In Colorado, February is Stout Month. It’s a short but passionate 28 days dedicated to the full-bodied, roasty, coffee-esque, malt-forward wonder that is the Stout beer style.
I love Stout, but I don’t always reach for it over other styles. I also love a good challenge.
So when a friend suggested I fully explore this beer style by tasting a different Stout every day last February, I gladly accepted. And to what was often the chagrin of my partner, I did it.
I tasted a different Stout each day in February 2017 and documented the process on social media using hashtag #dailystout. I held myself accountable for tasting at least one different Stout every day. Thirst Magazine caught on to what I was up to and they published this article about my Stout recommendations.
Stout came to be my daily liquid bread— after a month I had discovered its versatility, and I craved it. When Stout Month ended, #dailystout did not. I kept tasting and researching the style. One year later, here’s what I’ve come to know about Stout…
Stout comes with a dark beer stigma, and the style is generally misunderstood— even among craft beer drinkers.
Stout is not Porter.
Stout Month is one of my favorite craft marketing campaigns.
Stout is for whiskey lovers.
Stout can develop incredible nuanced flavor and aroma over time, if you know a thing or two about cellaring beers.
Stout is a food-friendly beer, perfect for pairings.
Stout is a blank canvas for a cornucopia of abstract beer ingredients.
Stout is scarce in island communities. More on that later.
Stout is a foundation for good causes.
2018 Stout Month is upon us and the #dailystout ritual returns! This year it’s dedicated to raising funds for the conservation of clean water, a resource that the brewing industry continues to consume more and more of. I've recruited fellow Stout tasters too.
Throughout the month of February, we're drinking #dailystout to raise funds for Water For Good. This organization creates long-term partnerships with communities in Africa, empowering them with sustainable access to clean water and transformational development solutions. Water For Good was a natural partner for our #dailystout campaign because Africa is responsible for much of the world’s production and consumption of Stout... And we think what they're up to is pretty rad.
Whether you can donate or not, we hope you’ll join the #dailystout hashtag on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to help us spread the word.
Cheers to Stout Month!
— Emily Hutto, RadCraft Founder