International Stout Day — 7 November

What is International Stout Day?

International Stout Day is celebrated on the first Thursday in November each year. Stouts, developed from porters in the 1700s, have become some of the most beloved beers in many different nations. So beloved, in fact, that on November 3, 2011, stouts were given the recognition they deserve with the advent of the first International Stout Day. Like the name implies, stouts are typically strong and robust in flavor and, although they may be hard to chug, a stout is the perfect beer for sipping and savoring.

History of International Stout Day

First — a note on the (subtle) difference between stouts and porters: According to VinePair: “The only main difference many brewers still agree on is the kind of malt that should be used to brew each type of beer. Porters use malted barley and stouts are primarily made from unmalted roasted barley, which is where the coffee flavor most people associate with stout comes from.”

Porters started in London during the early 1720s. The style attracted lots of beer drinkers (especially porters) with it’s strong flavor and ability to stay fresh longer. The cheaper price also helped. English breweries exported large volumes to Ireland; by 1776 it was being brewed by Arthur Guinness at his St. James’s Gate Brewery. The beer gained its customary black color in the following century through the use of black patent malt, and became stronger in flavor.

The first stouts were produced in the 1730s. The Russian Imperial Stout was inspired by brewers back in the 1800s to win over the Russian Czar. “Imperial porter” came before “imperial stout” and the earliest noted use of “Imperial” to describe a beer came in 1821.

The adjective stout meant “proud” or “brave”, but it eventually took on the connotation of “strong”. The first known use of the word stout for beer occurred in 1677. The expression stout porter appeared during the 18th century. Stout applied to any beer as long as it was strong. (For example, in the UK, one might find “stout pale ale.” Only later did stout become synonymous with dark beer.

Stouts come in many varieties today — including “milk,” “oatmeal,” and even “chocolate” — although these specific ingredients don’t always appear in the brew itself. But they sure sound good.