What Is A Dark Beer Called?

What is a stout beer? – A dark beer, the flavor of stouts depend on where they come from. Sweet stouts largely originate from Ireland and England and are known for their low bitterness. In fact, Ireland’s Guinness brand produces some of the world’s most recognizable stout beer.

According to the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), which ranks and evaluates all styles of beer, stouts are a “sweet, full-bodied, slightly roasty ale that can suggest coffee-and-cream, or sweetened espresso.” While the darker color of the beer gives the impression it’s tough to drink, these stouts carry sweetness from unfermented sugars that offset any bitterness.

Stouts produced in the U.S. combine the typical dark body and creamy notes with the hoppy bitter flavors characterized by American beers. American stouts are strong, highly roasted, bitter and hoppy, with high malt flavors that give them the taste of coffee or dark chocolate, according to the BJCP.

What is the name of a dark beer?

Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer with a number of variations, including dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout.

What defines a dark beer?

The Roasting Process – The more you roast the malt you use in your beer, the darker its color. This process is also called the Maillard Reaction or “browning.” Generally, it starts with kilning, or heating, the germinated barley. During this step, the brewer determines the temperature of the kiln, which affects the final color of the beer.

What is a dark beer called in Germany?

When Oktoberfest is over and the beer steins are put away, it’s easy to forget that the world owes much of its gratitude to Germany for creating some of the most tried-and-true beer styles, The mighty lager, the beer that has found a home in Michelin-starred restaurants and the dusty fridge in your parents’ garage alike, can be traced back to a corner of the globe known as Germany before “Germany” even existed.

Budweiser is a lager, sure, but so are the beers that grace the long tables of Oktoberfest. These ancient beers, which are distinguishable from ales by the fact that they utilize bottom-fermenting yeasts that thrive at cooler temperatures, are the building blocks of any beer education. “There will always be room for well-made lagers in the world of American craft beer, and this is being increasingly proven by more and more breweries producing them and more and more craft beer fans seeking them out,” says Rob Camstra and Nick Guyton, director of brewing operations and head brewer at Gemüt Biergarten in Columbus, Ohio.

The German-inspired brewery and beer garden opened in Columbus’ Olde Towne East neighborhood in late 2019. “A big part of our focus at Gemüt is that we do not want to chase trends: clean, well-crafted lagers are a family of beer styles that are timeless.” The spectrum of lagers is almost as vast as the spectrum of beer itself, ranging from the full-yet-refreshing helles to the rich and smoky rauchbier.

But lagers aren’t Germany’s only claim to fame. The country that runs on beer the same way America supposedly runs on Dunkin’ also blessed us with other ubiquitous brews, including the fruity hefeweizen and crisp kölsch. While some German beer styles are seldom seen stateside, there are plenty of American breweries that have found inspiration in these traditional styles and are committed to introducing them to a new generation of drinkers.

Below is a list our experts have curated to showcase the best German beers to drink right now. Minibar Delivery Region: Germany | ABV: 5.4% | Tasting Notes: Banana, Yeast, Cinnamon “The classic hefeweizen from the oldest brewery in the world,” says Hagen Dost, owner and brewer at Dovetail Brewery in Chicago. The brewery specializes in traditional brewing methods to make continental European-style beers, but the beer he’s talking about is Weihenstephaner’s Hefe Weissbier. Drizly Region: Germany | ABV: 5.8% | Tasting Notes: Malty, Floral, Orange peel, Bread When you’re talking about Oktoberfest beers, you’re usually talking about märzen. Traditionally brewed in March so they are ready for the fall, these malty brews are just as well known for their rich flavor as they are for the celebration that goes with them. Drizly Region: Germany | ABV: 5.4% | Tasting Notes: Banana, Cloves, Nutmeg The hefeweizen can be a polarizing style, especially for those who are new to it, but this one-of-a-kind ale also offers a great entry point for drinkers who don’t tend to enjoy beer’s more bitter flavors. Drizly Region: Germany | ABV: 4.8% | Tasting Notes: Biscuit, Lemon, Grass In recent years, kölsch has entered the spotlight as the thirst-quenching, impossibly crisp lager of choice during hotter months. While many American brewers have tried their hand at the style, there’s plenty of German imports available as well, such as Gaffel Kölsch. Drizly Region: Germany | ABV: 5.1% | Tasting Notes: Malt, Floral, Lemon Ah yes, the pilsner: Germany’s most-consumed beer category, and the basis of all of the ubiquitous American lagers that trace their lineage back to German immigrants in the 19th century.

We could list those brands for you here, or you could just turn on ESPN and wait for the next commercial break.) For a bit more obscure of a pilsner, try a Rothaus’ Pils Tannen Zäpfle, which Camstra says is “a classic from the Black Forest region of Germany, produced by the state-owned brewery in Baden-Wurttemberg, which definitely gives the Czech a run for their money for best pilsner in the world.” The beer has recently gained a cult following in New York, after a homesick German ex-pat, Tobias Holler, implored Rothaus for years to export the beer so he could serve it at his Brooklyn beer hall,

In 2014 he succeeded. Related: The 9 Best Pilsner Beers to Drink Drizly Region: Germany | ABV: 4.7% | Tasting Notes: Chocolate, Malt, Bread A tasting of German beers offers the perfect reminder that not all lagers have to be clear and bright. Despite its name, the dunkel, or “dark,” is a lager that sits in the middle of the beer color spectrum. Total Wine Region: Germany | ABV: 5.6% | Tasting Notes: Hay, Biscuit, Honey By the 1890s, Munich had a centuries-old history of producing renowned dark beers, but that’s when they began to notice a problem: people were suddenly super into this light, crisp “pilsner” category.

So the enterprising Bavarians came up with their own “pale lager,” and just so there was no confusion, they called it Helles — which means “pale” or “bright.” Augustiner-Bräu is Munich’s oldest independent brewery, dating back to 1328, and their Edelstoff helles is one of their most popular offerings.

Compared to pilsner or kölsch, a good helles will be a bit fuller and a touch sweeter, and the Edelstoff is no exception: look for playful notes of hay, fresh-cut grass, biscuit, toasted bread, and even a hint of honey and chamomile. What Our Experts Say “If you’re not counting how many you’ve had by the litre then you’re doing it wrong.” —Rob Camstra, director of brewing operations at Gemüt Biergarten in Columbus, Ohio Related: The Best Nonalcoholic Beers Total Wine Region: Germany | ABV: 6.5% | Tasting Notes: Toffee, Raisins, Molasses We’re staying in lager territory here, but we’re upping the ABV and taking a trip into the annals of history. Originally brewed in the 14th century in the city of Einbeck (a mispronunciation of the city’s name rumored to have lent its signature beer the moniker of “ein bock”), a bock is a strong lager with a pronounced malty character.

1. They come in a number of styles, from the rich and refreshing maibocks popular in springtime to the darker, more brooding “dunkles bocks” brewed to warm the soul on winter nights.
2. Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel is a classic dunkles bock produced in the same city that originated the style seven centuries ago and is still packaged in a bottle based on the original 1851 design.

Look for a smooth, malty flavor profile boasting notes of toffee and raisins, with just a sprinkling of hop character to balance out the interplay of caramel and molasses. Total Wine Region: Germany | ABV: 7.9% | Tasting Notes: Chocolate, Figs, Spicy hoppiness Even bigger and boozier than the bocks are their beefed-up brothers, the doppelbocks (“double bocks”), which accentuate the signature malt-forward bock profile with more richness, a fuller mouthfeel, and higher alcohol.

The granddaddy of all doppelbocks is Salvator, first produced by the Franciscan monks at St. Francis of Paula in the 17th century. Legend has it that the monks created the rich, malty, sweet beer as a clever workaround during Lent: they were compelled by their piety to fast, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy some liquid bread during those hungry times.

Even if you’re not currently fasting, you’ll have trouble resisting Salvator’s inviting aromas of chocolate and caramel malt, or the rich, figgy breadiness on the palate—all tied up nicely by the faint impression of spicy hops on the finish. And for your next round, be sure to try some of the other iconic Munich dopplebocks—like Spaten’s Optimator and Ayinger’s Celebrator—all of which traditionally end in “-ator” as a nod to the beer that launched the enduring style. Total Wine Region: Germany | ABV: 4.8% | Tasting Notes: Nutty, Pumpernickel, Bitter chocolate If I asked you to name a dark beer with deep roasted malt flavor but without huge body or high alcohol, Guinness might seem like the obvious answer. But Germany has its own take on “dark beer with light body,” and instead of a creamy stout, it’s a lean, sleek lager, with all the elegance and precision we expect from fine German engineering.

• Schwarzbier (“black beer”) is a 4 to 6 percent alcohol lager made from dark-roasted malt, and one of Germany’s best-known schwarzbiers is Kostritzer.
• Produced in a brewery that’s been in operation since 1543, Kostritzer offers a roasty, nutty nose and flavors of pumpernickel and bitter chocolate.
• It’s said that the iconic German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe subsisted on nothing but Kostritzer schwarzbier during a period of illness in which he was unable to eat food.

(We’re not suggesting you start replacing all your meals with Kostritzer, but it would certainly be a delicious experiment if a slightly ill-advised one.) Total Wine Region: Germany | ABV: 5.2% | Tasting Notes: Smoke, Roasted malt, Meat If you thought the hefeweizen was polarizing, how about a beer that straight-up tastes like smoke? For that discerning drinker who wants her brew to be reminiscent of bacon, or a slab of smoked brisket, the rauchbier is the way to go.

What is dark beer called in England?

Dark beer is a type of beer that is known for its rich, full-bodied flavor and deep color. It is made with roasted malt, which gives it its distinctive taste and appearance. Dark beers come in a variety of styles, including stouts and porters, which are some of the most popular types of dark beer. Stouts are a type of dark beer that originated in England in the 18th century.

• They are characterized by their dark color, full-bodied flavor, and creamy texture.
• Stouts are made with roasted barley, which gives them their distinctive taste and aroma.
• They are often served at room temperature and are a popular choice for beer enthusiasts who enjoy a rich, full-bodied brew,
• Porters are another popular type of dark beer.

They originated in England in the 18th century and were originally called ” brown ale. ” Porters are made with malted barley and roasted malt, which gives them their dark color and rich, complex flavor. They are often served at a slightly cooler temperature than stouts and are a favorite among beer enthusiasts who enjoy a smooth, flavorful brew.

Is dark beer a stout?

stout, dark, heavy-bodied beer popular in Great Britain and Ireland, Stouts are stronger versions of mild ale, There are various types, including oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout. Popular stouts have included the so-called dry Irish stouts, notably Guinness, Britannica Quiz Beer and Brewing Today the distinction between stout and porter remains unclear. Some brewers may distinguish stout from porter on the basis of dryness, in which the stout is made with unmalted roasted barley (as opposed to malted roasted barley for a porter), or sweetness, in which the stout is made with lactose (as in milk stout).

• However, some stout recipes incorporate malted roasts.
• Moreover, variations on these themes, such as the addition of oats during brewing (oatmeal stout) or the use of very dark malt (chocolate stout), which impart characteristics such as smoothness or flavours and aromas of chocolate, may also be found in porter recipes.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers,

Is IPA a dark beer?

Different Colors (Most of the Time) – Now, let’s get the obvious difference out of the way. In most instances, stouts have a darker, coffee color and IPAs have a lighter caramel or amber color. This is because most stouts consist of roasted barley or other chocolate-colored malts.

Is Guinness a dark beer?

Editor’s Note: Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. CNN — Guinness, like other Irish stouts, enjoys a seasonal popularity every St.

• Patrick’s Day.
• It has also been touted as being “good for you,” at least by its own advertising posters decades ago.
• But can this creamy, rich and filling beer really be added to a list of healthy beverages? Or is its reputation just good marketing? We researched the beer’s history and talked to brewing experts and break out the good, the not-so-great and the ingenuity of Guinness.

The original Guinness is a type of ale known as stout. It’s made from a grist (grain) that includes a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color. And though you wouldn’t rank it as healthful as a vegetable, the stouts in general, as well as other beers, may be justified in at least some of their nutritional bragging rights.

According to Charlie Bamforth, distinguished professor emeritus of brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis, most beers contain significant amounts of antioxidants, B vitamins, the mineral silicon (which may help protect against osteoporosis), soluble fiber and prebiotics, which promote the growth of “good” bacteria in your gut.

And Guinness may have a slight edge compared with other brews, even over other stouts. “We showed that Guinness contained the most folate of the imported beers we analyzed,” Bamforth said. Folate is a B vitamin that our bodies need to make DNA and other genetic material.

1. It’s also necessary for cells to divide.
2. According to his research, stouts on average contain 12.8 micrograms of folate, or 3.2% of the recommended daily allowance.
3. Because Guinness contains a lot of unmalted barley, which contains more fiber than malted grain, it is also one of the beers with the highest levels of fiber, according to Bamforth.

(Note: Though the US Department of Agriculture lists beer as containing zero grams of fiber, Bamforth said his research shows otherwise.) Bamforth has researched and coauthored studies published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing and the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists.

Here’s more potentially good news about Guinness: Despite its rich flavor and creamy consistency, it’s not the highest in calories compared with other beers. A 12-ounce serving of Guinness Draught has 125 calories. By comparison, the same size serving of Budweiser has 145 calories, Heineken has 142 calories, and Samuel Adams Cream Stout has 189 calories.

In the United States, Guinness Extra Stout, by the way, has 149 calories. This makes sense when you consider that alcohol is the main source of calories in beers. Guinness Draught has a lower alcohol content, at 4.2% alcohol by volume, compared with 5% for Budweiser and Heineken, and 4.9% for the Samuel Adams Cream Stout.

• In general, moderate alcohol consumption – defined by the USDA’s dietary guidelines for Americans as no more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women – may protect against heart disease.
• So you can check off another box.
• Guinness is still alcohol, and consuming too much can impair judgment and contribute to weight gain.

Heavy drinking (considered more than 14 drinks a week for men or more than seven drinks a week for women) and binge drinking (five or more drinks for men, and four or more for women, in about a two-hour period) are also associated with many health problems, including liver disease, pancreatitis and high blood pressure.

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, “alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems.” And while moderate consumption of alcohol may have heart benefits for some, consumption of alcohol can also increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer for each drink consumed daily.

Many decades ago, in Ireland, it would not have been uncommon for a doctor to advise pregnant and nursing women to drink Guinness. But today, experts (particularly in the United States) caution of the dangers associated with consuming any alcohol while pregnant.

“Alcohol is a teratogen, which is something that causes birth defects. It can cause damage to the fetal brain and other organ systems,” said Dr. Erin Tracy, an OB/GYN at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive gynecology.

“We don’t know of any safe dose of alcohol in pregnancy. Hence we recommend abstaining entirely during this brief period of time in a woman’s life.” What about beer for breastfeeding? “In Britain, they have it in the culture that drinking Guinness is good for nursing mothers,” said Karl Siebert, professor emeritus of the food science department and previous director of the brewing program at Cornell University.

Beer in general has been regarded as a galactagogue, or stimulant of lactation, for much of history. In fact, according to irishtimes.com, breastfeeding women in Ireland were once given a bottle of Guinness a day in maternity hospitals. According to Domhnall Marnell, the Guinness ambassador, Guinness Original (also known as Guinness Extra Stout, depending on where it was sold) debuted in 1821, and for a time, it contained live yeast, which had a high iron content, so it was given to anemic individuals or nursing mothers then, before the effects of alcohol were fully understood.

Some studies have showed evidence that ingredients in beer can increase prolactin, a hormone necessary for milk production; others have showed the opposite. Regardless of the conclusions, the alcohol in beer also appears to counter the benefits associated with increased prolactin secretion.

“The problem is that alcohol temporarily inhibits the milk ejection reflex and overall milk supply, especially when ingested in large amounts, and chronic alcohol use lowers milk supply permanently,” said Diana West, coauthor of “The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk.” “Barley can be eaten directly, or even made from commercial barley drinks, which would be less problematic than drinking beer,” West said.

If you’re still not convinced that beer is detrimental to breastfeeding, consider this fact: A nursing mother drinking any type of alcohol puts her baby in potential danger. “The fetal brain is still developing after birth – and since alcohol passes into breast milk, the baby is still at risk,” Tracy said.

“This is something we would not advocate today,” Marnell agreed. “We would not recommend to anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding to be enjoying our products during this time in their life.” Regarding the old wives’ tale about beer’s effects on breastfeeding, Marnell added, “It’s not something that Guinness has perpetuated and if (people are still saying it), I’d like to say once and for all, it’s not something we support or recommend.” Assuming you are healthy and have the green light to drink beer, you might wonder why Guinness feels like you’ve consumed a meal, despite its lower calorie and alcohol content.

It has to do with the sophistication that goes into producing and pouring Guinness. According to Bamforth, for more than half a century, Guinness has put nitrogen gas into its beer at the packaging stage, which gives smaller, more stable bubbles and delivers a more luscious mouthfeel.

1. It also tempers the harsh burnt character coming from the roasted barley.
2. Guinness cans, containing a widget to control the pour, also have some nitrogen.
3. Guinness is also dispensed through a special tap that uses a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
4. In Ireland, Guinness had a long history of hiring the best and brightest university graduates regardless of what they were trained in,” Siebert said.

“And they put them to work on things they needed. One was a special tap for dispensing Guinness, which has 11 different nozzles in it, that helps to form the fine-bubbled foam.” The foam is remarkably long-lasting. “After you get a freshly poured Guinness, you can make a face in the foam, and by the time you finish drinking it, the face is still there,” Siebert said.

The famous advertising Guinness slogans – including “It’s a good day for a Guinness” – started through word of mouth, said Marnell. “In 1929, when we were about to do our first ad, we asked (ourselves), ‘What stance should we take?’ So we sent around a group of marketers (in Ireland and the UK) to ask Guinness drinkers why they chose Guinness, and nine out of 10 said their belief was that the beer was healthy for them.

We already had this reputation in the bars before we uttered a word about the beer. “That led to the Gilroy ads that were posted,” Marnell explained, referring to the artist John Gilroy, responsible for the Guinness ads from 1928 to the 1960s. “You’ll see the characters representing the Guinness brand – the toucan, the pelican – and slogans like ‘Guinness is good for you’ or ‘Guinness for Strength.’ But those were from the 1920s, ’30s and ‘40s.” Today, he said, the company would not claim any health benefits for its beer.

If anyone is under the impression that there are health benefits to drinking Guinness, then unfortunately, I’m the bearer of bad news. Guinness is not going to build muscle or cure you of influenza.” In fact, Guinness’ parent company, Diageo, spends a lot of effort supporting responsible drinking initiatives and educating consumers about alcohol’s effects.

Its DrinkIQ page offers information such as calories in alcohol, how your body processes it and when alcohol can be dangerous, including during pregnancy. “One of the main things we focus on is that while we would love people to enjoy our beer, we want to make sure they do so as responsibly as possible,” Marnell said.

Is pilsner a dark beer?

In contrast to different lager styles of beer, pilsners are never dark lagers (they’re bright yellow rather than dark brown). As for how they compare to other popular beer styles, pilsners are always pale, but much smoother and with more malt flavor than, say, an India Pale Ale (IPA).

Does lager mean dark beer?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A glass of lager from Bitburger, a German brewery Lager () is beer which has been brewed and conditioned at low temperature. Lagers can be pale, amber, or dark, Pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially available style of beer. The term “lager” comes from the German for “storage”, as the beer was stored before drinking, traditionally in the same cool caves in which it was fermented.

What is Heineken dark?

Heineken Dark Lager pours a dark red-brown, with a creamy tan head and a creamy, malt aroma. Heineken Dark Lager starts of with a very malty taste, with hints of wheat and finishes up creamy and smooth.

Region	Holland
Country	Netherlands
Varietal	Dark Lager

What is a Belgian dark ale?

Please wait. This style captures darker-hued Belgian-style ales that really aren’t either a Dubbel or Belgian Strong Dark Ale. These Belgian Dark Ales range in color from amber to dark mahogany to brown. The words “amber” or “bruin” or “brune” (brown) may appear on the label.

What is Czech dark beer called?

Beautiful in the mug, rich on the palate, yet—when properly brewed—so easy to drink in quantity, Czech dark lager is a niche even in its home country. Writing from Prague, Evan Rail talks to the pros to understand the elements and methods that go into a great one.

1. It’s easy to overlook tmavé pivo, the Czech Republic’s other beer style.
2. Long overshadowed by the world-famous pale lagers—or pilsners—that originated in the Czech city of Pilsen, the dark and rich tmavé pivo is obscure both literally and figuratively—a relative rarity that accounts for less than 3.5 percent of total Czech beer production today.

Yet, especially as craft brewers continue their love affair with lager in all its forms, the seldom-seen, not-quite-black lager with the strange name is starting to earn more fans outside its homeland. So, what is it exactly? Literally, tmavé pivo just means “dark beer” in Czech.

Stylistically, however, it’s much more specific: For Czech brewers, tmavé pivo is a specific type of dark lager that resembles the classic Munich dunkel that first inspired it, though the Czech interpretation has a noticeably richer body. Unlike the three malts you often see in the German original, tmavé pivo is made from four, five, or even more types of malt, including caramel and dark roasted malt.

And although tmavé pivo can come in any strength, brewers such as Štěpán Kříž at the Czech Republic’s Pivovar Hostomice tend to shy away from low-gravity versions. “I think tmavé pivo works best when it’s brewed at 13°P and above,” he says, referring to the Plato-scale equivalent of OG 1.052.

• Weak tmavé pivo is weird.
• For me, the wateriness of 10°P beer just doesn’t go together with the fullness of the dark malts.” The most famous version has to be the one from Prague’s U Fleků, a brewery founded in 1499 that pretty much brews only Flekovské pivo, its celebrated 13°P dark lager.
• In recent years, U Fleků also has brewed a pale lager for September 28, which local beer lovers celebrate as the “Day of Czech Beer”—an exception that proves the rule.) For Kříž, the appeal of U Fleků’s style-defining dark lager is its extreme drinkability, or pitelnost, a word that Czech brewers often use when describing their pale lagers.

“What we want is for tmavé pivo to be just as drinkable as pale lager,” he says. “It can’t be too heavy or too flavorful, so that you only drink one and then don’t want to have another.”

Is Guinness Draught stout a dark beer?

I reland, four-leaf clovers, and the color green probably come to mind when you think of St. Patrick’s Day. Oh, and beer. Lots and lots of beer. And since Guinness is perhaps the most popular Irish beer brand in the world, chances are your local watering hole will be offering specials on it come March 17.

Want to impress your friends? Buy them a round, and then set them straight on these common myths about the black brew. Myth: It’s black In fact, Guinness, a stout beer, is neither black nor dark brown. If you look closely and in the right light you can see that it’s really a very dark red that is the result of things that happen to the grains during processing.

Myth: Guinness is high in alcohol Guinness isn’t boozier than most other beers. In fact, it contains less alcohol by volume than a typical draught. An average beer contains 5% ABV, while Guinness clocks in at just 4.2%. So this St. Paddy’s Day, Guinness is a smart choice if you’re feeling festive but you want to take it easy (the holiday does fall on Monday, after all).

Health.com: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol from Ruining Your Diet Myth: Guinness is high in calories Guinness, a stout-style brew, is known for its creamy texture, dark color, and rich, caramel-tinged flavor. That means it must be high in calories, right? Not so fast. A 12-ounce serving of Guinness sets you back 125 calories—just 15 more than the same serving of Bud Light.

Alcohol is beer’s main calorie source, and since Guinness is just 4.2% ABV, it’s relatively low in calories. The dark color and sweetness come from small amounts of roasted barley used in the brewing process. And that thick, creamy texture? Most beers are carbonated with carbon dioxide, but Guinness uses a mix of CO2 and nitrogen.

• Nitrogen bubbles are smaller than CO2 bubbles, which produces a smoother “mouthfeel,” as beer nerds call it.
• Health.com: The 18 Best Snacks for Weight Loss Myth: “Guinness is Good for You” This one’s more of a half-myth.
• Guinness is Good for You” was born as a catchy marketing slogan in the late 1920s, and wasn’t based on any scientific proof that drinking beer actually had any health benefits.

Today, some experts actually do believe that moderate alcohol consumption (including beer, wine, and spirits) could be good for you. Dozens of studies have shown an association between moderate drinking—that’s one drink a day for women, two for men—and a reduction in the risk of heart attack or dying of cardiovascular disease.

And other research suggests that light drinkers gain less weight in middle age than those who abstain. At the same time, however, other studies have shown a correlation between moderate alcohol consumption and increased risk of breast cancer. And of course, excessive drinking causes a slew of other health problems including liver damage, several types of cancer, and decreased brain function.

Bottom line : Go ahead and have a Guinness or two. But if you want to improve your health, you’d probably be better off eating something green, like kale or spinach, rather than downing a few too many pints. This article originally appeared on Health.com.

What is the word for dark heavy beer?

stout, dark, heavy-bodied beer popular in Great Britain and Ireland, Stouts are stronger versions of mild ale, There are various types, including oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout. Popular stouts have included the so-called dry Irish stouts, notably Guinness, Britannica Quiz Beer and Brewing Today the distinction between stout and porter remains unclear. Some brewers may distinguish stout from porter on the basis of dryness, in which the stout is made with unmalted roasted barley (as opposed to malted roasted barley for a porter), or sweetness, in which the stout is made with lactose (as in milk stout).

However, some stout recipes incorporate malted roasts. Moreover, variations on these themes, such as the addition of oats during brewing (oatmeal stout) or the use of very dark malt (chocolate stout), which impart characteristics such as smoothness or flavours and aromas of chocolate, may also be found in porter recipes.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers,