GUINNESS has long been the go-to brand for stout sippers, but now the famous Dublin ale is facing competition as younger drinkers turn to different dark tipples.
Here, drinks expert Helena Nicklin gives marks out of five as she tests the latest contenders to the throne.
10
10
Guinness Original Extra
£2.50, 500ml, Sainsbury’s
10
GUINNESS Original from the bottle is a very different animal to the dreamy, draft style you get in cans and from the tap.
A bottled Guinness is crisper, has bolder bubbles and delivers a yummy, yeasty fruitiness.
Great for food pairing. Lively and lovely.
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Score: 5/5
Kirkstall Tiramisu
£3, 440ml, Asda
10
THIS dessert-inspired tiramisu-themed tipple has a frothy head but smells less like the espresso and chocolate you’d expect and more like a green pepper.
There’s a bit of dusty coffee bean and a random note of amaretto, but no chocolate.
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The balance is just off.
Score: 1/5
Brewdog Black Heart
£1.85, 440ml, Tesco
10
POP open the contemporary can and the ring pull sound is satisfying and the pour super silky.
With a decent head that’s creamy, not bubbly, it’s a little lighter than a pub-poured pint.
It’s elegant though – and there’s a subtle cocoa bean nose and bitter kick when you glug.
Score: 4/5
Vocation Double Tonka
£3.50, 440ml, Tesco
10
THE tonka-themed ale tastes nothing like you might expect.
This stout is intensely strong and a little strange.
Less about latte and vanilla beans and more about gingerbread, dried cherry and burnt raisins soaked in brandy.
And at an 8 per cent abv, it’s extremely boozy.
Score: 3/5
Velvet
£1.50, 330ml, Asda
10
ASDA’S own stout is on the rustic side.
The pour is more like a cola and the frothy head disappears quickly.
It smells good, with an old-school malty, dark chocolate vibe.
In the mouth, it’s spritzy but rich and the tastes are concentrated. However, the flavours don’t linger.
Score: 2/5
Northern Monk Pumpkin
£3, 440ml, Tesco
10
A PORTER is a heavily hopped brown malt drink.
Not exactly a natural nose with its strong cinnamon and rose petal appeal but there’s real pumpkin flavour and aroma too.
Thankfully, it’s more subtle than it smells.
Not one for stout purists but a worthy limited edition.
Score: 3/5
Black Sheep Milk
£2.50, 500ml, Morrisons
10
MILK stouts are roasted malts topped up with lactose, which gives them a soothing sweetness.
This sip is creamy and cosy with the balance bang on – from the moreish, malted milk notes to the subtle bitterness at the end.
Immensely refreshing and drinkable, it’s fabulous.
Score: 5/5
Kakawa Chocolate
£1.85, 440ml, Lidl
10
HAS A decent head that hangs around a good while.
It smells like a bar of fruit and nut chocolate, although a little less sweet.
With a tiny touch of creaminess and a good, long length of flavour, this silky ale is a well-priced decent drop and worth a try for something different.
Score: 4/5
