Stout revival: a new chapter for the dark beer
The flavourful ale has shaken off its 'rugby lad' image and is appealing to a wider demographic

Beer drinkers are "turning to the dark side", as sales of stout continue to soar, said Adrian Tierney-Jones in The Telegraph.
No longer seen as the preserve of old men in pubs, the dark, velvety ale is appealing to a wider base of consumers than ever before. Tesco announced sales of stout have risen by 35% in the last year, reported Sarah Marsh in The Guardian, making the beverage the fastest-growing beer variety in the UK.
There's also been a slew of new entries to the market in recent years. The biggest is Brewdog's stout, Black Heart, which bosses say has "significantly disrupted" Guinness' 100-year grip on the market, reported Scott Reid in The Scotsman. Now Tesco's most popular stout after Guinness, it's already reached 12.6% of Guinness' sales in pubs and bars across the UK since launching in March 2023.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And Guinness itself also appears to have shaken off its "rugby lad" image, added Daniel Woolfson in The Telegraph, with sales surging among younger women. Even Kim Kardashian was snapped sipping a pint of the "black stuff" in a London boozer last year.
Originating in London in the 18th century, "stout" was first used as a term to describe a stronger version of porter (a dark, flavourful beer so called because it was said to be popular among the capital's porters). Prior to 1759, when Arthur Guinness set about creating his own stout at a brewery in Dublin, imported English porter was most popular in the city.
Stout "dominated" the British beer market until the end of the 20th century when its popularity dipped as lager began arriving from mainland Europe, said Andrew Ellson in The Times. The recent uptick in sales has been spurred on by the introduction of the Guinness Nitrosurge – a device that uses vibrating technology to release nitrogen, enabling customers to pour a pub-worthy pint from the comfort of their home – as well as the introduction of a popular alcohol-free alternative, Guinness 0.0.
Add to the mix the rise of independent breweries crafting exciting new stouts in a variety of styles and it starts to become clear why the flavourful ale is having a moment. Here are some of the best brands to try.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Siren: Hard Pour Broken Dream
Brewed with coffee and dosed with nitrogen, Siren's Hard Pour Broken Dream "could pass for a Guinness", said John Bett in The Mirror. "Smooth" and "velvety" with a subtle flavour, it's "got quite the punch" at 6.5% ABV.
£42.50 per 12-pack, sirencraftbrew.com
Loch Lomond Brewery: Silkie Stout
Scottish oats give Loch Lomond Brewery's Silkie Stout a "creamy texture" that perfectly complements the rich chocolate flavour and notes of roast barley, said Mark Dredge in delicious.
£33.50 per 12-pack, bestofbritishbeer.co.uk
Elusive Brewing: Morrisman
Morrisman "smells like a chocolate truffle but remains dry and roasty", said Dredge. Brewed with cacao nibs, cocoa and a hint of vanilla, the moreish stout is ideal with a slice of chocolate stout cake.
£4.40 per can, elusivebrewing.com
Ilkley Brewery: Nowt Mary
This "surprisingly full-bodied" alcohol-free milk stout from Yorkshire has a "creamy" mouth feel and "satisfying swish of milk chocolate", said Tierney-Jones in The Telegraph. Rich notes of cortado coffee are expertly balanced with a hint of caramel sweetness.
£20 per 12-pack, ilkleybrewery.co.uk
Hook Norton Brewery: Double Stout
Based on an original Victorian recipe, this "rich" stout has "aromas redolent of roast coffee beans" and liquorice, said Tierney-Jones, with a long, dry finish and refreshing hoppy aftertaste.
£28.60 per 12-pack, hooky.co.uk
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
6 sporty homes with tennis courts
Feature Featuring a clay tennis court in New York and a viewing deck in California
-
Critics’ choice: Seafood in the spotlight
Feature An experimental chef, a newspaper-worthy newcomer, and a dining titan’s fresh spin-off
-
Taylor Swift’s Showgirl: Much glitter, little gold
Feature Swift’s new album has broken records, but critics say she may have gotten herself creatively stuck
-
9 inviting bookstores ready for you to attack their shelves
The Week Recommends Your new favorite book awaits
-
Tim Robinson falls out of a chair, chefs compete for Michelin stars and Martin Scorsese gets the documentary treatment in October TV
the week recommends This month's new television releases include ‘The Chair Company,’ ‘Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars’ and ‘Mr. Scorsese’
-
Frankenstein comes to life, the Alabama prison system is exposed and Rose Byrne goes full Crazy Mom in October movies
the week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘The Alabama Solution’ and ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’
-
How Maga fell out of love with beer
In The Spotlight Right-wingers in the US have boycotted beverage brands that fell foul of culture war, and now some are going fully sober
-
Choose your own wellness adventure in Greater Palm Springs
The Week Recommends Hit the spa, try a sound bath or take a hike
-
A Taylor Swift analysis, the digital-addiction solution plus what it means to be a gay Black artist — all in October books
The Week Recommends This month's new releases include ‘Taylor’s Version’ by Stephanie Burt, ‘Enshittification’ by Cory Doctorow and ‘Minor Black Figures’ by Brandon Taylor
-
8 of the best ‘cozy crime’ series of all time
The Week Recommends Murder mysteries don’t necessarily have to make us miserable, and these shows have perfected a feel-good crime formula
-
One great cookbook: ‘The Woks of Life’
The Week Recommends A family’s opinionated, reliable take on all kinds of Chinese cooking