<<<ATTENTION>>>> Stout and Porter Lovers; Need Suggestions for New Dark Beer!!!

Do what I do, brew your own.

i've seriously been thinking about that lately...

Depends on where you live. LOTS of great local microbrews here in SE Michigan.

[link to www.sierranevada.com]

St Paulie special dark is great!

Forgot about that one. I had their Stout, but didn't really like it... Too hoppy or citrusy(sp) for me.

Shiner Bock Black.

call it

"Black Hole"

agreed. i really like grizzly peak's bear paw porter(in ann arbor)...also the ann arbor brewing co had a porter called "espresso love" and it was fucking magic. try samuel smith's taddy porter as well. quite good, and you can find it nationally.

Widmer Bros

W '11 KGB

9.5% Alc.

i may have to give this a try

I also suggest brewing your own. You can make 5 gallons of beer for under $30 (amortized over time). Basic needs run ~125 to get started. Easy to do, just patience, cleanliness, and some focus. I'm brewing solid Amber Ales that, with a little age on them, are 12-15%. Two beers will set you on the porch.

Six years into the hobby, I am roasting and malting my own grains now, with local, organic suppliers. They give me grains, I give them beer and cheeses.

Now that everything is paid for, a STRONG home-brewed beer costs about 25-cents, or less, per bottle. I started by buying a kit online from Northern Brewing Company. Buy an extra carboy/bubbler/carrier set, also buy a thief, and an extra hydrometer, and extra StarSan. I buy workhorse recipes from NBC for kegging, I also buy from Michigan Brewing Company. But, building your beer from the grains up is where it's at.

I am getting into medicinal beers, and herbal beers. Some are better than others. I am following old, old, old recipes from a book on the subject. If you are serious about survival, you should get into the entire spectrum of fermented foods and beverages.

If you can roast/malt grains and ferment a good ale, it is just a few ingredient changes, plus some distillation to make high-proof spirits. Fermentation is also an excellent no-energy input way to preserve veggies and fruits. Good for you, too!

In suggesting a good stout, Bell's Brewery out of Kalamazoo, MI, and Michigan Brewing Company sell EXCELLENT stouts and darks, if you're in the Great Lakes area. The Trappists have never steered me wrong, either.



Last Edited by Monkeyfister on 02/15/2011 08:34 PM

Eight years transplanted from my beloved Michigan to the Mid-South in West Tennessee.... How I MISS good beers! That's how I ended up brewing my own. One needs to drive all the way down to Memphis to get decent beer, here. So... I started brewing my own. Turns out, there is a small but mighty community of home-brewers, here-- Bluff City Brewers, google it up!

Grizzly Peak makes good beer. Paw Porter is exceptional, and Sammy Smith's Taddy Porter is pretty much THE quintessential Porter. When I brew my own, I use Taddy Porter as my baseline. I don't stoop below that for Porter Quality.

A man needs to set some sort of baseline standards in life, right?

IF you like a HOPPY Stout. It's good, but it is hoppy. A little maltier, and thus, a tad more body than Heineken Dark. Offered the two, I'll always take the Girl!

Funny story. Back in my youth, I was a touring Stagehand. I toured with The Violent Femmes on their "Blind Leading The Naked" Tour. St. Pauli Girl was the official beer of that tour. Only beer allowed-- part of the rider. Many a tour night, the crowd would see drummer, Victor DeLorenzo tip a wash tub onto his snare drum for songs like "Blister in the Sun." THAT was their Beer Tub-- THE Beer Tub. We'd shift ice and leftover beers into the cooler, wipe the inside dry, and out on stage it would go. Victor DeLorenzo really, really really likes his Special Dark. Sometimes, too much. My second night of tour-- in Detroit, Fox Theatre-- he had too much, and passed out on the floor. We taped him off like a murder victim while the Media looked on. Gorden moved the furniture, and insisted on using "Passed Out Victor" as the coffee table (Gano explained: "Passed Out Victor doesn't mind, but Wide Awake Victor would be pissed). Gordon Gano is a very spiritual guy. Raised from a very Religious family, he ditched the Religion, and kept his Spirituality-- See: The Mercy Seat. He's also serious and professional about his music. They OPENED with "Blister In The Sun" that night as Vic's punishment. You could SEE him cringing with pain as he hit those beats. Good guys. Fun Tour.

You're missing 'Bishops Finger'
It's dark brown








No, Seriously...

Yeah... REALLY. It's a Creme de la Creme. If you can get it-- it's what you want.

Just add about a pound of chocolate malt to your 6 pounds of malted barley when you're mashing. Also add a lot of hops! Add a little sugar if you need to so it'll ferment down to 10 or 11%. It'll be good, guaranteed.

victory storm king

A little less chocolate malt will give you a nut brown ale.

[link to en.wikipedia.org]

Youngs Double Chocolate Stout

[link to beeradvocate.com]

[link to www.youngs-chocolate-stout.com]

oops.. missed it in your list... never mind lol

Also, if mashing, make sure to use Five Star's 5.2.
[link to www.highgravitybrew.com]

Style wise -

a double Bock

or the rare tripple bock.

There was a Sam Adams Tripple Bock - but I have not seen it for sale in years (decades?)

Samuel Smith also do a nice Chocolate Porter.

As a fan of dark beers I'm impressed with your list OP!

Actually it's Sam Smith's Taddy Porter - I was getting mixed up with Young's. It is good though and travels well, so you should get it in the USA.

And how about Marston's Oyster Stout?
[link to www.marstonsbeercompany.co.uk]

I LOVE Samuel Smith's beer and that Taddy Porter sounds pretty damn good. I've never seen it at my local beverage store, but may have to look around a bit.

Southern Tier Choklat
Oskar Ten FIDY

Try Murphy's Irish Stout