UK pubs
F- It's pretty pungent and somewhat rich. The pungent/rich+slightly sour is a clever interplay.
O- The beer I just had earlier was a Nigerian brewed Guinness. This is different, nothing stands out of place as unblanced or 'wrong [or WTH is this facet]'. It's pungent yet refined, very easy drinking. Expensive but good and an experience, not likely something most will be buying frequently as a specialist import
As I understand it this is brewed in Ireland (shows what they CAN actually brew in Dublin!) and is exported under a special commission contract for the style to Belgium.
I'm not a born Guinness drinker, most UK brewed Guinness is rough. Now if it tasted anything like this I'd happily drink it!
Review/scoring all done, now the reveal, I get to read the bottle lables to see what I missed!
330ml bottle £4.15 BB: 18/06/2021 8% Bought from TremblingMadness, York/UK as part of a large pick-your own consignment to London.
At this shop^ it is described thus: 'Export Stout // 8.0% Abv // 330ml Commissioned by John Martin of Belgium in 1912. The first variety of Guinness to be pasteurised, in 1930.'
Rated by JWChamberland from Maine
4.75/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Delicious
Nov 02, 2020Reviewed by Scoopdogg_ from Pennsylvania
4.9/5 rDev +19.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.9/5 rDev +19.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This was my favorite beer for a long time until I tried Focal Banger by Alchemist brewery. I've then tried Heady Topper by Alchemist, the former KING #1 ranked beer on Beer Advocate (currently #5). So how has my opinion of this much lower ranked beer changed? Well, I still consider this a MASTERPIECE and the best Guinness on the market!
It goes down unbelievably smooth for a beer, let alone an 8% ABV beer. It gives you that Guinness, Stouty, Irish flavor you've come to know and love but at the same time, it tastes more refined. If you like Stouts, this beer is in a class of its own and it truly stands up to any beer in enjoyability of flavor!
Jun 16, 2020It goes down unbelievably smooth for a beer, let alone an 8% ABV beer. It gives you that Guinness, Stouty, Irish flavor you've come to know and love but at the same time, it tastes more refined. If you like Stouts, this beer is in a class of its own and it truly stands up to any beer in enjoyability of flavor!
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain
4/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
De Hipercor. En vaso de pinta inglesa de Ikea. Jugando a Spiderman. Se bebe pasmosamente bien para el abv que lleva, y tiene unas agradables notas a frutas oscuras, con quizás algo de regaliz. También tiene un toque ligeramente metálico que no llega a molestar
Jun 16, 2020Reviewed by Specialmick from Connecticut
3.59/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Look.. Again the very nice stout look. One of the first brands of stout(like many of my generation) I ever tried 30 years ago.
Smell...eh not much. roasty
Taste...Similar start to the on I had last night sour bitter malt in that order (The Foreign Stout) but on the back end very nice sweetness ,choc, roast, mmm
Feel..kinda thin but very like many of the stouts from Guinness
Overall... I like. good not great but still really solid. Nothing I would not finish gladly
May 13, 2020Smell...eh not much. roasty
Taste...Similar start to the on I had last night sour bitter malt in that order (The Foreign Stout) but on the back end very nice sweetness ,choc, roast, mmm
Feel..kinda thin but very like many of the stouts from Guinness
Overall... I like. good not great but still really solid. Nothing I would not finish gladly
Guinness Special Export Stout / Antwerpen Stout from Guinness Ltd.
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
652 ratings
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