Taking a trip to the dark side

Top 10 stouts

There has been a resurgence in stouts and porters over the past few years.

Guinness is probably the most well known but dig a little deeper in you local off-licence and you may uncover some unusual and different stouts.

A favourite of mine is the well-known Mackesons Milk Stout. And it does actually contain milk (well kind of) – the lactose is the sugar extracted from milk.

Another recent sampled beverage was Holy Cowbell India Stout by Beavertown.

It came in a small decorated can but one of my tastiest finds this year is Guateamalan Coffee Extra porter from the Buxton Brewery.

Top 10 stouts

Oh, and did I mention Fallen Brewing Chew Chew Salted Caramel Milk Stout?

Bottle in Heaton Moor is an amazing cave of beer, ales and stouts from far and wide but also a great provenance feel about the place with many of the brews travelling from local areas in South Manchester and the Pennines.

Bottle owner Corin Bland told me: “Stouts are back. We get many requests for stouts and they seem as popular as lager and bitter. We seem to want to discover different drinks

“Trying to pick a favourite is like asking a parent which is their favourite child this one and very much a moveable feast with the ever expanding array of great beers available.”

Corin’s top 10 stouts

  1. Magic Rock Bearded Lady (Pedro Ximinez barrel aged version)
  2. North Coast Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout
  3.  Omnipollo Pecan Mud Stout
  4. Siren Bones of a Sailor III
  5. Buxton Living End Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
  6. Founders Breakfast Stout
  7. Weird Beard Sadako
  8. Arbor/Moor Double Dark Alliance
  9. Santa Fe Brewing Imperial Java Stout
  10. Thornbridge Cocoa Wonderland