Pour, Sip, Enjoy: Indian Stouts Worth Toasting

As a dark beer, stout belongs to the ale family. The use of malt and smoked barley in the brewing process causes stouts to be thicker than regular ales. One description of a stout is a "meal in a glass" because of its generous serving size and robust flavour. A strong flavour, though, is not always bitter. Most commonly, it shares a taste with chocolate and coffee.

Visually, a stout differs from a standard ale as well. Stouts, in contrast to authentic pale ales, have a thick, frothy head and a complex, opaque dark brown appearance. Stouts' distinctive appearance matches its distinctive flavour.

A sip through time - The rich history of stout

Stout, like its flavour, is steeped in tradition. Due to its low price, extended shelf life, and resistance to heat and temperature fluctuations, this beer—originally known as porter—became popular in the 17th century. The robust black flavour of this malty beverage inspired the moniker "stout," which implies courageous or strong in English.

Brewing strengths varied, and beer was available in a range of alcohol by volume (ABV) levels as demand increased. Its enduring appeal meant that it remained a top pick even after World War I had ended. The brewing process of stout is a famous tourist attraction in places like Dublin and London, and stout beer has evolved to incorporate other taste types as strengths, so it's still widely accessible even though it's not as popular as it once was.

This 350-year-old British style was originally used to describe beers with a high alcohol content; it was made famous by Guinness, one of the most popular beers in the world. Beers of this sort often have a deeper hue due to the roasting of the malted grains, which gives them an almost chocolatey taste. Unlike Indian beers, these brewers prioritise malt over hops.

The Indian stout scene - Brands that deserve a toast

Goa Brewing Company

One unconventional variation on the classic stout is Goa Brewing Co.'s Breakfast Cereal Stout. Cocoa beans and other locally derived ingredients, such as oats, lactose, corn flakes, and rice puffs, are brewed to perfection. Its 4.8% alcohol by volume makes it more drinkable year-round. In a recent partnership with Sleepy Owl Coffee, Goa Brewing Co. increased the alcohol by volume (ABV) of their Breakfast Cereal Stout to 6.5%. An excellent option for maturing, this bottle has been dipped in wax.

Briggs Brewery

Founded in 2018 by Hari Singh, the brand is the first domestic craft beer company from Bengaluru to be available in bottles and kegerators. Though it uses hops and yeast sourced from all around the globe, Briggs produces its beverages at the city's historic Khodays plant, which is 60 years old. To meet its needs, Briggs restored the site's historic bottling and brewing apparatus. Belgian witbier (Willy's Witbier), Irish stout (Stout Alchemy), American India pale ale (Hoppy Feet), and Belgian strong ale (Griffin) are the four kinds brewed by the brand.

Simba

Simba's Stout has luscious espresso and chocolate undertones that pop with a velvety smoothness. This black beer is incredibly sessionable despite its 5% alcohol by volume (ABV). Beer enthusiasts will savour this stout! On the contrary, it makes us want a large glass of its beer and some snacks. Prabhtej Singh Bhatia established the brand in 2016 and began bottling Stout for sale in Indian pubs from his brewery in Durg, Chhattisgarh. Presently, it also sells three plainly labelled products—Wit, Light, and Strong—in the cities of Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Assam.

Bira 91

If you're an Indian craft beer enthusiast, you might have heard of Bira 91. Bira 91 is an urban craft beer brand that resonates deeply with India's youthful, tech-savvy population. Malabar Stout, brewed by Bira 91, is a representation of an alcoholic cold brew coffee. A dash of tropical coffee bean taste gives it a powerful and robust character. Malabar Stout is a session-strength beer with a lighter body and 4.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), which makes it more drinkable. The Blue Tokai coffee mix, grown in the nearby Malabar Hills of India, is used in the brewing of this stout- which lends a seductive coffee taste to the malty and sweeter undertones of this medium bodied stout!