So I have not been a big stout fan, but recently I have been wanting to try the various Guinness styles that are available. I have heard good things and am just curious about the differences between them. I think there are 3 different style available? Yes, I can research, but I look forward to my fellow board members thoughts...
I just saw a sponsored post on Facebook last night (I think it was there) that surprised me..... BBA Guinness. So there's another variant.
1) Antwerpen, 2) Foreign Extra, 3) 200th Anniversary, 4) Extra Stout, 4) Milk Stout, and 5) Guinness Draught in that order based on the ones I've drank. I actually need to go back and try the Extra Stout & Milk Stout again to confirm their place in the list. I haven't seen/drank the new Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Aged Antwerpen yet.
Bulleit isn't my favorite bourbon on the market, but I'm interested to see how aging the Antwerpen Stout in those barrels works out.
There are more than 3 - In my personal order of preference I've got: Guinness Extra Stout Guinness 200th Anniversary stout Guinness Porter Guinness Antwerpen Guinness Draught Guinness Foreign Extra Stout Guinness Milk Stout Cant go wrong with any of them, but I'd start with extra stout or draught and go from there. Have fun with it!
Perhaps you are thinking of the 3 main modern varieties, which would be (in increasing strength): Draught, Extra Stout, and Foreign Extra Stout. I tend to view these as beers that modern style guides are based on rather than the other way around. Beyond that, they release various other iterations of porter with limited availability. My favorite of which is the Antwerpen. A nice way to try an extended family is to buy one of their stout-centric mixed 12 packs... such as the Brewer’s Collection or 200 Years of Stout in America. These packs tend to have beers that are exclusive to them, but you'd also have to augment them with the Draught, Extra Stout, and/or Foreign Extra Stout depending on what's included. They are somewhat unlike typical modern American craft stouts, and while there is commonality within the range, the differences between Draught and Antwerpen are huge.
Best is Antwerpen/Belgian special export . Very good beers imo Then FES/ Nigerian FES (made with sorghum I think). also very good Then the likes of West Indies Porter, which are decent Extra Stout Draught Then there are their attempts at non porter beers like IPA/pale lager/rye pale ale/wheat, all of which are abysmal to worse than abysmal to varying degrees.
As previously stated there are certainly more then 3 varieties. That said I'd try them all, Guinness products are worth a taste for sure. Personally I'm a big fan of their Antwerpen.
Thanks everyone! I have read all of your responses and now know I have many more to look for and have some opinions to start from!
served at the right temp, I actually prefer the classic nitro Guinness. I recently had the Antwerp, which I enjoyed, but I was at the deep end of a night of drinking, so...
You can never go wrong with a Guinness Draught. Full body and taste (yes I know it does not have the body of a 15% BA RIS) , yet low in ABV and calories. Still one of my favorites
Belgoan Special Export (Antwerpen) is my favourite, too. A really great hot weather beer (I'm not joking - it's the only beer I ever put in the fridge). There's also the Far East version of FES, which is a bit weaker at 6.8% ABV. No idea where that's brewed. Not forgetting the FES and Timmerman's Kriek blend.
And the Antwerpen used to be called Guinness John Martin, in case anyone's wondering why it isn't in your list.
It was imported into Belgium by John Martin but was -well, still is - called Guinness Special Export Stout. US packaging (above) even noted it:
From the Guinness website: ANTWERPEN When the Belgian brewing industry was suffering from the impact of World War II, John Martin created Guinness Antwerpen. It was first imported to Belgium in 1944 and thankfully managed to survive the war. Since then it has become a sought-after specialty beer. The rich, smoky, malty taste is balanced with a sweet, fruity finish. And although light and creamy in texture, it’s still unmistakably part of the Guinness family. I reckon that the Antwerpen tastes much more like the Guinness John Martin than the Foreign Extra.
Where I live I only get Guinness Draught and Extra. I got the 200th Anniversary Pack last year that included Foreign Extra Stout and the Antwerpen Stout which were delicious. I saw a six pack of the 200th Aniversary Stout from last year covered in dust which is much better than Draught but doesn't old a candle to FES and Antwerpen. I have to go to Las Vegas to get those two......
