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Substitute for Guinness??

femurov

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My bar is considering a change from Guinness to a different stout. Mostly because the distribution company here is pissing off the owner with a bad record of bad reps and an increase in price on Guinness. We used to sell them in the proper 20oz glass, but price increases have forced that price up to a point where we don't feel comfortable charging it. So, we wanted to pour them into a 16 oz Guinness glass, which we have been told (and it's a bold face lie) that they do not make.

So, what would be a solid substitute for Guinness? Beamish is the first thing that pops into my head. I don't think we want to go with any of the chocolate stouts or milk stouts or anything. Just a good old fashioned, regular stout. Maybe some sort of imperial, but definitely not a flavored stout. Also has to be available in Maryland and run on a nitrogen/mixed gas line. We have a 2nd nitro line that carries a rotating beer. Right now, we have the Left Hand Milk Stout on that, but that is nowhere near the brand named selling power of Guinness.
 

NCChiFan

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Can you get New Holland Brewing's, "Dragon's Milk", it is an American Double/Imperial Stout? Does Deschutes distribute to Maryland? If so the "Black Butte Porter" is probably the best porter brewed in the US, amazing. Green Man brewing is going big, not sure if they're up your way yet but they have a very solid Imperial Stout called, "The Dweller". Sierra Nevada's Narwhal is also a worthy addition to a tap list. Stone brewing is building their East Coast Brewery in Richmond, Virginia, so consider their, "Imperial Russian Stout", which is also a very nice Stout.

See if any of those work, they're all very worthy of a tap. I would put any of those above Guinness. Do you guys serve liquor as well? If so, getting rid of Guinness can be hard because of it being a mixer in at least one of my favorite drinks, the "Irish car bomb" or "Car Bomb".
 

Rock Strongo

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mississippi mud, not quite a stout, but more of a black and tan.

damn good.

love this shit

71510d1344700675-mississippi-mud-image-885135082.jpg
 

NCChiFan

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Right now, we have the Left Hand Milk Stout on that, but that is nowhere near the brand named selling power of Guinness.

Just read this part, would stick with either the Sierra Nevada, Stone or if you can get the Sam Adams stout. Not sure how well known Deschutes is in Maryland, but they're huge among folks who know craft beer and folks on the West Coast, I don't have a handle on it here in North Carolina because they don't distribute here. Worth a check and see though.

Also, it is called, "Dragon's Milk" but I don't believe it to be a "milk stout" as it goes, which is why I posted it as a American Double/Imperial Stout. It is a great stout, but if Nitro Left Hand Milk Stout isn't getting traction, and to me it is a fabulous Milk Stout, then go big name like I mentioned above.
 

BHF

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My bar is considering a change from Guinness to a different stout. Mostly because the distribution company here is pissing off the owner with a bad record of bad reps and an increase in price on Guinness. We used to sell them in the proper 20oz glass, but price increases have forced that price up to a point where we don't feel comfortable charging it. So, we wanted to pour them into a 16 oz Guinness glass, which we have been told (and it's a bold face lie) that they do not make.

So, what would be a solid substitute for Guinness? Beamish is the first thing that pops into my head. I don't think we want to go with any of the chocolate stouts or milk stouts or anything. Just a good old fashioned, regular stout. Maybe some sort of imperial, but definitely not a flavored stout. Also has to be available in Maryland and run on a nitrogen/mixed gas line. We have a 2nd nitro line that carries a rotating beer. Right now, we have the Left Hand Milk Stout on that, but that is nowhere near the brand named selling power of Guinness.

Ugh. Left Hand is garbage. How long are your lines? Murphy's is always popular, but it's only available in sixers in our neck of the woods. In North Baltimore we had mixed success with the Yards Love Stout. Reasonably popular, but it's always going to lose against Guinness in an Irish pub. We got some of Boston Beer's stout when it first came out a year or so ago (rep made us a deal), and it went over like a lead balloon, FWIW.
 

BHF

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My bar is considering a change from Guinness to a different stout. Mostly because the distribution company here is pissing off the owner with a bad record of bad reps and an increase in price on Guinness. We used to sell them in the proper 20oz glass, but price increases have forced that price up to a point where we don't feel comfortable charging it. So, we wanted to pour them into a 16 oz Guinness glass, which we have been told (and it's a bold face lie) that they do not make.

So, what would be a solid substitute for Guinness? Beamish is the first thing that pops into my head. I don't think we want to go with any of the chocolate stouts or milk stouts or anything. Just a good old fashioned, regular stout. Maybe some sort of imperial, but definitely not a flavored stout. Also has to be available in Maryland and run on a nitrogen/mixed gas line. We have a 2nd nitro line that carries a rotating beer. Right now, we have the Left Hand Milk Stout on that, but that is nowhere near the brand named selling power of Guinness.

I also need to learn how to edit. Check with your rep, but I'm 99% sure I saw the Rise Up from Evolution running on a nitro line somewhere downtown. Solid beer, decent local following, and IIRC only runs about $150 a keg.
 

tabascojet

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at home finding a substitute would be no problem but to try to replace guinness at a bar seamlessly is a tall order. just serve it a non traditional 16 oz glass and if you get too many complaints raise the price on the 20oz. could always sell it by the can only too and put the substitute on draft. this way all the bases are covered. and on a side note fuck them about 16 oz glass bullshit, im still bitter about their "new look" can years ago when they shorted it from 16oz to 14.9
 

BHF

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Having a beer before bed and I remembered O'Reilly's Stout from Sly Fox. Solid nitro stout, but it wont blow anyone's doors off. Should scratch an itch for your Guinness loyalists, and I'm pretty sure the price is right. I don't remember who distributes them in MD, though (and I'm too lazy to find a Beverage Journal at the moment). I feel you about Winner. They suck, but they pretty much have our nuts in a vise.
 

Podunkparte

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Can't really think of a replacement since Guinness is so well known, especially one to sell at a low price point and on nitro.

However, North Coast Brewing's Old Rasputin imperial stout is available on nitro and IMO is a much better beer than Guinness. You definitely wouldn't serve it in a 20oz glass at 9% abv, but if there are fans of dark beer at your place, they'll get a lot more flavor and complexity from this than they did from Guinness.

It's not a perfect replacement, though I'm not sure there is one unless there's a more local brewery doing a dry Irish stout on nitro.

Good luck
 

Podunkparte

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A substitute for Guinness...how about motor oil?

Guinness is more like muddy water than motor oil. Put it on a normal CO2 tap and its body is no thicker than any other typical 4% beer. Dark doesn't mean thick.
 

cezero

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Guinness is more like muddy water than motor oil. Put it on a normal CO2 tap and its body is no thicker than any other typical 4% beer. Dark doesn't mean thick.
I think he was talking more about flavor.

I actually don't mind Guiness as long as it's room temperature. It tastes weird when it's chilled at all to me.

I've heard from people who have been to Ireland that it's better there. Can anybody validate that?
 

NCChiFan

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I've heard from people who have been to Ireland that it's better there. Can anybody validate that?

"Guinness Extra Stout in the US is brewed in Canada, either by Labatt or Moosehead - it will say either, respectively, Toronto or New Brunswick on the bottle or can.

In Canada, their Extra Stout is brewed by Labatt.

Guinness Draught (keg, can, bottle) and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout in the US both come from Ireland.

For their other beers sold in the US, Smithwick's and the Black Lager are Irish-brewed, while Harp is brewed under contract in Canada sometimes (by Moosehead), Irish-brewed at others. Red Stripe has come from Canada in the recent past (cans, IIRC) and the bottles are now coming out Latrobe, PA (ex-Rolling Rock, now owned by City)."
 

Podunkparte

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I think he was talking more about flavor.

I actually don't mind Guiness as long as it's room temperature. It tastes weird when it's chilled at all to me.

I've heard from people who have been to Ireland that it's better there. Can anybody validate that?

Can't speak to that. Never tried motor oil. I tend to keep my face away from the drain plug
 

Win TWINS!!!

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Guinness is more like muddy water than motor oil. Put it on a normal CO2 tap and its body is no thicker than any other typical 4% beer. Dark doesn't mean thick.


He's an idiot from our old board. Anything he says about beer is irrelevant.
 

cezero

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Can't speak to that. Never tried motor oil. I tend to keep my face away from the drain plug

i like life with similes

but i can see the appeal of the literal

anyway, i plunked down the $17 for a bottle of BBomb. I'll be on the lookout for the cinnamon version for sure. So good.
 

Podunkparte

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i like life with similes

but i can see the appeal of the literal

anyway, i plunked down the $17 for a bottle of BBomb. I'll be on the lookout for the cinnamon version for sure. So good.

Let me know whether you find one or not. Its a very limited run and would be around about now if it were going to be. If not I'll be happy to send you one. As good as the Coffee KDS you had was, this is on another level IMO. Cinnamon in these big rich stouts is perfection.
 

NCChiFan

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Wonder what he decided... I hate threads like this... Some guy says what should I do? We reply, then nothing....
 

Wishbone

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Murphys Irish Stout is the obvious answer here.
 
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