Not all stouts are created equal.听
While they share their dark colour and roasted flavours, the difference between an Irish stout and an imperial stout can be striking -听from lower-alcohol, more balanced styles to richer, fuller-bodied听and more intense, warming expressions.听
In its basic form, a stout beer is a type of ale that is听dark brown听to black in colour, brewed with dark roasted malts or grains, giving aromas such as coffee, chocolate or burnt bread. Stouts sit close to porters in terms of their style.听
In this article, we explore the main stout styles, with a closer look at Irish stout and imperial stout, and how they compare.听奥别鈥檒濒听also touch on porter, a closely related style, to help place stout in its wider family.听
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Types of stout explained听
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Irish stout听
As the name implies, Irish stout is originally from Ireland and is famously brewed in Dublin, where carbonate-rich water is well suited to brewing with dark roasted malts and grains.听
Irish stout is brown to black in colour,听clear or opaque and offers听burnt and roasted aromas such听as听coffee, cocoa, dark chocolate or burnt bread from听the use of dark roasted malt or, often, roasted barley.听
There is sometimes subtle听fruity character from yeast, and subtle floral hop-derived aromas. The level of hop听bitterness varies and is accentuated by the bitterness from roasted grains giving听medium to high bitterness overall.听听
Irish stout typically has low to medium alcohol. It is often nitrogenated, giving a notable creamy foam when the beer is poured.听
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Imperial stout听
Imperial stout (sometimes called Russian imperial stout) is typically black in听colour and opaque.听听
Compared to Irish stout, imperial stout is fuller-bodied, higher in alcohol and more intense in both aroma and flavour. It typically has high to听very high听alcohol (often exceeding 8%), which can give a warming sensation.听
It is full-bodied with medium to high bitterness, low to medium sweetness and pronounced aroma intensity. It also typically has low to medium carbonation.听
As听would be expected from听this style,听it has dark roasted malt aromas such as听coffee or dark chocolate. Caramel malt is sometimes used to add notes such as听caramel or dried fruit.听When aged,听this style can develop port-like notes.听
British-style听imperial stout can have subtle听herbal,听earthy听or fruity notes from traditional British hops,听while American-style imperial stout tends to have citrus, stone, tropical fruit,听pine听or resin notes from American hops, and can have more prominent dark roasted malt notes such as burnt bread.听
In simple terms, Irish stout is typically lighter,听drier听and more听sessionable, while imperial stout is stronger,听fuller听and more intense.听听
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Other听stouts听
Oatmeal stout听
As the name suggests, these stouts are brewed with a proportion of oats in the听grist听(the mix of grains used in brewing). The inclusion of oats contributes to body, giving these beers a medium to full body and a smooth, silky mouthfeel.听
American stout听听
American stout typically combines the roasted flavours of dark malts with more expressive hop character. This can bring aromas such as citrus,听stone听or tropical fruit, along with pine or resin notes from American hop varieties.听
Sweet stout听
Historically called milk stout, this style includes lactose, an unfermentable milk sugar, added to the听wort听(the liquid extracted from the grains during brewing). Because yeast cannot ferment lactose, it听remains听in the final beer, giving a noticeable sweetness, typically medium to high.听
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There are also听a number of听more modern stout styles that have become increasingly popular, including coffee stout, pastry听stout听and oyster stout, each adding听additional听ingredients or flavours to build on the base style.听
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A touch on porter听
To fully understand stout, it helps to look at its close relative: porter.听
Porter is said to have originated in London, England in the 1700s, pre-dating stout. The carbonate-rich water here was ideal for brewing dark beers, much like the water in Dublin.听
Porter is brown to black in colour,听clear or听opaque听and has听aromas such as chocolate or coffee from dark roasted malts. It may听also have caramel notes if a small amount of caramel malt is used.听听
So听you can see how听a porter sits听in the same family as听a stout!听
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English-style听porter听听
This style typically has fruity esters from British ale yeast听along with a low level of听diacetyl听(a natural by-product of fermentation that can give buttery or butterscotch notes if present), which is acceptable at low levels.听
It typically has low to medium alcohol and听bitterness,听sometimes听with听subtle earthy,听fruity听or herbal aromas听from traditional British hops.听
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American-style听porter听
This style听of porter is听generally higher听in alcohol than the English style,听features a subtle burnt bread note, and听as听it typically uses American ale yeast听it can have a听subtle fruity character.听听
As is听often the case with American styles, it typically has more prominent citrus, stone,听tropical fruit, pine or resin aroma and bitterness from the use听of American hops.听
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