International Stout Day

Dark, malty and just a little boozy, stout beer offers a versatile way to enjoy beer in a hearty manner. After all, the word stout means “strong”!

On International Stout Day, get ready to enjoy and appreciate everything related to this rich, creamy and generous beer.

History of International Stout Day

A descendant of the porter beer, which got its start in the early 1700s, stout is a dark, strong version of a mid ale beer. The first stout beers were likely produced in London in the 1730s and then grew and evolved, moving east to create the Russian Imperial Stout, presumably in an attempt to impress the Russian czar.

One of the more famous makers of stout beers is Guinness, the Irish beer company that has been making porters since the 1780s and counts the Dry Stout or Irish Stout among their impressive lineup.

In the last couple of centuries, stout beers have continued to grow and evolve, with unique flavors that include the chocolate stout, oatmeal stout, coffee stout and even an oyster stout! The versatility of this type of dark beer offers an almost endless variety of ways that stout beers can be brewed and enjoyed.

How to Celebrate International Stout Day

Enjoy and celebrate International Stout Day with some of these ideas:

Grab a Stout Beer

Sidle up to the local bar or pub (check out an Irish pub if possible!) and order a stout beer to enjoy in the evening after work. Perhaps this will be the Guinness Irish Stout mentioned above, or perhaps go for something a little more unique and try a tall can of the Original Reaper by Half Acre, brewed in Chicago.

Try a New Stout Variety

With the wide range of options for stouts on the market today, it would be a shame to let some of those get passed by on International Stout Day! Celebrate the day by trying a new variety of stout beer, such as these:

• Prairie Bomb! Considered by some to be the best American Imperial Stout, Prairie Bomb is made with flavors of coffee, chocolate, vanilla and ancho chili with a whopping 13% ABV.
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Combine the delicious taste of stout that is aged in bourbon barrels? Yes please! Goose Island was the originator of this category of stouts.
• Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout. Flavors of hazelnut, cocoa powder and toasted pecan, this smooth and silky texture makes it super drinkable.

Host an International Stout Day Event

Beer lovers in general, and stout lovers in particular, can get excited about celebrating International Stout Day by gathering friends, neighbors or coworkers for an event. Maybe it’s a simple backyard barbecue party where everyone brings their favorite stout for others to try.

Or perhaps it should be taken a bit more seriously than that! Perhaps this International Stout Day might involve a huge community event that includes taste tests, a local stout brewing contest, music, food and more. Whatever the form, whether a small intimate gathering or a giant blowout, this is the day to celebrate stout beer all over the world.