What is your all-time favourite stout?

[Sadfield]

Quite partial to Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout

[jsl2000]

York brewery centurions ghost is lovely. As is exmoors beast.

[JKaranka]

The Kernels brown stouts (1800s style) are pretty good.

[Cheesey]

Agreed anything from Evin at Kernel. (currently got a bottle of Export Stout London 1890 7.1% and Imperial Brown Stout London 1856 10.2 % waiting to be drunk! )

As to down the boozer , I think you have to go a long way to beat Hawkshead Drystone Wall.

C

[joeskidmore]

Kernel are certainly a leader - one that stands out for me (especially as I remember drinking it in front of a roaring fire on a cold winter night) was the Kernel Porter.

Other than that is the Tiny Rebel Dirty Stop Out - luscious smooth oat smoked stout.

[Fido97]

My vote would be Hop Back Entire Stout....a damn fine pint in my humble opinion.

[tazuk]

i had a blueberry stout called old blue eyes from kelham island in uk 0000 man was it nice

[Padalac]

Really depends what style of stout buuuuuut...

Another vote for Kernal Imperial Brown Stout 1856.
It's frickin' awesome. If you can't get it in the US I could probably be persuaded to post some your way.

Also a bunch of other Kernal stouts like the 1890 export stout, the french oak aged stout. Kernal is the king of stouts within my experience.


Some other honourable mentions off the top of my head:
-Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
-Mikkeler Beer Geek Breakfast
-Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout

[Deebee]

Well. I like a stout to be roasy. I think they should have the smokey burnt like taste.
My next one will up the carafa a bit....

Stout is not popular in Norway. We get Guinness and Beamish. Of the two i prefer the latter

[wally]

Clown Shoes, Blaecorn Unidragon RIS at 12.5% abv.

Awesome drink IMHO, shame it only "bobs up" in our bottle shops occasionally.

[Sadfield]

Well. I like a stout to be roasy. I think they should have the smokey burnt like taste.
My next one will up the carafa a bit....

Stout is not popular in Norway. We get Guinness and Beamish. Of the two i prefer the latter

Sounds like slim pickings. Can you not get Nøgne Ø imperial stout?

[Jamie488]

Really live Titanic stout. They are masters of the dark beer. Their chocolate vanilla stout tastes like a desert if you can get it in a cask.

Does anyone have any good recipes they are willing to share as I am looking to brew one soon. Was going to try adding gorse flowers as they are just coming out. Thought it may give a nice coconut aroma if added to the secondary.

[Matt12398]

I could see gorse be an interesting and very welcome addition to that roasty flavour.

[seymour]

Does anyone have any good recipes they are willing to share as I am looking to brew one soon...

Good idea. Here are some clues for most of the aformentioned favourites:

Arbor Breakfast Stout
Brewery: Arbor Ales (2007-present) in Bristol, Gloucestershire, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 7.4%
Grainbill: Pale, Munich Malt, Wheat Malt, lots of Flaked Oats, Roasted Barley, a little Smoked Malt, Brazilian Santos Coffee Beans, Raw Cacao Nibs
Hops: Fuggles
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: English ale strain, long slow fermentation and conditioning period

Arbor Oyster Stout
Brewery: Arbor Ales (2007-present) in Bristol, Gloucestershire, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 4.6%
Grainbill: Pale, Crystal Malt, Wheat Malt, Flaked Oats, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley
Hops: Fuggles (60 min), Whole oysters, shells and all (15 min)
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: English ale strain

B & T Edwin Taylor's Extra Stout
Brewery: B & T/Banks & Taylor (1982-present) in Shefford, Bedfordshire, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1042
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: 84% Pearl Pale Malt, 16% Crystal Malt, Amber Malt and Roasted Barley
Early Hops: Hercules
Late Hops: Challenger & Hallertau
IBU: 48
Colour: black
Yeast: believed to borrow yeast from nearby Wells & Young, possibly related to White Labs WLP006

Beamish Irish Stout
Brewery: Beamish and Crawford (historic, 1792-2009, now contract-brewed by Heineken) in Cork, Ireland
Style: Stout
OG: 1039
ABV: 4.1%
Grainbill: 66% Lager Malt, 10% Wheat Malt, 10% Roasted Barley, 4% Chocolate Malt, 10% Invert Syrup
Early Hops: Perle, Northdown
Late hops: Styrian/Savinjski Goldings
IBU: 40
Colour: black
Yeast: historic Beamish Brewery Irish ale strain

Courage Imperial Russian Stout (modern version until 1993)
Brewery: contract-brewed at John Smith's Brewery (historic, 1852-present, bought by Heineken in 2008) in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1105
ABV: 10%
Grainbill: 69.3% Pale, 11% Brown Malt, 7.4% Amber Malt, 6.1% Black Malt, 6.2% Dark Brown Sugar
Early Hops: Target
Late Hops: Fuggles
IBU: 52
Colour: opaque black

Dragon Stout
Brewery: Desnoes & Geddes Jamaica/Diageo (1918-present) in Kingston, Jamaica
Style: Foreign Extra Stout
ABV: 7.5%
Grainbill: I shit you not. Black Malt, Corn Syrup, Caramel Malt
Hops: high-alpha hop extract (Yakima Magnum?)
IBU: 30
Colour: black
Yeast: Red Stripe fruity lager strain

Exmoor Beast Dark Ale
Brewery: Exmoor Ales (1980-present) in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, UK
Style: Porter
OG: 1066
ABV: 6.6%
Grainbill: Optic Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Challenger, Fuggles, Goldings
IBU: 40
Colour: very dark reddish brown
Yeast: proprietary Exmoor English ale strain

Founders Breakfast Stout
Brewery: Founders Brewing Company (1997-present) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Style: Stout
ABV: 8.3%
Grainbill: 76% Pale, 8% Flaked Oats, 6% Chocolate Malt, 4% Roasted Barley, 3% Dark Crystal Malt, 3% Carafa 3 Malt
Early Hops: Nugget (60 min), Willamette (30 min)
Late Hops: Willamette, Sumatra and Kona ground coffee, bakers cocoa and cacao nibs (at flame-out)
IBU: 60
Colour: black
Yeast: "Chico", the leading American Ale yeast, possibly from Scotland originally. Ballantine Brewery/Siebel BRY96/Sierra Nevada/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05/BSI-1, BSI A-56, 96.

Fullers Imperial Stout (2014)
Brewery: Fullers/Griffin Brewery (historic, 1699-present) in South London, England, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 10.7%
Grainbill: 56.5% Pale, 19% Brown Malt, 3.4% Flaked Maize, 4.1% Chocolate Malt, 17% #3 Invert Syrup & Molasses
Hops: Sovereign, Centennial
At flame-out: dried rose buds
Colour: black
Yeast: historic Fullers brewery strain, distinctive, estery, leaves some residual sweetness, Bengal Lancer and 1845 bottles contain primary strain, available as WLP002, Wyeast 1968, BSI A-68 and BSI-2? Related to 1768-PC?

Green Flash Double Stout Black Ale
Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Company (2002-present) in San Diego, California, USA
Style: Stout
ABV: 8.8%
Grainbill: Pale, Dark Crystal Malt, Roasted Malts, Golden Naked Oats
Hops: Target
IBU: 45
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: "Chico", the leading American Ale yeast, possibly from Scotland originally. Ballantine Brewery/Siebel BRY96/Sierra Nevada/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05/BSI-1, BSI A-56, 96.

Guinness Original/Extra
Brewery: Guinness Ltd./St. James Gate/Dundalk/Diageo in Dublin, Ireland
Style: Stout
OG: 1041
ABV: 4.3%
Grainbill: 80% MCI Stout Malt, 10% Flaked Barley, 10% Roasted Barley
Hops: Challenger, Target or Bullion
IBU: 45
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: Guinness strain, available as Wyeast 1084 or White Labs WLP004

Harvey's Imperial Extra Double Stout/Imperial Russian Stout
Brewery: Harvey's/Harvey & Son/The Bridge Wharf Brewery (historic, 1790-present) in Lewes, East Sussex, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 9.0%
Grainbill: Pale, Amber Malt, Brown Malt, Black Malt
Hops: Fuggles, Goldings
IBU: 70
Colur: opaque black
Yeast: Harvey's proprietary dual-strain, repitched for over 50 years, possibly available as BrewLab Sussex 1, also used by nearby micros like Rectory

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil
Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery Ltd (1985-present, using the old Devanha brewhouse equipment, headbrewer Steward Cail came from Vaux) in Clackmannanshire, Central, Scotland
Style: Porter
ABV: 6.0%
Grainbill: Pale, Roasted Barley, Oats (based on 1970s homebrew recipe)
Hops: Galena, Fuggles, Goldings
IBU: 40
Colour: opaque dark brown

Hawkshead Dry Stone Stout
Brewery: Hawkshead Brewery (2002-present) in Kendal, Cumbria, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: Maris Otter, Rolled Oats, Wheat Malt, Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley
Early Hops: Cascade & First Gold (60 min)
Late Hops: Hersbrücker & Bramling Cross (15 min)
IBU: 55
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: English ale strain

Hitachino Nest Sweet Stout
Brewery: Kiuchi Brewery (historic, 1823-present, modern craft beer production 1996) in Ibaraki, Japan
Style: Milk Stout
OG: 1055
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: Maris Otter, Wheat Malt, Crystal Malt, Roasted Barley, Lactose
Hops: Goldings (60 min), Goldings (15 min)
IBU: 15
Colour: dark mahogany
Yeast: top fermenting ale strain

Hop Back Entire Stout
Brewery: Hop Back Brewery (1987-present) in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1044
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: 88% Optic Pale, 4% Crystal Wheat Malt, 4% Chocolate Malt, 4% Roasted Barley
Early Hops: Challenger (90 min)
Late Hops: Goldings (at flame-out)
IBU: 35
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: proprietary Hop Back Brewery strain, supposedly derived from Whitbread-B, primary strain is in Summer Lightning bottles, given to Oakleaf when they opened in 2000

Kelham Island Old Blue Eyes Blueberry Oatmeal Stout
Brewery: Kelham Island Brewery (1990-present) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: Maris Otter, Chocolate Malt, Oat Malt, Roasted Barley, blueberries
Hops: Admiral
Colour: black
Yeast: Distinctive Kelham brewery English ale strain, originally from Holts in Manchester, some say slow to ferment and clear.

Liberty Darkest Days Oatmeal Stout
Brewery: Liberty Brewing Co. in Auckland, New Zealand
Style: Stout
OG: 1060
ABV: 6.0%
Grainbill: Pale, Dark Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats
Hops: Centennial
IBU: 45
Colour: black

Lion Stout
Brewery: Lion Brewery in Biyagama, Sri Lanka
Style: Foreign Extra Stout
ABV: 8.0%
Grainbill: Pilsener and Pale Malts, Crystal Malt, Special-B Malt, Black Malt, Jaggery Sugar and Treacle
Hops: Styrian/Savinjski Goldings
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: high-attenuating English ale strain

Mikkeller Beer Geer Breakfast Stout
Brewery: Mikkeller (gypsy brewers headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark)
Style: Stout
OG: 1073
ABV: 7.5%
Grainbill: 50% Pilsener Malt, Oat Malt, CaraMunich Malt, Smoked Malt, Brown Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats + gourmet coffee
Early Hops: Centennial & Cascade (60 min)
Late Hops: Cascade (15 min), Centennial (5 min)
IBU: 116
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: "Chico", the leading American Ale yeast, possibly from Scotland originally. Ballantine Brewery/Siebel BRY96/Sierra Nevada/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05/BSI-1, BSI A-56, 96.

Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout
Brewery: Nøgne Ø (2002-present) in Grimstad, Norway
Style: Stout
OG: 1096
ABV: 9.0%
Grainbill: Maris Otter, Munich Malt, Roasted Barley, Oats, Black Malt, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Columbus, Crystal
IBU: 75
Colour: black
Yeast: English ale strain

Orkney Dragonhead Stout
Style: Stout
Brewery: Orkney/Sinclair Breweries (1988-present, a Peter Austin/Alan Pugsley brewhouse installation) in Orkney Island, Scotland
OG: 1040
ABV: 4.0%
Grainbill: 90% Golden Promise, 2% Crystal Malt, 1% Black Malt, 3% Torrified Barley, 3% Roasted Barley
Early Hops: Omega
Late Hops: Goldings
IBU: 29
Yeast: probably "Chico" but possibly Ringwood since they were setup by Austin/Pugsley

Pipeworks Pastrami on Rye (includes the 11 spices used to cure pastrami)
Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Style: Spiced Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Grainbill: Maris Otter, Crystal Rye Malt, Cara 80L Malt, Extra Special Malt, Cherrywood Smoked Malt, Rye Malt, Chocolate Malt, Honey, Dark Candi Syrup
Hops: Willamette
At flame-out: tellicherry black peppercorn, mustard seed, coriander, red pepper flake, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, bay leaf, clove, ginger, caraway
Colour: hazy dark brown

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout (bottled)
Brewery: Samuel Smith Old Brewery (historic, 1758-present) in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1050
ABV: 5.0%
Grainbill: 81.5% Maris Otter, 5.5% Crystal Malt, 5.5% Chocolate Malt, 5.5% Toasted Flaked Oats, 2% Roasted Barley
Hops: Goldings (90 min)
IBU: 32
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: proprietary Samuel Smith open fermented Yorkshire stone square English ale strain, available in bottle-conditioned Stingo, possibly available as BrewLabs Yorkshire 1 or White Labs WLP037

Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (1980-present) in Chico, California, USA
Style: Stout
OG: 1102
ABV: 10.2%
Grainbill: Pale, CaraMalt, Chocolate Malt, Honey Malt, Carafa Malt, Roasted Barley
Early Hops: Magnum (90 min), Challenger (60 min)
Late Hops: Challenger (15 min)
IBU: 60
Colour: black
Yeast: "Chico", the leading American Ale yeast, possibly from Scotland originally. Ballantine Brewery/Siebel BRY96/Sierra Nevada/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05/BSI-1, BSI A-56, 96.

Sin City Stout/The Dark Side of Sin
Brewery: Sin City Brewing Co. (2005-present) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Style: Stout
ABV: 6.0%
Grainbill: Pale, Roasted Barley, Flaked Barley, Crystal Malt, Black Malt
Hops: Fuggles, Willamette
IBU: 30
Colur: opaque black
Yeast: historic Fullers brewery strain, distinctive, estery, leaves some residual sweetness, Bengal Lancer and 1845 bottles contain primary strain, available as WLP002, Wyeast 1968, BSI A-68 and BSI-2? Related to 1768-PC?

The Kernel Export Stout London 1890 (probably based on Truman)
Brewery: The Kernel Brewery (2009-present) in Bermondsey, London, England, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1075
ABV: 7.2%
Grainbill: 77% Pale, 14% Brown Malt, 9% Black Malt? (90 min mash)
Early Hops: Fuggles (90 min), Fuggles (30 min)
Late Hops: Fuggles
IBU: 100
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: "Chico", the leading American Ale yeast, possibly from Scotland originally. Ballantine Brewery/Siebel BRY96/Sierra Nevada/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05/BSI-1, BSI A-56, 96. Ferment @ 20°C

The Kernel Imperial Brown Stout London 1856
Brewery: The Kernel Brewery (2009-present) in Bermondsey, London, England, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 10.1%
Grainbill: 73% Pale, 23% Brown Malt, 4% Black Malt? (90 min mash)
Early Hops: Chinook (90 min), Fuggles (30 min)?
Late Hops: Goldings
IBU: ≈70?
Colour: black
Yeast: "Chico", the leading American Ale yeast, possibly from Scotland originally. Ballantine Brewery/Siebel BRY96/Sierra Nevada/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05/BSI-1, BSI A-56, 96. Ferment @ 20°C

Tiny Rebel Dirty Stop Out Smoked Oat Stout
Brewery: Tiny Rebel Brewing Company (2012-present) in Newport, Wales, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1053
ABV: 5.0%
Grainbill: Pale, Smoked Malt, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats, + 5 more
Hops: Styrian/Savinjski Goldings
IBU: 50
Colour: black

Titanic Chocolate & Vanilla Stout
Brewery: Titanic Brewery Co Ltd (1985-present) in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1046
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: 90% Maris Otter, 8% Roasted Barley, 2% Wheat Malt
Hops: Northdown
At flame-out: Chocolate and Madagascar Vanilla
IBU: ≈30
Colour: black

Titanic Stout
Brewery: Titanic Brewery Co Ltd (1985-present) in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1046
ABV: 4.5%
Grainbill: 90% Maris Otter, 8% Roasted Barley, 2% Wheat Malt
Early Hops: Northdown, Willamette, Galena
Late Hops: Goldings
IBU: ≈40
Colour: black

Truman Export Stout (1890)
Brewery: Truman/Black Eagle Brewery (historic, founded 1666, merged into Watney Truman in 1971, closed 1989) in Brick Lane, London and Burton-upon-Trent, UK
Style: Foreign Extra Stout
OG: 1075
ABV: 8.0%
Grainbill: 77% Pale, 13.8% Brown Malt, 9.2% Black Malt
Early Hops: Fuggles (90 min)
Late Hops: Fuggles (30 min)
Dry Hops: Fuggles, Goldings
IBU: 100
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: the NCYC archive has two Truman ale strains

Victory Storm King Imperial Stout
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company (1996-present) in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA
Style: Stout
OG: 1087
ABV: 9.1%
Grainbill: 77% Pilsener Malt, 12% Vienna Malt, 5% Roasted Barley, 5% Carafa III Malt, 1% CaraAroma (mash @ 65°C 45 min, then 72°C for 30 min)
Early Hops: Centennial (60 min, 30 min)
Late Hops: Centennial & Cascade (15 min), Cascade & Chinook (5 min)
Dry Hops: Cascade & Chinook
IBU: 85
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: Victory brewery ale strain, originally from Old Diminion via Narangasett, ferment low: 54°F then 57°F, no higher than 62°F

Weird Beard Decadence Stout
Brewery: Weird Beard Brewery in London, England, UK
Style: Stout
OG: 1062
ABV: 5.5%
Grainbill: Pale, Carafa 3 Malt, Chocolate Malt, Crystal Malt, Munich Malt, Flaked Oats, Vienna Malt
Early Hops: Chinook
Late Hops: Goldings
Colour: black
Yeast: high-attenuating English ale yeast

Weird Beard Fade To Black
Brewery: Weird Beard Brewery in London, England, UK
Style: Black IPA
OG: 1067
ABV: 7.0%
Grainbill: Pale, Crystal Malt, Crystal Rye Malt, Chocolate Malt, Carafa 3 Malt
Hops: Summit, Citra, Sorachi Ace
Colour: black
Yeast: high-attenuating English ale yeast

Williams Brothers March of the Penguins
Brewery: Williams Brothers/Heather Ale Ltd. (1988-present) in Alloa, Scotland, UK
Style: Stout
ABV: 4.9%
Grainbill: Pale, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Wheat
Hops: First Gold, Fuggles
At flame-out: coriander, orange zest
Colour: opaque black

York Centurions' Ghost Ale
York Brewery Co Ltd (1996-present) in York, North Yorkshire, UK
Style: Mild (I am proud to report!)
ABV: 5.4%
Grainbill: Pale, Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt
Hops: Challenger, Fuggles, Bramling Cross
Colour: dark ruby red
Yeast: English ale strain


Anyone know recipe clues about these?
Clown Shoes Blaecorn Unidragon RIS
DeMolen Spanning and Sensatie
Highland Orkney Porter
Loch Lomond Silkie Stout
Monkeybrew's Double Velvet Stout
Samuel Smiths Chocolate Stout
The Kernel Porter
Tryst Dark Toffee Stout

[Jamie488]

Thanks Seymour. That is an extensive list. Has given me some great ideas. Will post the recipe one finalised.