Good beginner stout?

Nitro milk stout.

Very creamy and not bitter. Very easy to drink.

 

Sierra Nevada Stout would be an excellent stout to introduce you to the style. It's good stout and very easy to find. Another great stout is Deschutes Obsidian if you get distribution in your area. If you do, I highly recommend it.

 

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout or Organic Chocolate Stout, can't go wrong with either one of them.

 

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout was my gateway into stouts. Can't go wrong with that one IMO.

 

I'd go with an oatmeal stout. Barney Flatts or Samuel Smith.

 

North Coast's Old Rasputin (Might be a touch too big for starters)
Founders Breakfast Stout
Sierra Nevada Stout
Any Oatmeal Stout
Any Milk Stout

Perhaps ease into it with some killer Porters?
Founders Porter
Edmund Fitzgerald

 

I'd suggest Founders Porter or Flying Dog Gonzo, both porters, but just as good as any stout I can think of recommending that won't intimidate you.

 

Founders Breakfast Stout was one of my first stouts and I loved it..thought it was a bit thick but delicious. Just keep in mind that it's a big brew so at first you shouldn't really be trying to drink more than one or two in a sitting.
But don't take it from me, I'm just a stout lovin' psychopath

 

Great suggestions above about starting with a porter then working up to stouts
Sierra nevada or founders porter would be just fine to start with.
If you're looking for something on the thinner side, try DFH chickory stout.

 

I also suggest Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout. Smooth and creamy!

 

I'm pretty sure the first craft stout I ever had was Old Rasputin. A hard hitter for an intro beer, but it stuck with me and really opened up my love for stouts past Guinness, haha.

 

Bells Double cream stout a great place to start

 

Left Hand Milk Stout and Southern Tier 2X Stout did it for me.

 

Another vote for Samuel Smith and nitro.

 

Old Rasputin is what made me love craft beer.

 

Union Station Milk Stout
Union Barrel Works Round Boy Stout
Union Brewing Snow Pants Oatmeal Stout
Brewer's Union Local 180 Rye Stout
Grand Union Brewery Stout
Heartland Brewery Union Square Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout

Sorry man, couldn't resist.

 

If Founders Breakfast Stout is at the beginning of the journey what's at the end?

 

New Holland the poet is another decent oatmeal stout.

 

I agree with Sierra Nevada and Deschutes Obsidian. I would also include Samuel Smith Porter(which is really more a stout) which I find to be more interesting than the Oatmeal stout and Fullers London Porter. Also any of the stouts from the Porterhouse Brewery from Dublin.