Stout

What is Stout?

Stout is a very dark strong top-fermented beer brewed using both malted and unmalted roasted barley. Stout is characterized by a thick body and a roasted, coffee-like aftertaste.

Stout originates in England, where the term "stout" initially referred to the strength of the beer. Stronger porters were called stout porters. Over time, porter was dropped from the name, leaving just stout.

Today, stout and porter are two distinct beer styles, although the debate on whether they are different enough to warrant a distinction is still ongoing. Stout is generally a bit stronger and drier than porter (but not always). Additionally, unlike porter, stout brewing often involves the use of unmalted roasted barley.

Origin Story

The adjective "stout" originally meant "proud" or "brave". After the 14th century, "stout" also came to mean "strong".

The term was first used to refer to strong beer (not necessarily dark beer) in Egerton’s manuscript in 1677.

The word porter was used in England from the 18th century to refer to dark beer. Strong porters were called stout porters, where stout referred to strong and porter referred to dark.

Stout porter was exported from England to Ireland, where it became very popular and was also brewed locally. Over time, the brews became lighter and at some point, the "porter" was dropped from the name, leaving only "stout". Thus, stout gradually evolved into a separate style of dark beer.