Guinness Draft / Stout

[BrewForMe]

I have not tried a stout to date and thought it was my duty as an aspiring homebrewer to sample one. I tried a Guiness draft (from the can) and i must say i was quite disappointed. There seemed to be little flavor, almost watery. I couldn't even force myself to finish it. Is this a "typical" stout beer. Are there other brands i should try, some that may have more flavor? Also, does anyone know what the little plastic ball i found rolling around in the can is for? (I hope it was supposed to be in there...)

 

[gclay]

I think the little ball is to inject nitrogen when they can it. But not positive.

 

[COLObrewer]

Some people like it, some don't, there are any number of stouts out there, if you want a good guiness, I suggest their special export. I personally feel the same way you do about guiness draft. To each his own.

 

[Beezy]

Personally I could drink Guiness everyday. Perfect session beer. I wouldn't say any one stout typifies the style. I'd say the range for this style is as wide as it gets for beer. From the low abv dry Guiness to the high grav Imperial sweet styles. They aren't usually hopped up but you can if you want, the beauty of homebrew. I love me some stout and it was the style of my first ever brew.

 

[count_dookie]

if you'd like to read up on the widget you can do so here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widget_(beer)

guinness draught isnt the best stout in the world, it is quite thin and doesnt have the most taste in the world. I like extra and foreign extra stout a bit more. I look at guinness draught as the dark light beer: low cal, low alcohol, easy to drink

 

[BrewForMe]

Thanks for your replies. It sounds like I really need to try some different styles. I don't know why, but I really want to brew a stout, even though I have no idea what a good stout tastes like...I'm off to see what other stouts I can find at the store.

It seems one of the great things about homebrewing is the research (taste testing so many new styles). Before I started homebrewing, I drank Boston Lager by the dozens, now I am learning to appreciate so many different beers that I probably never would have tried before.

 

[BrewForMe]

if you'd like to read up on the widget you can do so here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widget_(beer)

TY for that one Count, who ever would have "thunk"

 

[rico567]

Guinness is practically the definition of a dry stout. Evidently the OP has different tastes. If that's the case, he's in luck- there are many other types of stout- oatmeal, cream, sweet, etc. I'm currently drinking a batch of the Founders Breakfast Stout clone in the recipes section. A very, very different animal from Guinness, and by no means a session beer.

 

[Bacchusuga]

I like Guiness. But I'd give some others a shot to experience the variety in the style. I really like Bell's Special Double Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.

 

[Beezy]

I like Guiness. But I'd give some others a shot to experience the variety in the style. I really like Bell's Special Double Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.

Hell yeah. Actually these are on the list to try. I am going out tomorrow for 2 glasses. One East End Homewood Reserve on Cask (Bourbon barrel aged black strap stout) and Voodoo More Cowbell Imperial Oatmeal Stout on Nitro. It doesnt get much better than this.

 

[StrikeThree]

Go pick yourself up a four pack of Oskar Blues Ten Fidy. Then you will know the other end of the stout spectrum, you can pick a comfy seat somewhere in the middle.

 

[eelpout]

Did they recently change the Guinness draught in the bottle? Got a 12er of it last weekend and it was totally different from what you get in the cans. Although I didnt try em side by side yet, the bottle seemed way way thinner, and way more sour. (they can keep it sour like that if they want. I won't mind)
If I was. Blind folded, I would never have guessed Guinness.

 

[Rockape66]

OP, were you drinking the guiness cold? Most dark beers should not be served BMC cold. Most stouts and porters suggest about 55*F serving temp. Suggestion: go to a good pub and order a pint of guiness and a pint of something else (APA, IPA, etc.). Drink the other pint while waiting for the guiness to warm up. The guiness will taste totally different after this, with a very different mouth feel.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I like Guiness. But I'd give some others a shot to experience the variety in the style. I really like Bell's Special Double Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.

I love me some Old Rasputin. I'd also recommend Rogue's Chocolate Stout.

 

[Beezy]

Did they recently change the Guinness draught in the bottle? Got a 12er of it last weekend and it was totally different from what you get in the cans. Although I didnt try em side by side yet, the bottle seemed way way thinner, and way more sour. (they can keep it sour like that if they want. I won't mind)
If I was. Blind folded, I would never have guessed Guinness.

Probably not. I don't like Guiness in the bottle for whatever reason. It's tolerable in the can but nitro draft is where it's at.

Troegs Java Head is very good. Lancaster Mlik Stout.

 

[UnderThePorchBrewing]

Troegs Java Head is very good. Lancaster Mlik Stout.

Agree. Lancaster is better in my opinion than Left Hand but both are good example of milk stout and Troegs is very good for those who like a hopped stout

 

[mux11]

ok, yeah - well guinness is best served off the tap with the right mix. I have only found a couple places that pay attention to this. another worth mentioning is Murphys Irish stout. This is IMHO better than Guinness.

Now on a HB note I jumped in and my first brew was the Irish Stout AG kit from midwest and from fermenter to 1week in bottle I thought it came out as good as Guniess (minus the nitro that would smooth the mouth feel). 3 weeks in the bottle OMG!!! it is soo much better with the carmel malting with the balance of hop it has very much impressed me! Now I do plan to take a couple bottles to the local homebrew club where they told me they would evaluate. Ill post the findings. Cheers

 

[Bookem15]

So after reading this thread I have one more question. What is a good middle of the road sweeter stout beer or even what some of you might say is too sweet. I have never been the guy that tries too many dark beers but since I have started home brewing I have been trying anything and everything. Thanks for any and all help. Sorry for the highjack

 

[TwoGunz]

Did they recently change the Guinness draught in the bottle? Got a 12er of it last weekend and it was totally different from what you get in the cans. Although I didnt try em side by side yet, the bottle seemed way way thinner, and way more sour. (they can keep it sour like that if they want. I won't mind)
If I was. Blind folded, I would never have guessed Guinness.

The last couple I've had in bottles didn't seem to have a nitro widget and didnt get the waterfall effect. Likewise they're not as tasty as the nitro is all part of it.

For an average stout, you might try Murphys. It's very similar to Guinness but sweeter.

 

[firebird400]

I believe that that Guinness on tap is much better that from a can, the canned version has less body/is watery.

So don´t judge it before you have the proper one

 

[monkeydan]

I don't get the obsession with Guinness. Over here in the UK it is ubiquitous and I would suggest the reason you found it watery is that it's essentially a BMC-type beer. Not in terms of the style, obviously, but in terms of the size of the brewery and associated pitfalls.

The nitrogen gives it mouthfeel but there is no bitterness, no roastiness, it's not hoppy and I find it almost completely tasteless. Massively overrated IMO. That said, I drink it when there aren't any cask beers on tap and I don't fancy one of the 20 types of lager on offer which all taste exactly the same...

The foreign extra stout in bottles is nice, this does actually have a bit of flavour to it.

 

[MazdaMatt]

Guinness is a great hot summer day beer, which seems odd for a black stout.

YOUNG'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT is delicious. It is a good example of a *slightly* off the beaten path stout without getting silly-nichey.

 

[usafbeach]

YOUNG'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT is delicious. It is a good example of a *slightly* off the beaten path stout without getting silly-nichey.

I'll second that. But honestly if you ever get the chance to try a Guinness in Dublin, don't miss it. I love Guinness personally, but it's not really a drink that seems to travel well.

 

[Wakadaka]

On the guiness bottle it says you aren't supposed to pour it. The cans you are, but since the bottles don't have the widget you are supposed to drink it straight from it.

But how did you get a desire to start homebrewing with never having tried a guiness?? I'm not saying its a stellar beer or anything like that, but with the widespread production and distribution, and the whole idea among BMCers that it is "the darkest beer in the world", I would assume that most people who have any interest in beer have tried a guiness at some point in there life. Same goes for a boston lager. They seem to me to be landmarks into the appreciation of craft brew.

 

[david58]

There is a great difference between

• Guinnesss Draught
• Guinness Extra Stout
• Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

If you get a pint on tap, or there is a widget in the bottle, or it is out of a can, it is Guinness Draught. This is a session beer, normally too watery for my taste except if I want a session beer. Relatively low alcohol/calories. I often have it when traveling, since I seem to have a gift for packing on pounds when on the road, but my wife won't touch it. She is a die-hard fan of....

Guinness Extra Stout. A good beer - very nice mouth feel, thick/creamy, rich flavor. This is the standard that my wife and I brew against for my stouts. But it is exceeded in wonderfulness by....

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. A hoppy ('bout 60), higher alcohol Extra Stout, just introduced to the US marked last October. I can make one of those 11 oz bottles last a loooong time - just sipping and enjoying the combination of tastes and the aroma. In my humble opinion (and somewhat limited expertise) this is the best beer I have ever had. Take that with a grain of salt - Guinness ES was the first non-BMC beer I ever had 30 years ago, and it has remained my favorite.

My recollections are now spread out 22 years from my last trip to Britain, but I do remember Guinness there being particularly good compared with most beers here, and a bit better than the US import market Draught.

 

[gclay]

Guinness is the reason I wanted to home brew in the first place, I wanted to be able to make a comparable beer. I haven't tried yet because if I screw it up I think I'd cry

 

[Elky]

I'm a huge fan of Bear Republic's Big Brear Black Stout. it's not for everybody but the balance of sweetness and hoppienes just strikes a chord with me.

Remember hoppienes is happienes

 

[AramatB]

Guinness is nothing next to Castle Milk Stout

 

[OhCrap]

The only place to drink PROPERLY poured guineas is in ireland, it should not be BMC cold or even near it. If you get a good publican/barman who knows exactly how to pull a pint then you will notice the flavours and the mouth feel, if not then you may aswell be drinking Heineken or similar. It dosen't travel well or taste the same if brewed in another country because of the water they use. The water comes from nearby rivers and has its own unique characteristics that are not found anywhere else. I agree that there are better stouts out there but unless you try a PROPERLY pulled and chilled pint you won't get the proper flavour. And as for the colour, it's not black it's deep ruby red