The Best Dark Stout Beers You Must Try This Winter
There are plenty of reasons to love the cold, but there’s only one reason that really matters: stouts. When the weather gets cold, and maybe even a little frightful, nothing beats a mouthful of stout. Stouts are a classic, cold-weather drink because they combine beer, coffee, and chocolate. There’s no better way to stay warm. It’s stout season here at DrinkTanks and to celebrate, we’re sharing our top picks for the best dark stout beers.
As the name implies, this is a nitrogen-infused stout that’s as delicious as it is smooth. It pours a hard, thick black with a voluptuous, creamy head. The roasted coffee and mocha notes hit your nose the moment you crack open the can. Meanwhile, the delicate blend of milk chocolate and vanilla notes surprises your taste buds.
Like the fire from a dragon, this imperial stout twists and turns with some serious intensity. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and completely bold. A single mouthful of Dragon’s Milk’s bold, malt body is all you need to stay warm this winter, but the complex flavors that range from caramel to roasted malts and oak will keep you coming back for more. And at 11.00% ABV this stout is no slouch.
Under normal circumstances black cats are a terrible omen, and we’d recommend you err on the side of caution if you ever see one—but this is no glitch in the matrix. Unlike many other stouts which boast a particularly high ABV, Tough Kitty clocks in at 5.50%, and that’s why it’s super easy to drink. This milk stout pours a deep black and the lacey head clings to the glass like scratch marks from sharpened claws. There’s a subtle bitterness that completes the creamy, chocolate malt and espresso notes, for a taste that’s as good as it looks.
We can’t help it. We simply love Deschutes. Their Obsidian Stout is yet another one of their brews that’s too good to refuse. Reminiscent of cold, contemplative winter nights, its body is an inescapable pitch-black. A creamy, brown head floats atop the darkness like a paternal figure, as it shelters notes of roasted malts, espresso, chocolate, and black barley from the cold. The taste is not too bitter and not too sweet, but rather just right. Smooth with forward flavors, this is pure stout perfection that isn’t afraid of the cold, and it’s certainly not afraid of the dark. We’re feeling warmer already. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have to go fill our
DrinkTanks growlers with some stouts. This season and every season after, bring on the cold. We’re waiting with the best dark stout beers in town.
