How to pour
a stout in
Rinse the glass with cold water and shake it out, but don’t dry it. A wet, grease-free surface lets the head build evenly, while grease from a tea towel or leftover rinse aid breaks down the foam.
Hold the glass at an angle of about forty-five degrees and let the stout run down the side until it is three-quarters full. This angle releases less carbonation than pouring straight onto the bottom.
Set the glass down and let it stand for two minutes, especially if the stout was poured with nitrogen. Nitrogen dissolves much less readily in beer than carbon dioxide, so the bubbles are smaller and first settle out into an even, creamy layer.
Then pour upright until just below the rim, so the head rises about a centimeter above the glass. Level it with a clean spatula or leave it as it is; with a stout, the head remains all the way down to the bottom of the glass.
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The story
The name stout originally meant nothing more than strong: a stout porter was the heavier version of a porter, and over the course of the nineteenth century, stout became a style of its own. The Irish variant, dry stout, became the best known. It is dry and bitter, usually around four to five percent, and uses unmalted roasted barley, which gives it its sharp coffee note. Sweet or milk stout contains lactose and pours rounder, while imperial stout is the strongest of the family, roughly eight to twelve percent. Guinness is a dry stout.
The right glass
A stout calls for a straight, spacious glass with room for its thick head. In British and Irish pubs, that is usually a nonic, a straight glass with a bulge just below the rim, and we do not carry such a model. The closest option is a straight, stemless glass with a sturdy base and enough capacity for a 33 cl bottle plus its head. A stemmed tulip is the alternative: it brings out the aromas of coffee and cocoa a little more strongly. If you prefer a glass with a handle, take a look at the beer mugs.
Schott Zwiesel Banquet Beer Glass 42 cl (6 pieces)
Pasabahce Tulipe Stemmed Beer Glass 38.5 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 53,75.
The right tools
Strictly speaking, all you need for a stout besides the glass is a bottle opener, but if you want to carefully layer a dark beer over a lighter one, pour it over the rounded side of a bar spoon, and use a jigger to measure out a splash alongside it. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 60,70.
What do you pour alongside it?
The stout itself takes center stage; these are the bottles that can sit alongside it on the table. Whisky pairs best with the coffee and cacao notes. Well-known bottles include whisky and Jameson. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
There is plenty of variety within the family. A dry stout is dry and bitter, a sweet or milk stout contains lactose and pours rounder, an oatmeal stout feels softer because of the oats, and an imperial stout is the strongest, roughly eight to twelve percent. The same stout poured from a nitrogen tap is softer and thicker than it is from the bottle. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Take the bottle out of the fridge fifteen minutes before serving; between eight and thirteen degrees, the coffee and cacao notes come through, while very cold beer has little of them. Pour in two stages with a short pause, then you keep the head tight. Aged cheese or dark bread goes well with it.
Good to know
Why is a stout so dark?
From the malt, not a coloring agent. Some of the barley is roasted so thoroughly that the grain is almost black, and those grains provide both the color and notes of coffee and cacao. The further the roasting, the sharper that note becomes.
What is the difference between dry, sweet and imperial stout?
A dry stout is dry and bitter and usually around four to five percent. A sweet or milk stout contains lactose, which does not ferment, so the beer remains sweeter and fuller. An imperial stout is the strongest of the three, roughly eight to twelve percent.
Why does nitrogenated stout pour so smoothly?
Because nitrogen dissolves in beer much less readily than carbon dioxide. As a result, the beer is less fizzy and the bubbles that form are smaller, creating a dense, creamy head that lasts a long time. That is why you let a glass settle for two minutes before topping it up.
How cold do you serve a stout?
Between eight and thirteen degrees. Colder than that suppresses the aromas, leaving little of the coffee and cocoa notes; above thirteen degrees, the alcohol becomes too prominent.
Is Guinness a stout?
Yes, Guinness is a dry stout: the Irish, dry variant made with unmalted roasted barley. It is not the only one, because virtually every brewery with a dark beer in its range has its own stout.
Frequently asked questions
What glass do you use for a stout?
A straight, spacious glass without a stem, with enough capacity for a 33 cl bottle plus a thick head. In British and Irish pubs, this is usually a nonic; a straight glass with an inward-curving rim comes closest. A footed tulip also works and concentrates the aromas slightly more.
How much alcohol is in a stout?
That depends on the style. A dry stout is usually around four to five percent, a sweet stout between four and six percent, and an imperial stout roughly between eight and twelve percent.
Why do you pour a stout in two stages?
Because the head needs time to settle. You fill the glass at an angle to three-quarters full, let it stand for two minutes until the bubbles have settled, and then top it up with the glass upright. The difference is clearest with nitrogenated beer.
What is the difference between stout and porter?
Historically, a stout was simply a stronger porter. The two later diverged, but the boundary is still not sharply defined. The modern rule of thumb is that porter uses malted barley, while stout often uses unmalted roasted barley, which makes stout drier and sharper.
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