Shout Out For Stout

Usually, we celebrate a single day. But, February is a special month. That’s right, it’s national Stout Month. And, that makes perfect sense. It’s cold. But, we need our beer. Not just any beer, though. It needs to be a heavier comforting beer. Something almost warming. After all, depending on the year, there may or may not be more days in the month. How did that happen? Probably from drinking too much stout. So, for all of you playing along at home (or watching the Superbowl) let’s have a big Shout Out For Stout.

However, at the risk of sounding controversial, it’s a little suspect that stout month is also black history month. So, black beer and black people get the shortest month for recognition? Isn’t that a little racist? February has 28 or 29 days. Mustaches get the 31 days of march. And, the 30 days of April are dedicated to Confederate history. So mustaches and pro slavery people get more time than people and beer of color? Sounds unfair. And, it’s enough to make you want to drink a lot of stout. Good thing we’ve got all month.

February is the time to Shout Out For Stout

So, how did we get here? Well, that’s a loaded question. We can look at the origins of the date and the the origin of stout. Let’s start with recent history. The 1990’s saw a wave of microbreweries take over a segment of the beer market. To drive up interest in supporting local brewers, The Mountain Sun Brewery in Colorado decided that February should be stout month. Within a few years, the idea caught on. And, now breweries, tap houses, and home brewers across the country join in on the celebration.

But, what is stout and how did it make its way into the states? Most people only think of Guinness when they think of stout. And, that is not a bad thing. Guinness makes a classic stout that, when poured properly, is a work of art. But, they aren’t the only ones making stout. And, there are multiple versions (dry, milk, oatmeal, oyster to name a few). In reality, stout is an offshoot of a porter, which is an offshoot of a brown ale. For more on porters, see our article on Baltic porters, here. The word stout means strong or brave. By, the 17th century, it became synonymous with strong. When porters first made the beer scene, they were “strong” ales. Then, when someone decided to use a darker roasted barley, the term stout became the best way to describe it.

By 1776, England exported stout to Ireland. And, Arthur Guinness began brewing it in his St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. In the 1840’s, a wave of Irish migrants began moving to the United States. By the start of World War one, Nearly half the population of the Emerald Isle moved here. And, of course, they brought their beloved Guinness with them.

What makes it different?

Stout is made the same way other beers are: Malts, hops, water, and yeast. It’s just the strength of the beer that is different. The best stouts also have a creamy frothy, tight head when poured properly. But, that is not always the case, especially when hundreds of local brewers and home brewers put their own spin on the form. So, it comes down to a literal interpretation of a “strong” aka “stout” beer. And, when we say strong, it doesn’t refer to alcohol content. In fact, Guinness is actual only a 4.2 ABV beer. The average beer is 5%. So, even though it tastes stronger, it isn’t really. It’s very similar to espresso. People think espresso is stronger than regular coffee, when it actually has lower caffeine. Guinness went so far as to claim it’s good for your health. We’ll need a fact check on that one.

Suffice to say, stout is a heavy ale with a dark complexion. The telltale markings are a dark roasted malt base with a balance of sweetness and hoppy bitterness. It evokes flavors of chocolate, coffee, caramel, and even dried fruit (think figs and dates). Sounds like breakfast, YUM! In fact, there are breakfast and coffee stouts out there that actually infuse either liquid or bean coffee in the brewing process and/or oatmeal. There are even some examples of what are called pastry stouts that add in graham crackers, marshmallow, or even peanut butter to make a richer, sweeter beverage. But, most of us will stick with traditional.

And, let’s not forget Imperial stout. This is just a high alcohol version based on the imperial porters drunk by Catherine the great.

Shout out for stout when the bartender can’t hear through the noisy pub

The mystique of Guinness isn’t just the stout. It’s also in the delivery system. We mentioned earlier about the heavy head on a stout, and how not all stouts have that. This is a great invention by the Guinness brewers. They actually inject nitrogen into the stout to create the extra thick head. There is a 2 step process to a properly poured Guinness. You fill the glass 3/4 of the way. Let the foam settle for about a minute and a half, then top it off by pushing the tap backwards instead of forward to lessen the amount of nitrogen. They tried putting a widget in cans to emulate the tap experience, but it isn’t really the same. So, for the best Guinness, you need to go to a pub with a special nitrogen tap. And, remember to shout out for stout, because Irish pubs can get loud.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a good stout at home. Remember, Guinness isn’t the only game in town. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of different stouts out there. And, your local brewer probably makes one. You can bring them home and enjoy with a nice home cooked meal. Isn’t that the whole purpose of comfort food and beverage? Remember, stout is beer. Think of it like bread: pumpernickel VS white. Heck, beer itself is like liquid bread. The color and flavor should match your mood and the season. And, stout is perfect in February when it’s a little colder and you want something to comfort you through a series of storms. Whether in a bar or at home. It’s all about comfort food and stout.

Speaking of food

Stout can be pretty filling. But, despite the Guinness ads claiming health benefits, you do need other nutrients. And, no. we’re not doing “Super Size me, with Whiskey”. But, we will try to have some stout throughout the month of February. This is a good opportunity to try all sorts of variations. Go to some different breweries and/or ask your local beer salesperson for some recommendations on different types of stout available. And, don’t forget, we do need to eat something as well. Something complimentary.

So, we need something that will go well with our glass of stout. If you go to an Irish pub, you are likely to find a Guinness stew or a shepherd’s pie. Those are both good choices. You can always go with a classic fish and chips, too. But, fish may be a little light for a heavy beer like stout. Although, since it’s stout month, have at it. You’ve got 28 days and a lot of stout to drink. Make the most of it. Try different combinations. We will give you a couple recipes to get started. We suggest you try different stouts and see what goes well with each. If it’s a milk stout, maybe cookies work well. Coffee stout: doughnuts. Oyster stout: a seafood stew. You get the idea.

And, don’t forget, you can cook with stout. Think Chocolate and stout mousse, Stout braised Pot Roast, Stout marinated Lamb with Date and Pistachio Chutney. Of course, we’ll give you a couple recipes to start the ball rolling. And, a great shout out for stout.

Something a little Different

While most people think of stout in an Irish pub with corned beef and cabbage or a lamb stew. We are taking a slightly different tact today. Here is a vegan meal with more African flavors. Start with marinated Eggplant in stout and oat milk, fry it to get a nice crispy edge, and serve it over a stew of sweet potato, chic peas, dried fruit and green beans. You get a combination of sweet, savory, and a hint of bitterness. And, it is warming during these cold February nights. Feel free to modify the recipe as you see fit. Add in other vegetables or switch some out for your favorites. If you want to add in meat or chicken, that’s up to you. Just make sure you save a couple pints of stout to drink with it.

Slainte!

Vegan Ginger Stout Eggplant With Dates

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine African, Mediterranean

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 2 Lb Fresh Eggplant
• 1 Cup Oat or almond Milk
• 2 Bottles Oatmeal Stout
• 1/2 Cup Molasses, plus 1 Tbsp for marinade
• 2 Cups Gram Flour May substitute other flour
• 1 tsp Ground Allspice
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander
• 4 Cup Vegetable Broth
• 1 Cup Sweet Onion, diced
• 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
• 2 Cups Pitted dates
• 1 Cup Dried Apricots
• 2 Cups Sweet Potato, cut in 1 inch cubes
• 1 Cup Sweet Bell Peppers (preferably red) in 1 inch pieces
• 1 Cup Cooked or canned Chic Peas
• 1 Cup Green Beans, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1/2 Cup Roasted Cashews (Optional)
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Scallion
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Corn starch plus water to make a slurry
• Coconut oil for Sauteing and frying
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Peel The Eggplant and Cut into 1/4 inch thick Rounds or planks. Mix 1/2 bottle of stout, the garlic, 1/2 of the ginger, the oat milk, 1 Tbsp Molasses, and a little salt and pepper. Marinate the eggplant in this for at least an hour. While this is marinating, cut all your other vegetables, and get your mis en place together for preparing the dish. Set up a frying station: Oil in a pot or fryer, spider or baskets to remove the fried eggplant, and paper towel lined pan to absorb the excess oil.
• Heat a thin layer of oil in a heavy, high sided, pan (a sauteusse or rondeau if you want to get technical). Saute Onion and ginger until Translucent. Add in the sweet Potato. Lightly brown the potatoes and stir as needed.
• Add in the stout and molasses. Cook Down until the liquid has reduced by 1/2. Then, add the vegetable broth. Cook Down until about 3/4 the volume of liquid remains.
• Add in the dried fruit and Chic Peas. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the dry fruit plumps a bit. Add in remaining ingredients (except gram flour). Bring back to a boil, and stir in the corn starch that has been mixed with water to make a slurry. It will thicken to a nice glaze. Adjust seasoning. And set aside.
• Heat oil for frying to 350 degrees. Drain the marinade off the eggplant. Season the gram flour with a dash of allspice, salt, and pepper. Evenly coat the eggplant slices with the gram flour. Place the slices in the oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat as necessary.
• Place the "ragout" (Sauce with vegetables, etc) in a bowl and top with the eggplant. Serve while still hot. make Sure you have plenty of extra stout to drink with it.

Keyword Eggplant, ginger, ragout, Seafood Stew, Stout, vegan