BJCP styles sorted by history: Irish Stout - Irish Stout

Hello, how are you guys doing!?

With the arrival of the cold in Northern Greece, I said I would go for more "wintery" styles. So, I started playing around with "Irish Stouts." And it might seem like I got the title wrong, but that’s exactly it. We have the "Irish Stout" category, which includes the styles "Foreign Extra Stout," "Irish Extra Stout," and, more specifically, the "Irish Stout" style itself. I’ve already talked about "Stout" beers in general in an Instagram post. So, to recap, the term "stout" in English actually means robust, strong, full-bodied. Because of that, it could have been associated with any beer style that had those characteristics. However, fate had it that the term "Stout" was widely used in England to describe a fuller-bodied "Porter" beer. The "Porter" style emerged in the early 1700s, and its name comes from the popularity this type of beer had among dockworkers and laborers in the London ports. It’s a style that evolved within England over time and also gave rise to other regional styles, such as "American Porters" and "Baltic Porters." However, let’s save more details for when we study the "Porter" category later on. For now, what we need to know is that "Porters" were darker beers (more brown than black) but tended to have a lighter or medium body, making them easier to drink. "Stout Porters" started appearing with a fuller body and a certain creaminess that set them apart from the original "Porters." Over time, the term "Stout" alone was adopted to describe this variation of the style. And just next to England, in Ireland, "Stouts" became popular, which is why we have the term "Irish Stout"—the Stout from Ireland.

When talking about the popularization of "Stouts," we must mention Guinness. I won’t tell the whole story, but yes, when we think of dark beer, almost all of us remember that brand and that beautiful glass served straight from the tap, with its reverse cascade effect ending in that creamy, velvety foam. Guinness was founded in 1759 and, besides offering us great beer, also contributed to some advancements in the brewing industry. Guinness was responsible for the creation of the first nitrogen-carbonated beers, which introduced an unmatched texture and creaminess, opening doors to new markets. But Guinness’ contributions weren’t limited to brewing alone—they were also behind the development of the "Student t-test", one of the most widely used statistical tests, originally designed to improve quality control in Guinness’ beer production. And, as bizarre as it may seem, Guinness was also responsible for creating the famous "Guinness World Records", that random compilation of records that almost everyone knows. I bet that when you said, "I will be in the Guinness Book," you had no idea it was a beer that invented it! But, since not every "Irish Stout" is a Guinness, let’s save the full Guinness story for another time.

This was a very diverse tasting, where I managed to find three commercial examples listed by the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program). I reviewed:

• Guinness Draught

• O’Hara’s Irish Stout

• Murphy’s Irish Stout

All in cans with a nitrogen widget. For comparison, I also reviewed a Guinness Draught in a bottle, which does not have the nitrogen widget. I’ve been a fan of this style for a long time, and being able to find this variety of samples to review and then enjoy made my day much better.

What does the BJCP say about Irish Stouts?

The BJCP describes "Irish Stouts" as black beers with a pronounced roasted character, often resembling coffee. They can be balanced or quite bitter—the more balanced ones will have more malt sweetness, while the bitter ones will be drier. The roasted flavor can range from dry and coffee-like to dark/bitter chocolate. With these three samples, we can really see this diversity. Some say that within Ireland, Dublin-style Irish Stouts tend to be drier and more bitter, while Cork-style Irish Stouts are usually more balanced.

Guinness Draught

Today we will start with the appearance because the visual effect of pouring these nitrogen-can stouts is just stunning. According to the BJCP, the color should range from deep brown to jet black, with garnet-red highlights. These beers are opaque, with a thick, creamy, long-lasting tan to brown head when served with nitrogen. And yes, we saw all of this with Guinness Draught—especially that beautiful reverse cascade effect, which makes watching the foam settle mesmerizing. For aroma, BJCP describes the dominant roasted coffee aroma, with possible background notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, or roasted grains. Low to medium fermentation esters and low earthy or herbal hop aromas are optional. In my sample, the roasted coffee malt aroma was practically the only thing noticeable, with just a hint of dark chocolate in the background. No fermentation esters or hop aromas were detected.

In the mouth, the BJCP describes the duality mentioned at the beginning. So, we can have roasted malt resembling coffee with a dry finish, or we can have some malt sweetness and a more balanced finish. Additionally, the balance can be achieved through creaminess, a medium-low fruity intensity, or a medium hop flavor. In other words, there is some room for interpretation by brewers.

But in our sample of Guinness Draught, just like in the aroma, the coffee stood out.

The flavor resembled espresso with medium-high intensity. Low-intensity cocoa notes were still noticeable in the background, but they were quickly overshadowed by the bitterness of roasted grains, bringing a dry and well-defined finish.

Regarding mouthfeel, the BJCP describes Irish Stout as having a body that can range from medium-light to medium-full. Especially in nitro versions, creaminess is expected. Carbonation can be low to medium. And despite some versions having a high hop bitterness and roasted grains, these beers stand out for their smoothness. A slight astringency is also acceptable due to the amount of roasted grains, but any harshness is considered a flaw in the style.

In this Guinness Draught, we found a medium-light body and a certain creamy texture from the nitrogen. Additionally, carbonation was medium-low, and a slight astringency was indeed noticeable. However, the overall impression was spectacular. This sample focuses more on the malt profile reminiscent of coffee and delivers very high drinkability. Whether due to the dry finish or the creaminess, everything contributes to the balance in the glass and the worldwide success that Guinness represents.

O’Hara’s Irish Stout

Also being a can with a nitrogen widget, the reverse cascade effect was observed during pouring, though it was much shorter-lived than in the Guinness Draught. I mention this purely as a curiosity, as the BJCP does not make any reference to this aspect. However, the appearance seemed quite appropriate for the style—a black, opaque beer with a generous, creamy, darker beige head. In the aroma, toasted cereal notes appeared at a low intensity. A sharper aroma, reminiscent of an overly prolonged, almost burnt roast, was predominant, deviating somewhat from what the BJCP prescribes for the style (burnt notes are not accepted in any style).

In terms of flavor, there was a clearer resemblance to medium-high intensity coffee, but once again, the taste of heavily roasted grains, which was not necessarily pleasant, stood out. The balance leaned entirely toward this almost burnt bitterness, though at least the finish was dry and well-defined.

The mouthfeel presented a medium body with a somewhat silky texture. Carbonation was low, and a medium astringency was noticeable. Overall, the impression is that it is a good beer, but with some style flaws. The aroma and flavor of grains leaning more towards burnt rather than toasted should be avoided, which could easily be corrected by adjusting the amount of roasted grains used in the recipe.

We all have different tolerances for these flavors, and perhaps O’Hara’s fans prefer their Irish Stouts this way. Additionally, this was just one sample, so I can’t assume the beer is always like this. As soon as I get the chance, I’ll give it another try—ideally, I’d like to find it on draft.

Murphy’s Irish Stout

In this beer, the cascade effect was even shorter—barely noticeable. Even so, the beer displayed a black, opaque color. The head was also tall, perhaps not as creamy as the other two, but with a beige hue, just as expected—or rather, as prescribed by the BJCP.

In the aroma, we noticed that this is a more balanced variant of an Irish Stout. Notes of caramel, toffee, and bread crust were detectable at low intensity, while toasted cereal aromas reminiscent of coffee appeared at medium intensity. Additionally, a faint earthy hop aroma was present.

In terms of flavor, we noticed a slight malt sweetness reminiscent of caramel, followed by medium-intensity roasted grain flavors. Besides coffee, it also evoked dark/bitter chocolate. The bitterness was low to moderate and again leaned toward roasted cereals. This sample displayed remarkable balance, with the finish first bringing out the chocolate flavor and then gently leaving a coffee aftertaste.

The mouthfeel was silky, with a medium body. Carbonation was moderately low, and a very light astringency was perceptible, though pleasant.

Overall, this sample was spectacular. I used to think Guinness Draught was the queen of Irish Stouts, but in this comparison, the balance of Murphy’s Irish Stout was much more pleasing to my palate. This journey—from caramel, through chocolate, to roasted coffee flavors—is truly impressive.

And according to the BJCP, either of them would be a great example of the style.

In this case, it was simply my taste that leaned toward this more balanced version, perhaps because I hadn’t tried it before.

Don’t worry—Guinness Draught will always have a place in my heart.

Finally, I just wanted to make a quick comment about the bottled version of Guinness Draught. As I’ve mentioned before, without the nitrogen widget, it was expected to have a lighter body, a less generous head, and other differences. But honestly, it doesn’t even feel like the same beer. This bottled version had an excessively high carbonation for the style, possibly in an attempt to create some foam and body perception. But the science of beer foam is far more complex than that—foam formation and retention is an art. This version even seemed more balanced, with more noticeable dark/bitter chocolate notes and somewhat subdued coffee notes. But I have to admit, the carbonation ruined the beer, in my humble opinion. A certain fizziness that neither fits the style nor adds any balance, texture, or mouthfeel to justify it. Anyway, I’ll make sure to only buy Guinness Draught in cans from now on. But that’s just me—maybe you’ll enjoy this sensory experience.

And with that, we wrap up this long review. It was truly a tasting I thoroughly enjoyed, and even now, as I transcribe these sensations for this post, my mouth is watering all over again. Especially in winter, this is a beer style I really love—it refreshes the mind and warms the heart. ❤️ In the next post, we should be closing out this category with the description of the two remaining styles. I’ve already found one, but I’m still searching for the other. If I can’t find it, we’ll have to settle for a theoretical description. That’s life… See you next time! (I really wish there was a black beer emoji for this 😂)