Used to be when I wanted a good bottle of dry Irish stout, I could always pick up a six-pack of Guinness and bring it on home. These days, that's no longer the case, since bottled Guinness for the United States is contracted out to Labatt in Canada. There's something seemingly inconsistent with that, and damn me for a purist if I don't want a good Irish stout from Ireland.
If I can't get an Irish Guinness, though, a Moylan's from California might do the trick nicely instead. Specifically, I'm talking about Moylan's Dragoons Dry Irish Stout, a delightfully roasty treat from the Moylan's brewery in Novato, California. Moylan's is renowned for its delicious craft beers that cover a gamut of styles; Dragoons Stout is just one example of their brewing expertise.
Here's what the brewery says about their stout:
This award winning stout is brewed in the Irish tradition to commemorate General Stephen Moylan, Irish-born commander of the 4th Continental Dragoons during the American Revolutionary War.
The beer is made with an impressive grain bill of roasted, black, crisp pale, Maris Otter, torrified, and acidulated malts along with flaked unmalted barley as well as Wilamette EKG (East Kent Golding) hops, per their website.
Moylan's Dragoons Irish Dry Stout pours to a jet black color with a thick, creamy head formation and a soft fruity nose of coffee and green olives. The beer is medium in body with a distinct roastiness and decidedly coffee-like flavor. There are strong notes of bittersweet chocolate, roasted barley and espresso, and a hint of raisin.
A gentle hint of grassy, herbal hops buzz on the tongue with a hint of bitterness in the finish. The roastiness intensifies there too, and there's a bit of an acidic note, too. These all serve to give the beer a very, very dry and quenching finish, appropriate to the style.
And contrary to myth, stouts are not by definition higher in alcohol: Moylan's Dragoon Stout has 5% alcohol by volume, about the same as Budweiser. An excellent buy at $4.99 for a 22-ounce bomber bottle.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft