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Irish Dry Stout
The classic Irish stout: black, dry and coffee-bitter, famously smooth on a nitrogen pour.
About the Irish Dry Stout style
The Irish dry stout is defined above all by roasted barley, which gives it a sharp, coffee-like dryness quite different from the sweeter English stouts. Guinness made it the best known beer of Ireland and one of the most recognised beers in the world.
It is a low-strength, highly drinkable beer despite its intimidating black colour. The creamy pour associated with it comes from serving on a mixed nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas, which produces the tight, long-lasting head.
Grain, hops and yeast
Malt and grain: Pale malt, flaked barley for body and head, and roasted barley for the black colour and dry, coffee-like roast.
Hop character: Enough English hops to balance the roast, otherwise unobtrusive.
Yeast and fermentation: A clean Irish ale yeast that finishes dry and lets the roasted barley define the beer.
A typical Irish Dry Stout runs 4 to 4.5% alcohol by volume, with a bitterness of about 25 to 45 IBU and a colour of 25 to 40 SRM. It is traditionally served in a nonic or tulip pint. These figures describe the usual range for the style; a given example may sit a little outside them.
Yeast and fermentation notes
A clean Irish ale yeast fermented in the high teens Celsius gives the dry, neutral finish that lets the roasted barley lead. Attenuate it fully, since any residual sweetness works against the crisp, coffee-bitter character of the style.
Serving in brief
The dry stout is the classic nitrogen beer. Serving it on a mixed gas of roughly 70 percent nitrogen and 30 percent carbon dioxide, through a restrictor faucet, produces the tight creamy head and smooth body. Serve it cool, around 8 degrees Celsius, and let the surge settle before topping the glass.
Classic examples
Well-known commercial examples of the style include Guinness Draught, Murphy's Irish Stout and O'Hara's Irish Stout. Tasting a benchmark example is the best way to understand what a style should be before brewing your own.
| Vital statistic | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Origin | Ireland |
| Strength (ABV) | 4 to 4.5% |
| Bitterness (IBU) | 25 to 45 |
| Colour (SRM) | 25 to 40 |
| Traditional glass | Nonic or tulip pint |
Typical published ranges. Individual examples vary.
Pick the yeast for a Irish Dry Stout
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Sources: BJCP Beer Style Guidelines