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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

Stouts and Porters

Twins of the Beer World

Sweet Stout

Sweet stouts are largely a British specialty. These stouts have a distinctive sweetness to the palate and often show chocolate and caramel flavors. They are sometimes known as milk or cream stouts. These beers obtain their characters by using chocolate malts and lactic (milk) sugars in the brewing process.

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

92 San Quentin’s Breakout Stout, Marin Brewing Co. (CA). 7% ABV (1/10)
Opaque brown black color. Chocolate-covered espresso bean and faint dried fig aromas follow through on a soft, supple entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with chewy roasted grain and nut notes and a long, tangy latte and mild citrus marmalade on toast-accented fade. A beautifully composed and easy drinking stout that will work great at the table.

91 Samuel Adams Cream Stout, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 4.85% ABV (1/10)
Deep brown color with an amber cast. Rich aromas of chocolate mousse and hazelnut latte follow through on a round, frothy entry to a dryish medium body with good depth and a drying roasted nut-accented fade. Tasty and quite food friendly.

91 Lion Stout, Lion Brewery Ceylon PLC (Sri Lanka). 8% ABV (1/10)
Muddy brown color with a fine frothy tan head. Rich toffee and mocha aromas follow through on a round, supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with cascading layers of dried fruits and nuts. Finishes with a long, cocoa-dusted coffee bean and tangy fruit peel fade. A delicious and satisfying stout.

90 Mobay Stout, John Harvard’s Brew House, Framingham (MA). 7% ABV (1/09)
Dark brown color. Charred pecan, cocoa powder and roasted vegetable aromas follow through on a smooth supple entry to a dryish medium body with a chocolate crème brûlée and a long dried fruit, pepper and nut-accented finish. A rich, drinkable stout. Tasty!

88 McCleary’s Stout, Bastone Brewery (MI). 5.5% ABV (1/09)
Opaque brown black color with a lacy taupe head. Sweet, creamy mocha candy aromas follow through on a round, frothy entry to a dryish medium body with good roasted grain and coffee bean character. Finishes with a balanced nutshell-like astringency and a hint of dried fruits.

86 Snow Plow Milk Stout, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. (OR). 5.4% ABV (12/07)
Chocolate milk, Sour yeast, buttery toffee and musty nut aromas follow through to a off-dry medium-full body with cedar and sweet fig notes and a tangy finish.

85 Spetsnaz Sweet Stout, Grumpy Troll Brewery (WI). 5.8% ABV (1/09)
Dark brown color with a high rocky tan head. Singed chocolate, dark rye toast and leafy earth aromas with a soft, satiny entry leads to a dryish medium body with a touch of cream and charred nut on the breezy fade. A nice quaffer.

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