Stout:
Generally dark brown to black in color, stouts are originally an English style of beer that has also become popular among American brewers. This category also serves as a catch-all for experimental stouts that don't fit into other stout categories. Stouts tend to have a strong roasted malt flavor that often tastes of coffee, dark/bittersweet chocolate, and/or caramel. This flavor is sometimes slightly burnt tasting. This style usually has low sweetness and higher bitterness. Hop flavor can run the gamut of low to high presences. Alcohol flavors are sometimes present. ABV is usually between 4.5-7.5% and IBUs between 35-75.
Dry Stout:
Also known as an Irish Stout, the dry stout was derived from the English porter style and is dark brown to jet black in color. This style has a medium roasted malt character with a coffee finish, and often a bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate note. This creamy beer style has a medium to high hop bitterness with very little hop flavor. As the name suggests, this style has a very dry finish. The ABV is usually between 4-6% and the IBUs are 30-45.
Murphys Irish Stout
Foreign Style Stout:
In the past, these were sometimes known as "Tropical Stouts" as they were brewed for export to tropical locations. They were originally higher gravity, stronger beers that encompassed a fairly wide range of characteristics. Even today, these can be fruity and sweet (tropical versions) or dry and bitter (export versions). They typically have a high malt profile that should lack the sharpness of a dry stout. Either version may include coffee and chocolate flavors. The hop bitterness will typically be moderate to none and the hop flavor will be almost non-detectable. The ABV is usually around 5.5-8% and the IBUs between 30-70.
Imperial Stout:
This style is also known as Russian Imperial Stout because these beers were originally brewed by England for export to Russia as they were popular with the imperial court there. Now, this style is very popular among American brewers who have built on the style. The color ranges from dark brown to jet black. These beers are very rich and complex. The flavors typically include roasted chocolate, cocoa, and/or coffee and can have hints of caramel and/or toasty flavors. Dark fruit flavors can range from non-existant to very strong. Hop flavor is usually moderate to high with high levels of hop bitterness. American versions tend to be more heavily hopped. Alcohol flavor and warming are usually present. The mouthfeel is usually very thick and creamy. The ABV ranges from 8-13+% and the IBUs from 50-100+.
Oatmeal Stout:
Originally an English stout version that offers a sweetness level between a standard stout and a sweet stout, although this can vary. This style is brown to black in color. The oatmeal creates a silky mouthfeel that becomes oily when large amounts of oatmeal are used. The flavor usually consists of various levels of oatmeal, milk chocolate and/or creamy coffee. Oatmeal stouts usually have medium hop bitterness and very little hop flavor. ABV is usually between 4.5-7% and IBUs between 25-40.
Sweet Stout:
This is another English style of stout that has also been known as "Milk Stout" or "Cream Stout", although it is not legal to call them this in England anymore. These names were derived because of the use of lactose or milk sugar to sweeten the beer. The color of these beers is dark brown to black in color. The flavor is dominated by dark grains and malts with mid to high levels of sweetness (often from lactose). Coffee and/or chocolate flavors may be present. The roasted malt flavor and hop bitterness last into the finish. Overall, these beers are creamy and often taste like sweet espresso. American varieties tend to be higher gravity than their English counterparts. ABV usually ranges from 4.5-6.5% and IBUs from 25-40.
Plenty of styles to choose from
