Pity the poor Irish stout. Sometimes it seems that, if it weren’t for St. Patrick’s Day and the unabashed genius of Arthur Guinness (he signed a 9,000-year lease with the city of Dublin on behalf of his brewery, after all), one might wonder if anyone would consume this beverage at all. But oh, you should. Especially on nitro, where the lack of carbonation in the beer is supplemented by nitrogen in the pour, bringing a creaminess that befits this black beauty in ways that no other beer could handle.
Given its deep ink-black color and roasted barley profile, it’s easy to forget that most Irish stouts are, by design, sessionable. Rarely sweet and typically weighing-in around 4% ABV, they can be enjoyed in bulk, which can come in handy if you are waiting out a rainstorm in a Dublin pub — or celebrating March 17 in a Northwest bar. Either way, drink up — with five Northwest Irish stouts that would make even Arthur Guinness proud.
Dry Irish Stout
Barbarian Brewing | Boise, Idaho
This beloved brewery is known throughout Boise for concocting some spectacularly wild sours, so it might seem a surprise for them to pour a Dry Irish Stout that behaves exactly like a Dry Irish Stout. Deep and dark, the roasted barley is evident as it should be, yet pleasurably subtle. Easy to drink and almost no bitterness to be found, and the tight latté-colored foam lingers on the sides of the glass long after it has been emptied.
4.2% ABV | barbarianbrewing.com
Maggie’s Dry Irish Stout
Georgetown Brewing Company | Seattle, Washington
We’d celebrate March 17 with any familial relation of Georgetown’s 9 Lb. Hammer, Seattle’s longtime standard bearer of all things dark-and-heavy. Roasted barley is front-and-center in this sip, and the addition of flaked oats adds just a touch of depth, as well as a silky mouthfeel. At 4.2% ABV, Maggie’s, is more like 9 Lb.’s lithe Irish cousin who comes to visit the Northwest this time of year. We wish she’d visit more!
4.2% ABV | georgetownbeer.com
Nitro Dry Stout
Ferment Brewing Company | Hood River, Oregon
As one of the few Northwest dry stouts available year-round in a 16-ounce can, there’s no need to wait for St. Patty’s Day to make sure this finds its way into your pint glass. But make sure it is in a glass, so you can fully appreciate the silky nitro-fueled head cascading in your cup. As opaque as it is, it surprises as a slightly roasty easy-pleaser — almost crushable, one might say.
4.5% ABV | fermentbrewing.com
Prize Fighter Irish Stout
Lake Chelan Brewing Company | Lake Chelan, Washington
Let’s get to the joke right from the start: Prize Fighter packs quite a punch. At more than double the alcohol-by-volume than any beer on this list, this beer defies the traditional dry Irish style in that it is neither lightweight nor dry. The addition of brown sugar ensures this, bringing a semi-sweet profile to each sip, almost chocolate-like, as well as more sugars to convert to alcohol. Still, it remains smooth and goes down easy — which also might happen to you, after a few rounds, if you’re not careful.
9% ABV | lakechelanbrewery.com
Sheedy’s Irish Stout
Away Days Brewing Co. | Portland, Oregon
Thematically, Portland’s Away Days Brewing Co. is themed around the notion of traveling to another city to watch your favorite team play. With that in mind, it is almost effortless to imagine yourself in a pub outside Lansdowne Road when quaffing Sheedy’s Irish Stout — just a touch of coffee on the tongue, perfectly balancing a smidge of bitterness that comes from the roasted barley. Deep black with a dense head that looks like a coffee ice cream float, this pour is best consumed from a nitro tap which, both at the brewery or in a can, is thankfully, always.
4.2% ABV | awaydaysbrewing.com
