According to Brewer’s Association, the traditional Irish stout falls into two categories, depending on alcohol strength. These two style categories include the Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout (think Guinness Draught) and Foreign Export-Style Stout (think Guiness Foreign Extra Stout). Both styles are black in color with prominent coffee-like roasted malt aromas. Each boasts an initial malt sweetness with hints of caramel flavor and distinctively bitter, dry-roasted finish. Classic Irish-Style Dry Stouts have an alcohol range of 3.8-5% abv., while Foreign Export-Style Stouts are between 4.5-7.5% abv.

Here is a list of 10 Wench-approved craft beer substitutions for Guinness, in no particular order. Can’t find any of the beers listed below? Check out RateBeer.com for a great list of Irish-inspired dry stouts. Cheers!

10 Craft Beer Alternatives for Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day

1. Brooklyn Irish Dry Stout

Commercial Description: Brooklyn Irish Stout is brewed the old-fashioned way, without the nitrogen addition. A large portion of the grain is roasted like coffee beans, developing the typical color and flavor of this beer. Aside from British pale malts, the beer includes caramel malts, black patent malt, unmalted black barley and a proportion of flaked raw barley, which helps the beer develop a beautiful, thick natural head. 4.7% abv

2. Moylans Dragoons Dry Irish Stout

Commercial Description: Dry, roasty and incredibly rich in flavor, Dragoons Dry Irish Stout is made with a unique blend of imported hops and malted barley from the United Kingdom. This award winning stout is brewed in the Irish tradition to commemorate General Stephen Moylan, Irish-born commander of the 4th Continental Dragoons during the American Revolutionary War. 8% abv.

3. Boulevard Dry Stout

Commercial Description: Velvety black and perfectly opaque, this surprisingly smooth, drinkable beer is a delightful harmony of smoky roasted flavors and tangy, coffee-like notes. Available only on tap at fine establishments throughout our distribution region. 4.9% abv.

4. Short’s Uncle Stevie Irish Stout

Commercial Description: Short’s version of the classic Irish Stout, complete with a dark color, soft head, and smooth full flavor typical of this lighter bodied style. A simple grist formula provides a base of roasted malt flavors while the infusion of nitrogen adds the creamy drinkability everyone loves. 5.5% abv.

5. Starr Hill Dark Starr Stout

Commercial Description: Starr Hill’s Dark Starr Stout has won more national and international awards than any other Dry Irish Stout in the country. Brewed with roasted barley, and with hints of coffee and dark chocolate, it packs a robust taste into a surprisingly light body. This signature brew pours like velvet and drinks like a slice of grandma’s pumpernickel bread. 5.2% abv.

6. North Coast Old No. #38

Commercial Description: Named for a retired California Western Railroad steam engine on the Fort Bragg to Willits run through the Redwoods, Old No. 38 Stout is a smooth, firm-bodied stout with the toasted character and coffee notes of dark malts and roasted barley. 5.4% abv.

7. Sprecher Irish-style Stout

Commercial Description: This tribute to St. Patrick’s Day is smooth and creamy, with distinctive flavors and aromas reminiscent of bitter-sweet chocolate and dark coffee. Just one precious batch of this robust, ebony colored stout is brewed each year. 5.73% abv

8. Avery Out of Bounds Stout

Commercial Description: This big, roasty stout takes flavor to the extreme. We aren’t afraid to use plenty of rich roasted barley and a mountain of hops to give this full-bodied stout that little extra something you’ve been looking for in a beer. 6.3% abv.

9. Bison Chocolate Stout

Commercial Description: Like Barry White’s voice in a bottle, Bison’s Chocolate Stout is a dark, slow-pouring aphrodisiac of the smoothest proportions. Rich and roasty with charismatic flavors of dark chocolate and espresso, and creamy, dry finish. 5% abv. (Disclaimer: I work for Bison)

10. Saranac Irish Stout

Commercial Description: Deep within the heart of the Irish lies an uncanny passion for what they call “Leann Dubh”, or black ale.  Saranac Irish Stout is a lavish beer blended with dark malts to create a coffee like taste.  Look for a roasted character that is surprisingly smooth and refreshing, pint after pint. 5.5% abv.

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Slainte!

As you may recall, a few weeks ago I posted a video of Conan O’Brien touring the Guinness brewery. Although all he really wanted was the free Guinness at the end of the tour, Conan was “forced” to learn about the various steps of brewing.

“They make you take the tour and learn about where yeast comes from, barley & hops…” – Conan O’ Brien.

Conan recently sat down with guest Paul Rudd, who has also taken the Guinness tour. In the short segment below, they discuss the tour experience, how to properly pour a Guinness, the importance of looking to the horizon while drinking, etc. It’s a fun video, so enjoy!

If I had a dollar for every impersonal solicitation I’ve ever received from a company or PR agency that I’ve never heard of, I’d have at least 100 bucks in my pocket. But, every once in awhile, something awesome comes my way.

Case and point, this video of Conan O’Brien’s visit to the Guinness Brewery.

Not gonna lie, I’m a huge fan of that giant scrawny ginger with a twisted sense of humor. And watching him tour a brewery just makes me love him that much more.

Anyone that’s ever toured a brewery knows the anguish of waiting for that moment at the end of the tour when a beer finally touches your lips. Conan feels the pain as well — and expresses it in his very special Conan way.

Cheers!

And in 1759, his dream became a reality with the signing of a 9,000-year lease at St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. Ten years later, Guinness exported his ale for the first time (mostly to England). To this day, St. James remains the flagship brewery for Guinness.

In the beginning, Arthur mostly brewed ales. He decided to stop making ales and start making porters in 1779. The Guinness that we know today  is based on the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century.

Despite common folklore, Guinness did not invent the “stout” style. In fact, Guinness did not start using the stout label until the 1840’s. The first Guinness beers to use the term “stout” were the Single Stout and Double Stout. They had an original gravity of over 1.070. The contemporary Guinness Draught and Extra Stout are significantly weaker today.

Guinness stout is available in a number of variants and strengths. The most popular by far is the Guinness Draught. More than 1.8 billion pints of it are consumed in 150 countries each year.

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the lease for St. James’s Brewery, Guinness has released a special beer. The anniversary stout will be available only in the U.S., Australia and Singapore. The length of release is rumored to be 6 months, starting from the end of April.

Unlike the Guinness Draught, which uses a combination of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout soley uses carbonation. The anniversary stout also contains more alcohol, weighing in around 5% (Guiness Draight is 4.2%).

Whereas Guinness is definitely not my favorite beer on the market, it is definitely a “go-to” beer when my only options consist of the Evil 3 corporate beers, imported lagers and Guinness. To me, Guinness is a really light beer. I laugh at all my friends who try to tell me Guinness is too rich for them. Put Guinness Draught up against De Struise Brouwers Black Albert and the Guinness will taste like water.

I am keeping my eyes and ears open for the arrival of the Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout in my local market … and I urge you all to do the same. Guinness is rich with history and deserves to be celebrated!

CHEERS!!!