Happy International Stout Day!

Today, being the first Thursday in November, is International Stout Day 2026 (Awareness Days), unsurprisingly created to be a day on which to celebrate Stouts. Stouts appear to have developed from Porters (originally a blend of ales), a darker beer favoured by London market porters 300 years ago, before brewers started brewing Porters specifically. 'Stout' tended to be a term to describe stronger beers. Stout, as in Stout Porter, was a stronger dark brew that London's brewers developed, and what we think of today as a typical Stout style.

Technically, nowadays, Porters are brewed using dark malts, and are usually a very deep, very dark red in colour if you put your glass up to the light, whereas Stouts are brewed using Roasted Barley in the mash too, and are black or very dark brown, notably brown in the colour of the head. Of course, I've drunk different brewers' Stouts, Porters, and strong Dark Milds, that taste as you would expect one of the other styles to taste, but, for me, I would define the Stout from the roasted barley taste, though no doubt many would argue with me. 😉

Whatever, enjoy a stout beer today, indeed, I'll be enjoying a glass of Hercule later, the image above is of one I drank earlier, but not this morning! I've been drinking dark ales recently for a soon to be written blog about dark ales. I may have mentioned this recently. 😋

Hercule is brewed by the Brasserie des Legendes in Irchonwelz in Belgium (website). Their 9.0% Hercule Stout is naed after the fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It is brewed using locally grown barley in the grist, but they do not say what hops are used, sorry folks. It's a deep dark reddish brown in colour, with hints of liquorice, coffee and chocolate in the aroma, but with dark fruits in the taste, sweet to start off, with a dry slightly bitter, slightly tart, finish, nice one!

Cheers m'dears! 🍺

Cider Festival next! 😁

Please don't forget there are many things that can go wrong drinking alcohol, be aware of limits and potential physical, social, and legal factors. The drinkaware website offers advice, tools to help, where to get support and 'facts' you may not be aware of. Stay safe folks! 👌