The Stout To Try For St. Patrick's Day If Guinness Isn't Your Thing

On St. Patrick's Day, everyone tends to get into the spirit of the celebration, whether they're of Irish ancestry or not, with a pint of Guinness stout as ubiquitous an accessory as green clothing. The brand from Dublin, Ireland, is one of the most popular beers in the United States and has its own drinking game, splitting the G, a challenging task of getting the beer to line up with the center of the G on the pint glass's logo in one sip. For some folks, Guinness may not be their thing, whether that's because the chocolate notes are too subtle or because it may be a wee bit too bitter. Instead of giving up on an Irish stout for the holiday, you should try another old-school brand, Beamish & Crawford.

While this brewery from Cork City isn't quite as old as Guinness, which has been around since 1759, it's close, having been founded in 1792. The brand's stout differs from Guinness in a few respects. It's often described as creamier (its nickname is Creamy Beamy), with more chocolate flavor, and a less intense bitterness than its Dublin rival. It's got a similar ABV, 4.1% to Guinness' 4.2%, a negligible difference when it comes to alcohol content. 

Because Beamish is less well-known than Guinness, you're probably not going to find it at your local U.S. grocery store. You may have to hunt it down at a specialty beer store, or you might be lucky enough to find it at an Irish pub stateside. That said, it's worth the little extra legwork, especially if you don't plan on visiting the Emerald Isle anytime soon. This stout pairs perfectly with fried Irish pub food, like fish and chips.

If you do have trouble finding Beamish where you live, Murphy's Irish Stout is another great alternative to Guinness. It's also from Cork, and like Beamish, is owned by Heineken. Murphy's is a bit sweeter than Guinness and much less bitter. It, too, is even creamier than its rival. And Murphy's is much easier to find, from the grocer's shelf to your local pub. So don't give up on Irish stout if you've given up on Guinness since there are two great alternatives to try.