What's your favorite Irish Dry Stout?

Ah, yes but what about the Murphy's Stout from up in Edinburgh, in the UK or down in the Nederlands? (Which have been what the US has been getting in recent years, from both Beamish and Murphy's parent company's US import division, Heineken USA).

Well, the US importer Carlsberg USA, short-lived and now defunct, did stop importing it but it is the new parent company, Heineken, which prevents it's resumption. After Carlsberg and Heineken divided up Scottish-Newcastle, with Heineken winding up with the Irish portion and so owned both Beamish and Murphy's, they soon closed Beamish as well as the ended exporting of the brand.

"Guinness Export Extra Dry "? That's a new one on me... in last decade or so, these have been the Guinness stouts available in the US:

...although they've added a few more recently, like the coffee-flavored one and at least one barrel-aged stout. (Rumor has it that Diageo is hoping to one day have as many Guinness stouts as Campbell has soups on the US shelves. )

There is the 8% Guinness Special Export Stout marketed in Belgium, supposedly the Antwerpen Stout (above) sold in the US was the same beer.

 

I have sure loved some Donnybrook Stout from Victory.

 

I enjoy Saranac Irish Stout.

 

That's a good one and I also miss the Victory Donnybrook Stout.

 

Spent time in Ireland in 2017 and they were the big 3 then, so I agree with your statement. That’s how I look at it.

 

Beamish, followed by O'Hara's and Murphy; Guinness last

 

Guinness Draught will always have a special place in my heart. It was my go-to for many years before I took the deep dive into craft beer. I always liked Beamish but haven't had one in 10-15 years (whenever it stopped being imported) and this thread is making me miss it. Like some others mentioned, I was able to picked up some Claddagh from Phase 3 and plan on cracking one tonight.

 

Awful lot of love for a beer that's a distant memory on this side of the Atlantic. Wish I'd have reviewed it back when it was available so I had some notes to jumpstart my memories.
@jesskidden

 

tbh none. I don't get this style, too watered down for me. Same for Irish reds

 

Have you tried Guinness Extra Stout (a Dry Irish Stout)? Not exactly watered down by any description.

 

Do they still make Brooklyn Irish stout? I don’t see it listed on their website. That was a pretty good one back in the day.

 

Drinking Guinness on draft in Ireland is amazing. It’s my go to when I’m there. That being said, not all Irish draft Guinness is the same. There are a few pubs that pour an exceptional pint that I’ve been too. One that comes to mind is Keane’s Bar in Maam Cross in Galway, and another is Bonners Corner Bar in Ballybofey Donegal.

 

Drinking a Guinness Extra, the first time I’ve had it in this form , my first thought was wow a Guinness with some flavor.

 

Actually, that would be a good move!

 

Exactly right, I’m surprised at the flavor, I’ve had the Draught and it’s what it is a Dry Stout. The Extra is a completely different beer.

 

And always has been.

But still an Irish Dry Stout.

 

I can take of leave the Draught version, but I have to say I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.

 

I don't know if I could settle on a favorite pour, but I've had some good times at the Brazen Head Dublin so my memories always lead there.

 

But, by that theory, there was no "Irish Dry Stout" before Guinness created the nitrogenated "Draught Stout" in the late 1950s and which wouldn't be packaged (canned, then bottled) for another few decades. Here's Guinness' own breakdown of their stouts in the decade previous:


From Repeal into the 1960s, the US received only imported Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and, for a brief period, domestically-brewed Extra Stout, which was available in keg form.