Which brewery makes the best stouts?

I'd suppose it depends what kind of stouts you like. There's way too many great brewers making way too much great beer to pick just one.

I probably buy most of my stouts from sierra Nevada by volume. Other brewers who make stouts that i enjoy include Pohjala, Perennial, Bell's, Firestone, Lagunitas, Against the Grain, and many more. If you're a stout lover it's a good time to be a drinker

 

Really hard to answer. You'll get people who will refer to barrel-aged stouts (my personal jam), pastry/"adjunct" stouts, and regular stouts.

I'll chime in for barrel-aged stouts. As far as easily accessible stouts go, Firestone-Walker Parabola, Goose Island BCBS, Bell's BA Expedition, and Lagunitas Willettized are hard to beat.

As far as totally impossible-to-get, Toppling Goliath Assassin is the single best stout I've had. TG is often hailed as the king of modern barrel-aged stouts, but they charge a fortune, and basically require hitting the jackpot (and let's face it, hype is a huge factor). I haven't opened Side Project Beer:Barrel:Time yet, but unless it's the greatest thing to ever exist, Assassin may very well remain my all-time #1.

But I'll totally break out a Guinness too.

 

I've loved the Jackie O's Barleywines I've had, and would likely put them very near the top of that list.

But, this is a Stout thread, and at the risk of coming off as homer hyping his locals, the gold medal goes to Fremont. As do the silver and bronze medals.

Everything else is vying for honorable mention.

 

Stout scene pretty strong in Kiribati?

 

I've got a connection to the Center of the Universe.

 

Stouts are my favorite style and I actually prefer the lower ABV versions. My favorites are Lancaster Milk Stout and Yards Love Stout (chocolate love when available)

 

Bell's makes a solid lineup of stouts, they might be my choice for quality and variety. Firestone Walker makes my favorite barrel aged stout, second to Deschutes. I disagree with TH. They make one of my favorites, but all there bigger milk stouts are so similar tasting and sweet.

 

I agree with every brewery listed above :-) (the ones that I've sampled).

A brewery that I used to love but got away from is Revolution. I had a bad bottle a couple of years ago and haven't revisited them since. I need to fix that. I remember loving their stouts.

 

My vote(s) would be for Bell's and Founders.

Sierra Nevada produces high quality Stouts and Porter but unfortunately they are hard to find in my area so...

Cheers!

 

Founders.

 

Founders is the stout king!!!

 

There's a Stout season?

@jesskidden

 

Another vote for Founders. Goose Island is a close second in my book.

 

Go ahead, you can say “Goose Island.” It’s OK.

 

Tree House for <8% ABV milk/sweet stouts.

Angry Chair makes some pretty awesome pastries. So does Prairie.

Im guessing we really are talking who makes the best portfolio of stouts and not just a 1 hit wonder stout by a particular brewer?

 

Big stouts? REVOLUTION
Reg stouts under 8%? CUMBRE

Thanks, in advance, to the hecklers.

 

Go ahead and mention your locals at the risk of it sounding like homering. We all do it as long as it's a legitimate mention.

For example: I agree with all of the Michigan nominations above (it's a great day when Bell's has their All Stouts Day at the Cafe), but one Michigan brewery that hasn't been mentioned yet is Dark Horse. Plead the 5th is my favorite non-flavored stout, and BBA Plead the 5th is my favorite in the barrel-aged category too. (I'm ignoring all of those stouts that went bad in the barrels. That's a barreling thing, not a brewing thing. )

 

I think the best stout I ever had was from Fremont. I agree with all of the above choices. A small brewery that makes killer stout, and hasn't been mentioned, is Deviate