The 9 Best Dark Beers to Drink
1. Guinness Draught Stout – A classic Irish stout, Guinness Draught is well-known for its creamy, smooth texture, and deep flavor profile that includes notes of coffee, chocolate, and a hint of bitterness. With its iconic dark appearance and rich taste, it’s definitely a must-try for dark beer enthusiasts.
2. Founders KBS – This bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout from Founders Brewing Company boasts strong flavors of coffee and chocolate merged with an unmistakable bourbon warmth. With a perfect balance of roasted malt and dark fruit, KBS is the epitome of complex and delicious dark beer.
3. North Coast Old Rasputin – As a Russian Imperial Stout, Old Rasputin offers a robust flavor profile featuring roasted malt, bitter chocolate, and hints of dark fruit. Its silky-smooth texture lingers on the palate with an assertive hop bitterness that fans love.
4. Deschutes Black Butte Porter – This American Porter is an excellent example of the style with its rich chocolate and coffee notes combined with slight caramel sweetness. Black Butte Porter’s silky mouthfeel and balanced hop presence make it an approachable yet satisfying choice.
5. Bell’s Brewery Expedition Stout – This Russian Imperial Stout packs quite a punch with its rich cocoa, espresso, molasses, and raisin-like flavor profiles. Perfectly aged to enhance its complexity; Bell’s Expedition Stout is recommended for those seeking an intense dark beer experience.
6. Left Hand Brewing Milk Stout Nitro – Creaminess meets roasted malt in this luxurious milk stout that incorporates sweet lactose to offset its bitter notes. Nitro carbonation adds extra smoothness truly setting it apart from standard stouts.
7. Surly Brewing Darkness – A yearly release Russian Imperial Stout boasting malty richness complemented by lush currant and raisin flavors as well as hints of espresso and molasses. It’s a full-bodied beer with an intense yet smooth taste.
8. Oskar Blues Ten FIDY Imperial Stout – With flavors of dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, and an underlying piney hop character, Ten FIDY is a powerful imperial stout that packs a punch at 10.5% ABV. It’s robust and deeply complex, perfect for sipping on a chilly evening.
9. Tröegs Independent Brewing Java Head Stout – Brewed using coffee beans from a local roastery, Java Head Stout is an oatmeal stout that delivers a delectable mélange of roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate flavors. Its smooth and creamy mouthfeel rounds out the experience making it a delightful choice for coffee lovers and dark beer enthusiasts alike.