Your first Stout?

Sierra Nevada Stout.

 

Since "Guinness" (either the Extra Stout or the Draught)
is the prevailing answer, how 'bout "Your first US-brewed stout?"



Released 1979, brewed by Ortlieb Brewing Co., Phila. PA
(which was also brewing the fragrant, hoppy McSorley's Ale
at the time, after Rheingold had folded).

 

That one's tougher to recall- either Sierra Nevada Stout or Anchor Porter .

 

Yeah, as I was writing about Ortlieb's Sean O'Shaughnessy's Boar Head Stout (gee, wonder why THAT beer didn't catch on? Too long to order?) I was going to write that it might have been "...the first new US stout since the Repeal Era..." but then realized that New Albion Stout predated it. Of course, a few old line breweries continued offering stout after Repeal - Ballantine, Haffenreffer (Pickwick), Neuweiler and Rainier among them - but I think all had been discontinued before the 1970s when Ortlieb's came out.

Yeah, well, if we open it up to "porter" , then there were many more choices in the US. (Funny, too, because I have an interview with Joe Ortlieb about his stout in which he says the only other US brewery making stout was "Anchor Steam Brewing Co." and I always think, "Uh, Joe, that's Anchor Porter you must be referring to.."

Ditto for changing it to "North American Stouts and Porters" a few of both survived up there, as well (I remember having Labatt, Molson and Champlain porters, as well as a Labatt's Cream Stout.)

 

It sounds like Ortlieb was more of a 'big picture' kinda guy. Too bad I never had a chance to try his beer, or those Canadian brews.

My throwing Anchor Porter in there was halfway tongue-in-cheek, mostly as a shout-out to the 'stout and porter are the same' crowd. Then again, I came of age when stouts were a style consumed by the pitcher, so the Anchor definitely falls broadly within that range.

 

Guiness was my first. Abyss was what got me hooked.

 

Sam Adams Cream Stout. It was pretty good, but the college chicks in Boston at that time were even better.

 

Guinness. My then brother in law had a six pack of it. This was back in college when I used to knock back Schaefer or Mickey's. The start of my Beergeeknerdness. There are some who think other stouts are better, but there'll always be a place in my heart for Guinness.

 

Pliny the Dark Lord

 

Guinness, of course, in the mid '80s. Didn't care for it. Stuck to my Canadian lagers (when I had the money, Old Milwaukee when I didn't) until my palate matured. First American stout was probably Sierra as well.

 

Guinness. An old friend that I like to revisit occasionally regardless of how many amazing imperial stouts aged in barrel goodness I've had it still demands my respect, off the tap anyway that is, I'll turn it down from a bottle or can can't beat that nitro mmmmmm.

 

For me it was Tooth's Sheaf Stout........now known simply as Sheaf Stout. Unfortunately no longer available in New England.

 

Guinness. who hasn't ticked a guinness off their list?

 

World Wide Stout - Wasn't ready for it and hated it when I first tried it. Now it's a beer I buy often and age

BCS Vanilla - Blew my mind and was the stout that converted me as a huge fan of the style

 

Guinness for imports. Ipswich Oatmeal Stout for local. Distribution and selection was very limited 15 years ago here in Massachusetts.