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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

Stouts and Porters

Twins of the Beer World

Strong Stout

Simply put, this is a stronger version of a dry stout, with alcohol levels between 5.7 and 7.5 percent, very similar to foreign or export-style stouts. The initial malt sweetness leads to a rounded out, dry and balanced finish. Coffee-like roasted barley present in the aromas. A medium- to full-bodied mouth feel is common. Fruity esters are very low to non-existent. Strong stouts are well balanced with sweetness/bitterness of malt.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

96 Scottish Stout, Belhaven Brewery (Scotland). 7% ABV (1/09)
Dark brown black color with a dark tan head. Aromas of baker’s chocolate, charred nuts and clay follow through on a round, supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body with mashed raisin and baked apple notes. Finishes with a long, rich chocolate-covered dried fruit and nut fade. A superbly-balanced and purely crafted strong stout with fantastic dimensional flavor.

93 Obsidian Stout, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 6.4% ABV (1/10)
Nearly opaque dark brown color. Mild aromas of cocoa-dusted citrus and dark caramel have a lightly smoky edge and follow through on a round, supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with good depth and dried apple and roasted coffee notes. Finishes with a firm, slightly astringent baker’s chocolate and grilled citrus fade. A dense-flavored, nicely-balanced and very tasty strong stout.

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