A big CHEERS to everyone on St. Patrick's Day!!! This year at our house we will celebrate St Patrick's Day with a two week brined, 48 hour sous vide corned beef, seen below, accompanied by a frothy and delicious Guinness (in a Sam Smiths glass apparently). It is a divine pairing! Guinness and/or Dry Irish Stouts can get a bad wrap as a highly alcoholic beverage (it's 4.2%) and as "too filling."This also could not be further from the truth as the mouthfeel of the roasty, nitrogenated, Dry Irish stout gives the sipper a fuller sensation and a more bold drinking experience without filling them up. Guinness has a mere 125 calories!
What exactly is a Dry Irish Stout?
According to the Beer Judge Certification Program or BJCP, a Dry Irish Stout is a" black beer with a pronounced roasted flavor, often similar to coffee. The balance can range from fairly even to quite bitter, with the more balanced versions having a little malty sweetness and the bitter versions being quite dry. Draught versions typically are creamy from a nitro pour, but bottled versions will not have this dispense-derived character. Traditionally a draught product. Modern examples are almost always associated with a nitro pour. Do not expect bottled beers to have the full, creamy texture or very long-lasting head associated with mixed-gas dispense. Regional differences exist in Ireland, similar to variability in English Bitters. Dublin-type stouts use roasted barley, are more bitter, and are drier. Cork-type stouts are sweeter, less bitter, and have flavors from chocolate and specialty malts."
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Guinness Draught is the icon of St. Patrick's Day and should be enjoyed by all however there are other commercial examples like Beamish and Murphys that are very traditional as well. The beauty of living and working in Beer City USA is that most of the breweries roll out their versions of their Dry Irish Stout this time of year like the one from Burial Beer Company above. Go out and try them all and compare and contrast the differences in color, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and finish. There are some big differences and it makes for a great day of "research."
If you want to sample some of the best beer styles in the world, including Irish Stout, with a Certified Cicerone®, or beer expert, join me on Beer City Brewery Tours any day of the week. Click here to experience a three hour, in depth, totally casual stroll through Asheville's best breweries and brewhouses. Samples are always included in the price of the tour. Book today and learn about beer and brewing, drink the best beers in town and enjoy Beer City USA with your Asheville local beer expert, me.
Cheers!
Evan Rosenberg
Owner/Operator
Certified Cicerone®
Asheville, NC
www.beercitybrewerytours.beer
828-677-2337 (BEER)
