Stouts: Looking for ones that finish clean

I never disliked Stouts but it took me a little while to really warm up to them, I now like them just as much as IPA/DIPA and probably drink more stouts than hoppy beers now.

Just keep trying them and maybe they will grow on you more too, if not, its no biggie, there are plenty of styles I'm not to fond of myself.

I will second Breakfast stout, and the Yeti's. I don't notice much bitterness at all with those.

 

I feel like a Guinness fan would really dig Left Hand Fade to Black Vol 1.

 

Avoid Founders breakfast and imperial stout, old rasputin, and expedition stout. All super bitter. I love sweeter stouts and my approach is to look at the beer reviews on this site and look for reviews saying it's sweeter.

 

PT5 non BA

 

Velvet Merlin

 

If you like IPAs (bitter) but don't like stouts because you find them bitter, then it's clearly the roasted barley you dislike. Avoid beers with lots of roasted barley in the grist. Alternatively, seek out any stout said to be pretty sweet. Cream/milk stouts are a good place to start, I would try Left Hand Milk Stout. Though they aren't necessarily sweet, you may also enjoy oatmeal stouts. Lusher mouthfeel. Give Samuel Adams Oatmeal Stout a go.

I would honestly just avoid any stout or porter over 8% for the time being. Yes, there are imperial cream stouts and imperial oatmeal stouts that are sweet with less roasted/charred flavor, but your best bet right now is to start small. Pretty much all of the imperial stouts you will find are going to be---at a minimum---twice as strong as the stout you currently drink. That's a pretty big leap to make.

 

some one on the internet said Left hand is the the BEST milk stout there is that has a calm soothing flavor profile

http://allaboutbeer.com/article/milk-stout-2/

 

I would agree with everyone mentioning oatmeal/cream/milk stouts (especially oatmeal). For specific beers, Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout is definitely a good one. Also, I'm assuming you won't be able to grab a bottle, but Dark Lord is sweet at hell, so if you can find anyone who doesn't like it (and while I think it's damn good, a lot of people hate it), that might be a good one to try.

The other thing to keep in mind is that stouts in general, especially the high abv ones (and Barrel Aged versions) are something of an acquired taste; the first time I had Nightstalker (my first big, hoppy imperial stout), and especially the first time I had Bourbon County, it was a little too much for me. Once you've had other stuff, and kind of eased into it, you'll find that your tastebuds crave bigger and more complex things (not to the exclusion of the lighter ones, but in addition), and at that point you may find that there are plenty of more bitter stouts you really enjoy.

For my part, I don't really like bitter coffee stouts, and no matter how many I have, that doesn't change.

 

try this one..

 

Plead The 5th
Old Rasputin
Founders Imperial Stout
BCBS
Big John
Marshall Zhukov
Velvet Merlin
Dino Smores

All of the above make Guinness taste like what it is...the Bud Light of stouts.

 

I think I am similar to the TS. I will go for an IPA over any other style. I love super bitter, hoppy beers. But I don't care for bitter stouts. I recently had a Mission Dark Seas RIS that I didn't love because of the bitterness on the end. I much prefer a sweeter or dry stout. Left Hand Milk Stout is awesome.

 

I just want to repeat this as it seemed lost in the oatmeal and milk stouts. German schwarzbier [translates to "black beer"] is also similar to the american black lager. There can be more variation among american black lagers, mostly in the amount of hops used, but both typically have a clean finish. You should be able to find some schwarzbier/black lagers near you from this list: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/31/

(Edit: @PintOh1759 I'd urge you take BA's ratings for schwarzbiers with a grain of salt... they aren't a style people here usually gravitate to and generate hype over, but they are good nonetheless and might be right up your alley based on what you say you dislike about many stouts)

 

Left Hand Milk Stout was my gateway into stouts. Now it's my favorite style.

 

I'd say left Hand is your safest bet. Too bad you don't get Three Floyds distro Alpha Klaus (hoppy porter) would probably suit you pretty well. I think it's an abomination personally, but it sounds like it might be the sweet spot for you @PintOh1759

 

I'm sure this has been mentioned but oatmeal stout by Sam Smith's as pure as the driven snow

 

as soon as I read the OP's post I thought " Schwartzbier"! Read my mind brother! I like Sprecher Black Bavarian. Give it a shot OP, I think you'll like it.

 

On the lighter side, Samel Smith Organic Chocolate. On the heavier side, try the 2014 Abyss.

 

first recommendation pretty much the best one.

for more oomph, maybe speedway stout.

definitely great divide oatmeal yeti (w/ raisin).