Stouts were initially developed as a creamier, burlier, more alcoholic porters—indeed, they were once dubbed “stout porters.” Today, they’re no longer simply boozier porters; they’re a hearty style with a profile all their own. Their characteristic dark brown to ink-black liquid boasts an equally familiar tan head that leaks a coffeelike, roasty aroma with hints of cocoa and virtually no hops. A creamy, medium-bodied swallow reveals roasted grains with light acidic sourness and significant hop bitterness. A bittersweet chocolate essence, coffee notes and mild astringency from the roasted grains and hops yield a dry finish. Also called Irish stouts, these dark, roasty beers offer ABVs of only 4 to 5 percent, proving not all dark beers have a bite as big as their bark.
Pair: Dry stouts’ dry, roasted characteristics lend well to protein: With lamb and baked ham, the beer’s cocoa and bitterness draw out the meats’ savory essence while accentuating sweetness; with oysters, the beer’s roasted grain contrasts the shellfish’s salinity.