Cheers to you! Most of us don’t need an excuse to grab a drink, but on the first Thursday of November, many people celebrate International Stout Day with a tipple. Stouts are some of the oldest beverages, traceable to the 1700s after starting as a porter and being developed into the fine stout that many love today.

Since 2011, this drink has been given the attention it deserves with its own day, but how do people observe this day? First of all, let’s find out more about all things stout.

What Is Stout?

Stout was developed from porter in the 1730s using unmalted roasted barley (porter is typically made with malted barley), giving it that rich, almost coffee-infused type of taste. Nowadays, we have an abundance of options, with just about every flavor infused into a craft beer of sorts.

Also, we have plenty of ways of preserving our beverages, but this wasn’t the case back in the 1700s. This is why stout was such a desirable choice – it stays fresh for longer. Combine this with its strong taste (another important attribute of any alcoholic drink of the time), and you have a winning combination.

In modern times, a stout is best described as having an almost milky texture, with chocolate being another word used to give a sense of what it is like to take a sip of the strong stuff. So, it has been popular for hundreds of years; it’s about time we had a day dedicated to stout, right?

Nowadays, a lot of people associate stout with the famous Guinness. First brewed in the 1940s, they are easily the world’s most recognizable stout brand and are brewed in almost 50 countries.

Different Types of Stout

• Irish Stout – Often known as dry stout, this is the typical dark stout – think Guinness!
• Milk Stout – As the name suggests, this contains lactose and has a creamy texture. It is also one of the sweeter options.
• Chocolate Stout – Thicker body and taste, this is roasted until it has a dark, chocolate color and some even feature chocolate flavoring.
• Imperial Stout – Russian stout is another name for this variety, and it has a strong taste and is dark.
• Oatmeal Stout – Made with a certain percentage of oats while brewing, they don’t actually taste of oats but expect a smooth texture.

How To Observe International Stout Day

Enjoy a tall glass of the dark stuff! Well, it depends on your preference, of course, but it is always a good place to start. For some people, it is not their drink of choice, which means it can be good to make the first Thursday in November an opportunity to have that once-in-a-while glass of stout.

The creamy, smooth texture is often found in bars and pubs around the world in abundance around this time. International Stout Day is often celebrated in these places with new options from local breweries, and you may even find special stout on tap.

Look for a stout festival around this time to make the most of it; these will often have music and events as well as more stout available.