What Stouts should I be drinking?

yes i meant dark top formenting Ale. when I say Dark I meam black or black apperance. by Ale im reffering to gruit Ale

 

I’m usually as cold as I can get it before freezing kinda beer drinker, but with Porters, Stouts and Barleywines the cold kills them. I’d guess 50 degrees would be a nice starting temp, too cold their usually weirdly bitter and any nuance is gone, actually it’s a waste of a beer.

A second thought; I can’t ever remember having a bad stout. Some better than others but I simply cannot ever remember having one that was bad except that odd Ten Fidy that was a soy bomb, and I’ve had that numerous times as well with no issues at all. I’m thinking the style must be very forgiving to brewers, I really have a hard time saying one is better than another, different maybe. I’d also put in for Kalamazoo Stout using brewers licorice as being well worth a try.

 

Edmund Fitzgerald

 

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout! I might have a favorite

 

I don't think you should be inquiring with us as a consensus as this is completely dependent upon your palette however, I can make some suggestions: founders breakfast stout (not kbs though ok) as a reg go to stout. Some of perennials stout are all great as well as epics bbb series (some, not all as not everyone likes adjuncts). Just a few of the many that I like but thought I'd throw it in. Just make two cents. enjoy

 

My two favorites would be Perennial Abraxas, and Prairie Bomb. Bomb is a little pricey for the small bottle but it's worth it.

 

Being from the Pac I'm surprised you didn't mention Fort George Cavatica. Really solid and very reasonably priced.

 

Not a huge stout fan but my top rated are~

Founders Breakfast
Great Divide Yeti (and the barrel aged version)
Evil Twin Even More Jesus
Mother Earth Sin Tax
Fort George Cavatica
No-Li Wrecking Ball
Elysian Dragonstooth

 

Given OPs preferences, my reccomendation would be Old Rasputin on Nitro.

Oddly enough, I'm not a big fan of nitro. I think it destroys more beers than it helps. I won't go as far to say Old Rasputin on nitro is better, then the bottle or co2, instead I would say different but still quite good and I do enjoy it.

But more impotantly, for a Guiness fan like OP, I think its a good match.

 

Speedway Stout

 

I actually prefer Left Hands Nitros to the bottles, but that's just my preferrence.

 

All very good advice. Also, hit your local brewery, because fresh is, usually, good.
Eat local. Drink local.

 

Nitro is different, not necessarily better, but different. Personally I like the occasional nitro stout, the creamy smooth mouth feel, tight bubbles all a different kind of treat.

 

I like the way a nitro stout looks. The feel? I can take it or leave it.

 

For shelf stouts can’t go wrong with goose island bourbon county or Avery stouts. Both are widely available and do the style wonderfully.

 

Those are definitely in my cellar, and to those I'd add; Founders, Prairie, Boulevard, White Elm, Surly, Fair State, and Central Waters. Those last four are not as widely available as the first three.

 

There are so many if you want lighter stouts go with guiness extra stout or even sierra nevada's stout. As far as the heavier alcohol stouts you can't go wrong with old rasputin, ten fidy, yeti, and so many others. Maybe even pick up some porters like gonzo from flying dog, its actually one of their better beers in my book

 

I think the few above who encourage you to drop Guinness in favor of Left Hand Nitro are not giving you good advice. They are not comparable apart from the Nitro,a nd besides, Guinness has better Nitro technology.

I drink stout but I'm not very adventurous, or rather, I don't really seek new options without a strong recommendation. Therefore, you probably don't need to read mine, but I'm putting them down because its more fun than working. The bottled/canned stouts that I like best are:

• Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout - near perfect, and was recently brought back to it after years of reaching for Taddy Porter
• Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
• Westbrook Mexican Cake
• Sierra Nevada Porter
• Guinness Draught
• Guinness Foreign Export (I recently reacquainted myself with this one and was blown away)
• Brooklyn Chocolate Stout - no fuss to the point imperial stout at a great price point
• Fullers London Porter
• Victory Java Cask

The worst stouts I have every tried are:

• Duck Walk Milk Stout
• Saranac Caramel Porter

 

YES. Alesmith's Speedway Stout and every one of it's variations, especially Hawaiian.

 

Sinking into Mackeson this weekend and wow I do love it. This and SS Oatmeal Stout make me happy. I give the edge to Mackeson but SS is good when I want to change it up. I found it to be lighter in body but perhaps my pallate was not behaving. Thay said When you drink milk compared to eating oatmeal. Milk seems to seems to feel heavier.