Stouts: Looking for ones that finish clean

Sounds like you don't like stouts that have a bitter aftertaste.

I would recommend the following based on my limited experience:

1. Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter and Oatmeal Stout (these are easy to find and don't have a bitter kick at the end)
2. Prairie's Bible Belt (limited)
3. Southern Tier's Choklat (seasonal but easy to find)

 

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/162/

 

Maybe try some transitional styles such as black IPAs, hoppy porters, and hoppy stouts? Seems you get Victory up there. After a few black IPAs and hoppy porters, check out Storm King. Also try some stouts with additional ingredients like chocolate, vanilla, and coffee. Just don't give up on the style; I'm sure eventually you'll find a stout to love.

 

Well, if you specifically call out Guinness as your former go-to, it would seem like Irish Dry Stouts would be your choice.

I don't know if you can get it, and in Alaska, you probably can't...but Gritty McDuff's Black Fly Stout is basically what Guinness wishes it could be.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/74/1149/

This one is also phenomenal: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/347/3338/

 

Read about the stout styles and check out some reviews and recommendation threads in these forums.

Perhaps you're drinking them too cold. I usually take a few sips and then let them warm up for about 15-20 minutes.

 

Samuel Smiths organic chocolate stout
Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Youngs double chocolate stout
FBS
Left Hand Milk stout

 

Rogue Shakespeare Stout. Very clean flavor profile, not acrid or overly bitter hopped. Easy to get.

 

Stepping outside of style boundaries, have you ever tried a schwartzbier? Kostritzer is very good and widely available. Very smooth roasted flavor, even more so than a dry Irish stout.

 

Guiness is more of a dry stout while Old Rasputin is a Russian Imperial Stout. RISs generally have an intense roasty char-like flavor. I liken it to a chocolate cake that was left in the oven just a bit too long and burnt on the outside. Some Russian Imperial Stouts are a little sweeter and sport a bit less char flavor than others. Stone's IRS and Oskar Blue's Ten FIDY come to mind.

You should definitely try some sweeter stouts like the milk stouts and oatmeal stouts mentioned above. I would also add Sam Adams Cream Stout to that list.

 

I had the same experience until I learned (the hard way like you) that Russian Imperial Stouts are not my favorite flavor profile. Once I stayed away from these I found my stout experience much more enjoyable.

 

If you enjoy IPAs, then try a more hop-forward stout. Victory Storm King remains the gold standard among such beers.

If you get it in your region, then De Struise Black Albert is another awesome stout that comes in at around 100 IBU. Belgian yeast adds to the flavor. Among RIS's, fresh Founders Imperial Stout is among the hoppiest. Look for it in early January.

Some fine recommendations from others, bit perhaps a hoppier stout will can serve as a bridge.

 

It says Alaska on your info, and seekabrew says you get 2x Stout from Southern Tier. I would look for RIS, and or coffee stouts if you can find them and start there, I'd not be inclined to go the Milk Stout route, i find them too sweet. Trading must be a bitch, shipping to AK would be an expensive obstacle, but if they allow legal shipping hit up some of the Ca on line stores and grab some Speedway Stout from Alesmith

 

Maybe try and find a struise black albert , just don't drink it to cold

 

Might be hard for you to get where you are living, even though i know they distribute pretty widely, but see if you can find a McAuslan St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout. For years, my wife only liked Guinness and the McAuslan was the stout that broadened her horizons. Of course, now she has her grimy fingers all over my pricey, hard to get barrel aged stouts. Be forewarned!

 

Anderson Valley's "Barney Flat's Oatmeal Stout." Relatively low abv (5.7%) but plenty of body and flavor.

If you like Guiness-type stouts, try this (not that its like Guiness....I just dont think it will have the flavor notes you're trying to avoid).

 

The suggestion of a sweet stout might be the answer. Try a milk stout. Maybe even an oatmeal stout. Try a low alcohol stout too. The last suggestion is hard (and or expensive), try an aged stout. If all of these do not work you may not like highly roasted malt. If it is overdone I can get a rather unpleasant bitterness. You may be more sensitive to those tastes.

 

Like the OP, IPAs are my favorite style and also like the OP I do have some fondness for a Guinness ( or ,even better, a Murphys). But as the days get shorter and colder I've been more attracted to the darker brews. MY current favorite is Sierra Nevada Stout. This time of year I've been reaching for that SN Stout even before (gasp) my various IPAs. I checked Seekabrew and you get SN in Alaska so it should be available. SN Stout rolls in at 5.8 ABV so you get a bit more mouthfeel than Guinness but still lets you have more than one than those high ABV RISs.

 

go with the breakfast stouts Founders or Wake n Bake (I actually want to have this instead of coffee in the morning) not to thin but I think both are fantastic and pretty easy to get