Dark Beer Recommendations?

Rougue's Chocolate Stout is one of the most tasty, drinkable stouts in my opinion. Their Shakespeare stout is also good.

If you're interested in some richer, more complex imperials and such, check out stouts from some of these widely distributed brewers: (also, I;m assuming you're out west if you can get Deschutes)

Dogfish Head

Victory (their Baltic Porter is also very good)

Alesmith

Southern Tier (their Choklat Stout is excellent)

Mikeller (Beer Geek Breakfast)

Ballast Point

Lagnitas

A lot of the more inexpensive domestic darks are actually pretty good and far as I'm concerned.

I enjoy the occasional Henry's Dark and most of the darker Sam Adams varieties are actually pretty good.

Yes i agree that Guinness is sometimes hit and miss here in the U.S. (particularly in the bottles)- though most of the time i get it draft at a bar it's pretty good and usually the canned extra stout is not a bad purchase. I also enjoy the occasional Newcastle.

Most of the time I can't justify spending 3 -5 times as much for a more expensive beer when I have no problem enjoying the cheaper varieties available.

Newcastle Brown Ale and Smithwick's Irish Red are two imports that are darker, but aren't overly bitter, and both represent the best of their respective styles. Guinness is really good, but has the bitterness of coffee. If you want to try something like Guinness though, but not as bitter, try Murphy's Irish Stout. As for American beers, Yuengling Traditional Lager is an extremely well balanced beer between the hops and the malts, perhaps the best balanced lager I have ever had. I would also suggest you try a microbrew. They are definitely more creative than the macro dreck that is Bud, Miller, and Coors. I have yet to meet a microbrew I didn't like.

What are you looking to pay? Samuel Smith (England) makes a fine-fine Oatmeal Stout and their Taddy Porter is first rate. MacEwans is tasty. As the other gentleman said, most Sam Adams dark offerings are fine.

For budget-minded beer drinker - Yuengling Porter & Yuengling Black & Tan (Yuengling once had a limited availability special only to PA and adjacent states, but I've started to see it in Beverages & More in CA...and up and down the East Coast).

Hmmm, can't go wrong with Spaten's Optimator... Franziskaner Dunkel Weisse is also fine. Modelo from Mexico is worthwhile as well.

Any of the Rogue dark beers- I especially like the Hazelnut Stout.

Kona Brewing - Pipeline Porter

New Belgium - 1554 Black Brussels

Left Hand Brewing - Black Jack Porter

Four Peaks - Oatmeal Stout

Mendocino - Black Hawk Stout

Moose Drool - Big Sky Brewery, Montana

Blacked Voodoo - Dixieland Brewery, New Orleans, LA

Smithwicks - From the makers of Guinness

Maple Nut Brown - Tommyknockers brewery, Colorado.

Stone's Imperial Stout is good.

amber bock