8 great Irish stouts and ales perfect for St. Patrick's Day in Twin Cities

The annual celebration of all things green, including beer, is upon us. But when it comes to the beer we choose to drink on St. Patrick's Day, there are much better options than an emerald-tinted lager.

The obvious choice is to go black with an Irish dry stout. And when you're talking about Irish stout, Guinness is the clear benchmark.

There are two facts about Guinness that are unknown to many. The first is that the pitch-black and silky Guinness Draught, with its cascading, creamy cap of foam, is not the "meal in a glass" that some believe it to be. At just 4% alcohol and the calorie count of an American light lager, it is a beer meant for the long haul. The nitrogen carbonation that creates the cascade effect also results in lower carbonation, meaning it is less filling.

Though light, Guinness Draught is quite delicious. An initial touch of sweetness quickly gives way to the bitter, burnt flavors of roasted barley. Dark-roast coffee beans and a hint of cocoa define the mid-palate profile. It finishes quick and dry with some lingering, bitter roast.

The second little-known fact is that there is more than one type of Guinness Stout, each one a completely different beer. To step up a notch from Guinness Draught, look for Guinness Extra Stout (the bottles with the yellow label). At 5.6% alcohol, Extra Stout is a touch stronger than Draught, and the body and flavor are richer, as well. Hints of licorice join the cocoa and coffee. Increased sweetness makes it seem less bitter. This is my favorite version of Guinness.

Brewed since 1801, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout has almost twice the alcohol of Guinness Draught, a fact reflected in the full body and light warming sensation. Notes of raisin and dried cherry provide an almost vinous counterpoint to the expected coffee and bitter cocoa roast; the bitterness is offset by moderate brown-sugar sweetness.

But if Irish stout is what you're after, you don't have to limit yourself to Guinness. You needn't even look to the Emerald Isle. A few local breweries are turning out excellent renditions of these blackened brews.

Totally Wirth It from Utepils Brewing Co. in Minneapolis is aptly named. It is about as good as it gets for dry Irish stout. Dark-roast coffee is the dominant note, accompanied by roasted malt that stays just shy of burnt. Hints of cocoa stay in the background. Nitrogen dispense gives it that characteristic creaminess and cascading foam. It's totally worth a trip to the Bryn Mawr taproom, which is the only place you'll find it.

Dublin Dry Stout is another taproom-only offering, this time from Pryes Brewing located along the river in Minneapolis' Near North neighborhood. Though very balanced, this one leans slightly more to cocoa, with coffee in a supporting role. Light sweetness at the start enhances background notes of caramel and vanilla. It's creamy and smooth with an appropriately dry and roasty finish.

Razor Gang is the Irish stout offering from Surly Brewing Co. Another limited release, Razor Gang is available only in Surly's Unusual Suspects variety pack. True to the Minneapolis brewery's reputation, this is the most aggressive of these Irish stouts. This is partly because carbon dioxide carbonation displaces the smoothing effects of nitrogen. It's sharp and hard-edged, with bitter, dark-roast coffee heavily dominant. High-cocoa chocolate is also there, along with a touch of caramel. It finishes dry and bitter with the slightest hint of roast-malt acidity.

For an Irish stout with a flavorful twist, try Irish Cream Stout from Tin Whiskers Brewing Co. in St. Paul. Built on a dry stout base, this one is brewed and infused with chocolate, vanilla and Irish whiskey-soaked oak. Coffee is in the forefront, enveloped by bitter dark chocolate. Think chocolate-covered coffee beans. The vanilla stays far in the background, giving only a slight impression of sweetness, particularly as the beer warms. I detected only the faintest whiff of whiskey. I'll admit that this isn't my kind of beer. I didn't expect to like it, but I actually found it quite enjoyable.

Lift Bridge Irish Coffee Stout does indeed taste like Irish coffee. Brewed in Stillwater, it consists of a cold press coffee-infused blend of whiskey barrel-aged Imperial stout and strong milk stout. Coffee, cream, sugar and whiskey all come through, but none overwhelms the other. Whiskey lingers for a long and delicious finish.

Cheers to ales

If roasty stouts are not your thing, a malty Irish red ale or Irish cream ale might be an appealing alternative.

Smithwick's Red Ale is the classic from Ireland. It's a malt-forward beer, but with a sturdy bitterness and dry finish that keep any sweetness at bay. The defining flavors are caramel and bread crust with just a faint whiff of chocolaty roast. Herbal hops provide a nice counterpoint.

Boulevard Brewing Company's Irish Ale follows in the same traditional vein. Toasted bread crust takes the lead, with background notes of caramel and fruit. Hop bitterness is low and accompanied by pleasant herbal flavors. The dry finish is enhanced by a subtle roastiness.

Though the St. Paul brewery calls it an Irish cream ale, Bad Weather Brewing's Mythic Mongrel builds a bridge between that style and the Irish red. It has the color, toasted bread and caramel of a red, but the elevated biscuity malt and slightly more assertive bitterness of a cream ale. A complementary touch of fermentation-derived orange zest makes this a most pleasing quaff.

Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale has a profile similar to an English bitter, but with less bitterness and a greater malt presence. Biscuity malt is the main feature, with notes of toffee in support. The bitterness is enough to cut any sweetness, but not enough to get in the way of the malt. Herbal hops and an orange-marmalade note complete the picture. The finish lingers on malt with long-lasting toffee and biscuit flavors.

Michael Agnew is a certified cicerone (beer-world version of sommelier) and owner of A Perfect Pint. He conducts private and corporate beer tasting events in the Twin Cities, and can be reached at michael@aperfectpint.net.