Lucy Palmer
Guinness is an iconic Irish stout, known for its distinctive creamy, rich mouthfeel and dark colour. It is packaged and carbonated with nitrogen, giving it a unique, silky-smooth texture. If you're a fan of Guinness, there are several similar stouts worth trying. One example is O'Hara's Irish Stout, a full-bodied, smooth stout with a creamy head and rich, complex coffee aromas. It is also the only Irish stout still exclusively brewed in Ireland. For something a little different, try Left Hand Brewing's Milk Stout Nitro, an American stout with a pillowy head and roasted barley flavours. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, go for a coffee stout like Modern Times Black House, which is easy to drink and known for its ability to marry beer and coffee.
Characteristics of beers comparable to Guinness:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| ABV | 3.7-15% |
| Brewery | Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales (Boston Beer Company), Victory Brewing Company, Eagle Brewery, Samuel Smith's Old Brewery, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Carlow Brewing Company, Brooklyn Brewery, Kirin, North Coast Brewing Company, Rogue Ales Issaquah Brewhouse, Great Divide Brewing Company, Left Hand Brewing, Modern Times, Goose Island, Kilkenny, Porterhouse Brewing Co., Murphy's Brewery, Heineken, Beamish, Sierra Nevada, Deschutes, Founders, Anchor, Oskar Blues, Bar Harbor Brewing, Arbor Brewing Company, McSorleys, Harpoon, etc. |
| Flavour | Roasted barley, chocolate, coffee, cocoa, oatmeal, milk, licorice, molasses, caramel, hops, yeast, malt, floral, bourbon, whiskey, etc. |
| Mouthfeel | Creamy, silky smooth, light, refreshing, sweet, bitter, rich, thick, etc. |
What You'll Learn
O'Hara's Irish Stout
The Carlow Brewing Company, home of the O'Hara's brand of craft beers, is situated in the historical hop and malt-growing region of Ireland, the "Barrow Valley". The brewery was originally housed in the "Goods Store", a 19th-century stone building that once served as the local provisions sale point for the town's traders. Brewery founder, Seamus O'Hara, aimed to revive not only the small brewery culture but also the qualities found in Irish beers from that era and beyond.
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Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale
Kilkenny is similar to Smithwick's Draught but has less hop finish. It is served in a similar manner to Guinness, with a creamy head. The ingredients are water, malted barley, roasted malted barley, hops, and yeast.
Kilkenny has a clear reddish nitro pour with bubbles of nitro streaming through the beer. The bubbles settle over time, leaving a thick, foamy head. It has a strong smell of caramel, toast, and toffee, with hints of roasted and toasted brown bread and a touch of herb. The taste is smooth and lightly toasted, with hints of caramel, toffee, plum, and prune. The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, making it a great sipper.
Kilkenny is available on tap in a number of bars and pubs in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and it is also available in some bottle stores. It is particularly popular in Canada, where sales increased after several Canadian personalities, including Mike Myers and Drake, were pictured with a Kilkenny.
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Left Hand Milk Stout
With an ABV of 6%, Left Hand Milk Stout is a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness. The aroma is enticing, with hints of roasted coffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar and vanilla cream. The flavour is a delightful dance of chocolate, coffee and malt, with a subtle bitterness on the finish.
The Left Hand Brewing Company, based in Colorado, United States, has crafted a truly exceptional beer with their Milk Stout. It is a beer that challenges perceptions of what a stout can be, and its enduring legacy is a testament to its quality.
For the best experience, it is recommended to pour Left Hand Milk Stout hard and fast to release the Nitro magic inside. Whether enjoyed straight from the can or poured into a glass, this beer is a full sensory experience with its mesmerizing cascade of tiny Nitro bubbles and enticing aromas.
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Young's Double Chocolate Stout
The beer is brewed with chocolate malt and real dark chocolate, giving it a smooth, rounded flavour. It also has hints of Challenger and oats, which add to its smoothness. The result is a satisfyingly indulgent experience that is never overly sweet.
Reviews of Young's Double Chocolate Stout are mostly positive, with ratings ranging from 3.31/5 to 4.61/5. Some describe the beer as having a "gorgeous" appearance, with a creamy head and curtain lacing. The taste is described as having hints of chocolate, chicory, roasted malts, grain, and dried fruit. It is also noted to be very drinkable, with a smooth and medium-bodied mouthfeel. However, some reviews mention that the chocolate flavour is not as prominent as expected, and that the beer is "thin".
Overall, Young's Double Chocolate Stout is a luxurious and indulgent beer that is perfect for those who enjoy the creamy, rich mouthfeel and coffee and cocoa flavours of Guinness but are looking for something a little lighter and sweeter.
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Murphy's Irish Stout
Murphy's is crafted to be less heavy and less bitter than its chief competitor, Guinness. Its flavour is evocative of caramel and malt, with toffee and coffee undertones, and is described as "a distant relative of chocolate milk". The stout is free from carbonation and is delivered "black as a strong cappuccino" with a creamy head of foam.
The history of Murphy's Stout dates back to 1856, when the Murphy brothers crafted a genuine dry Irish stout. The brewery was established in Cork "Rebel" County, Ireland, and the water of the River Lee in Cork is said to have contributed to the beer's quality.
The stout is available in kegs and cans, with the canned version containing a nitrogen widget to simulate the appearance and texture of the tap version, resulting in a creamy head when poured.
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Frequently asked questions
Some popular alternatives to Guinness include O'Hara's Irish Stout, Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale, and Murphy's Irish Stout.
All three of these beers are Irish stouts with a similar ABV to Guinness. They also have a creamy mouthfeel and a full-bodied flavour, which are characteristics of Guinness.
O'Hara's Irish Stout can be found in craft beer bars and major off-licenses. Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale is available by the bottle and can, and it is also commonly found on taps in pubs and bars across Ireland. Murphy's Irish Stout is distributed internationally by Heineken and can be found in pubs, bars, and off-licenses.
