Stout Drinking: Bottle Or Glass?

There is no right or proper way to drink a stout. However, there are some tips to enhance your stout-drinking experience. For example, drinking a stout straight from the bottle may not be the best way to enjoy it, as it could be too cold, muting the flavours and intricacies that the brewer intended to share. Drinking a stout at around 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, as it allows you to taste the depth of the malt sweetness and capture the aromas of chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, or caramel.

Stout is a dark beer, warm-fermented with roasted flavours

Stout is a dark beer with a distinctive appearance and flavour. The dark colour is achieved by mashing the beer with roasted grains (malts and barley), which also brings out flavours like chocolate and coffee.

Stout is a derivative of porter, a style of dark beer that originated in 18th-century England. The name "stout" was first used to refer to the beer's strength—a stout porter was a stronger version of a regular porter. Over time, stout became associated specifically with dark beer.

Stout is warm-fermented and there are several varieties, including milk stout, oatmeal stout, Irish stout, imperial stout, and chocolate stout. Milk stouts contain lactose, which adds sweetness and body to the beer. Oatmeal stouts contain up to 30% oats, which increases the viscosity and adds a smooth character. Irish stouts, like Guinness, are drier. Imperial stouts are some of the darkest and strongest varieties. Finally, chocolate stouts get their name from the use of chocolate malt or small amounts of chocolate in the brewing process.

Stout is known for its full-bodied flavour and is often described as having a creamy mouthfeel. The recommended serving temperature for stout is slightly warmer than most beers, as this allows the subtle flavours to come through.

There is no proper way to drink a stout

There is no "right" or "proper" way to drink a stout. Drinking is a personal preference, and you can choose to drink it in any way you like.

Stout is a type of dark beer, generally warm-fermented, with a strong flavour and higher ABV. It is known for its dark colour and roasted flavours, often reminiscent of chocolate and coffee. There are two broad styles of stout: English and American. English stouts have a dry, bitter finish, while American stouts are slightly more bitter due to a higher hop content.

Some people may prefer to let their stout breathe for an hour before drinking, while others may choose to shotgun it from the can. If you're drinking a stout on draft, it's typically served in a pint glass, filled about two-thirds of the way full, and allowed to settle before serving. When drinking a bottled stout, it's recommended not to pour it out, as the bottle is designed to mimic the taste of stout on draught. Canned stouts, on the other hand, are meant to be poured into a glass before drinking.

The ideal serving temperature for a stout is a matter of debate. Some sources recommend drinking stout at around 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while others suggest letting it warm to 42 to 44 degrees Fahrenheit to enhance the flavour. However, others may prefer their stout ice-cold, especially on a hot day. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

So, whether you're sipping a stout by the fire or enjoying one with friends, remember that there is no "proper" way to drink it. The most important thing is to savour the flavour and enjoy the experience.

Stout is best enjoyed at 45-50°F, allowing its flavour to be at its peak

There is no "right" or "proper" way to drink a stout. However, there are some tips and tricks to enhance the drinking experience and bring out the more subdued flavours that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Allowing stout to warm after pouring will bring out a lot more character. By letting the beer warm, you'll be able to taste the depth of the malt sweetness and capture aromas of chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, or caramel that you might otherwise have missed.

If you want to be exact, a common recommendation is to enjoy a stout at around 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. A higher ABV imperial stout could be at peak flavour between 55 and 60 degrees.

It’s really up to you where you’d prefer to start your stout experience, but it is advised to let it warm to approximately 42 to 44 degrees Fahrenheit before drinking whenever possible.

Stout is associated with porter, a strong beer originating in London in the 1720s

There is no "right" or "proper" way to drink a stout. You can drink it straight from the bottle, or you can pour it into a glass. If you choose to pour it, a pint glass, tulip, or goblet is recommended, but any glass will do as long as it is not too thick or insulated and has a wide enough opening to release the beer's aromas.

Now, regarding the history of stout and its association with porter:

Stout is indeed associated with porter, a strong beer that originated in London in the early 1700s, specifically in the early 18th century or 1720s. The term "stout" was originally used to describe a stronger version of any beer or ale, and it is said that the name "porter" came from the beer's popularity with porters or carriers, the manual labourers of that time.

Over time, the term "stout" became specifically associated with stronger porters, known as "stout porters," and eventually, the term was shortened to just "stout." So, stout and porter have a shared history and are often considered interchangeable terms for dark beers, with the main difference being that stouts are known for their coffee-forward flavour and balanced bitterness, while porters offer notes of caramel, chocolate, cappuccino, or liquorice.

The early London porters were strong, with an alcohol content of around 6.6% ABV, and they were heavily hopped, vinous, and funky, with Brettanomyces yeast. By the 1800s, due to higher taxes, the ABV dropped to around 5% ABV, but the beer was still long-matured in porter tuns. However, as milder beers like pale ale gained popularity, porter's popularity began to wane, and stout became the preferred dark beer.

Stout has a variety of styles, including milk, oatmeal, and imperial stouts

Stouts are a type of dark beer, generally warm-fermented, and include styles such as dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout. Each style has its own unique characteristics and flavour profiles.

Oatmeal stouts, as the name suggests, contain oats, which are added during the brewing process. The addition of oats results in a creamy mouthfeel and a silkier, smoother texture compared to traditional stouts. Oatmeal stouts typically have a deep brown to black colour and can have nutty, bready flavours in addition to the usual chocolate or coffee notes found in stouts.

Milk stouts, also known as sweet stouts, are marked by the addition of lactose, a sugar naturally found in milk. Lactose adds a soft, creamy sweetness to the beer, resulting in a full-bodied yet often low-ABV drink. Milk stouts have a dark brown to black colour and offer the same roasty, chocolaty, and coffee notes as a classic dry stout, but with a sweeter, dessert-like character.

Imperial stouts, also known as Russian imperial stouts, are the biggest and brawniest of stouts, with a higher alcohol content and a rich, complex flavour profile. They were originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court in the 1800s, and have since become a favourite of American brewers. These stouts have an ultra-deep, dark, roasty profile with complex fruity and chocolatey flavours, a luscious mouthfeel, and varying levels of bitterness.

In addition to these styles, there are also English and American stouts, which have their own distinct characteristics. English stouts are similar to Irish stouts but may have a fuller mouthfeel, balancing hops and roasty bitterness with some malty sweetness. American stouts serve as a catch-all term for the diverse range of stout varieties produced by American breweries, experimenting with flavours, hop intensity, and alcohol content.

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