Stout beer

Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer with a number of variations, including dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout. The first known use of the word stout for beer was in a document dated 1677, referring to its strength. Historically, 'stout' meant 'strong', and it was used to describe any kind of beer as long as it was high in alcohol content.

Today, the stout category is dominated globally by the Guinness brand, although many independent microbreweries and large-scale beverage companies produce their own versions. Manufacturing occurs in almost every country with a brewing industry, as the 'stout' name refers to a style of beer rather than a single trademarked brand.