Beer has been around for almost 5,000 years. Brewed by Sumerian and Egyptian cultures in ancient times, to now when almost every country has a particular style and brew of choice. There are many types, flavors, and shades of beer all just waiting to be tasted. Which leads me to my first question, have you ever tried a dark beer?

First, what really constitutes a Dark beer. Well when someone says dark beer, they generally mean a stout or a porter. Stouts and porters are general very dense and full of layers of flavor packed into one drink. While some can be a little overpowering as even I can admit, there are quite a few that can easily be enjoyed while watching the game or having dinner. The beer that opened the door for me to explore the area of dark beers was Guinness Draught.

Now some people get scared when you recommend drinking a Guinness, fearing it will be too strong because of its dark bodied look and creamy head. There have been quite a few times where I will be at bar with some friends and I order a Guinness and immediately a couple buddies start saying how gross it is. So I naturally asked if they have even had it, 9 times out of 10 they haven’t. My view is if some one has tried it and just doesn’t have the taste for dark beers, I can understand and respect the fact that they at least tried it. However, if you slam something saying how gross it is without ever even having a sip, your just depriving yourself of ever trying anything new and having experienced it for yourself.

Guinness Draught is lighter version of what the original Guinness recipe was when it first came out. It isn’t too strong, but it definitely has more flavor than the beer most people drink. Guinness is a stout that has hints of chocolate and coffee mixed in with it. The creamy head mixes well as you drink it. The beer leaves a slight roasted aftertaste that isn’t overbearing. This beer is best served cold even though a lot of people who are not avid Guinness drinkers think its supposed to be served warm, this is  a common misconception I even believed at one point in time.

The last thing worth noting is for those that usually stay away from darker beers because they fear that it will have more calories than a full meal. While some heavy beers such as strong American lagers or heavy porters can range in the 300-500 calorie range per glass, Guinness Draught has only 125 calories per 12 oz. glass. This is less than a regular soda, and not to mention a lot healthier when consumed in moderation. Dark beers are known to contain flavonoids, the same compound that makes wine such a healthy drink. Flavonoids give a boost to your immune system and are also believed to help fight and ward off cancer.

So remember, if you haven’t tried it, try it. Worse case scenario is you don’t like it and never order another one. Best case scenario is you find a beer to enjoy when going out with your friends. It is possible to like both light and dark beers, granted you wont like every dark beer just as I’m sure you don’t like every light one, but at least by trying them out you know what you do and don’t like instead of what you’ve heard from other people.

Guinness PxI Beer Rating: 8.5/10

How can you say no to this:

Tags: Dark Beer, Light Beer, Reviews