Stout

Stout is the name of a family of [ingredient=beer beer] that are characterized by a highly roasted malt profile, a thick, creamy texture, fairly high alcohol, and a slightly bitter flavor profile that is more from the roast of the malt than an overt hops character. 

While the term Stout to describe a strong beer has existed since 1677, it was first used in a modern sense to describe the strongest (highest alcohol) Porters, a style of dark beer that were popular with river and street porters in London. [ingredient=guinness-stout Guinness] is probably the best known Stout, having been brewed since the 1840's at the St. James Gate brewery in Dublin, Ireland. 

There are a few subcategories of Stout that are important to mention:

• Irish (Dry) Stout -- these have a burnt, coffee or toast-like drying edge to the finish. Guinness is a good example. 
• Imperial (Russian) Stout -- Originally brewed in England to export to Russia, these have a high alcohol content to stop them from freezing in cold weather. 
• Milk Stout -- Brewed with lactose (milk sugar), which is unfermentable by beer yeast. The lactose passes through fermentation, lending a creamy sweetness to the finished beer. These were once seen as nourishing, and were given to nursing mothers. The Left Hand brewery makes a good example.
• Chocolate (and Coffee) Stout -- Sometimes brewed with coffee or chocolate, these Stouts are meant to mimic the flavors of coffee or chocolate. 
• Oyster Stout -- Originally, a Stout meant to be drunk as an accompanyment to oysters. Some brewers actually use oysters in the brewing process. Marston's makes an Oyster Stout. 
• Oatmeal Stout -- Brewed with oats as part of the grain bill. Oats can leave a bitter flavor in the finished beer, so many producers only use a small amount. This style was extinct by the mid-1970's, but was brought back at the request of Charles Finkel, owner of the beer importer Marchant du Vin, by the Samuel Smith brewery.