IT’S traditional to raise a pint of Guinness to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
But today, why not try a twist on the popular Irish stout.
Supermarkets have a wide range of dark beers blended with flavours including a viral chocolate bar, honeycomb ice cream and coffee.
Here, drinks expert Helena Nicklin rates eight alternatives to the black stuff and reveals the saints and the sinners.
St Ives Sticky Toffee Pudding Stout 440ml, 6.5%, £2.77, Asda
THIS is instantly appealing for those with a sweet tooth.
Sticky toffee and stout feel like a natural flavour pairing with both frequently featuring on pub menus.
But this glug doesn’t quite live up to the name.
The dates flavour gets a big tick and there is a lot of brown sugar.
But it needs more body and a richer toffee flavour.
While it is not bad value, I’d stick to eating a toffee pudding and drinking a pint of the black stuff.
Rating: 2/5
Gravedigger’s Biscuits Espresso Martini Stout 440ml, 8.4%, £3.56, Asda
FLAVOURWISE this strange-looking sip from Turning Point Brew Co fits its Gravedigger’s Biscuits name.
A bold take on the popular espresso martini cocktail, the stout tastes bold and creamy, with a great balance of vanilla and chocolate, and a bitter coffee kick to finish.
All this at a punchy 8.4% ABV too.
It is strong enough to wake the dead!
Quite sweet but it works well, and there’s lots of bang for your buck.
Give it a go.
Rating: 5/5
Coffee Stout 500ml, 5.2%, £1.79, Aldi
ALDI’S coffee stout may feel a little underdressed compared to the others, but it’s a decent drop for its exceptionally low price.
After all, if you are getting in some bevvies for St Patrick’s Day, you can get two of these for less than one can of BrewDog.
This is light in body and less sweet than many of the others, but there’s a moreish, authentic, roasted coffee note and a bitter tang.
Like filter coffee mixed with beer.
Rating: 3/5
BrewDog Two Scoops Honeycomb Ice Cream 440ml, 7%, £4, Morrisons
A BOWL of Mackie’s honeycomb ice cream mixed with classic BrewDog stout flavours.
Another dessert-style pour, this is rich and very creamy with authentic burnt toffee flavours and real vanilla notes.
Definitely a one-can wonder, but it does exactly what it says on the tin.
If you want something a bit different to crack open for St Patrick’s Day, then this is it.
Just expect a lot of sweetness like you would from a few scoops of ice cream.
Rating: 4/5
Northern Monk Even S’More Death Imperial
440ml, 8.4%, £4.50, Tesco
SERIOUSLY rich, creamy and indulgent, it lives up to its S’mores name.
You get all the flavours of the popular American campfire treat – toasted marshmallows, chocolate and biscuits.
There’s even a gooey texture to it, like a marshmallow.
Very sweet but it feels balanced by a roasted coffee note on the finish.
It’s pricier than the others and, at 8.4% ABV, it is double the alcohol of a can of classic Guinness.
So this is a case of one and done.
Rating: 5/5
Vault City Mini Crunch 440ml, 6%, £4, Tesco
WHAT we have here is essentially a Cadbury Crunchie stout – or at least that’s what it is supposed to be.
It is thick and creamy with a decent milk chocolate note.
There’s a slight honeycomb taste, but given it is supposed to be one of the main flavours there should be more it.
It is still a decent drop that is not as sweet as you would expect, which in my opinion is a good thing for a stout.
It is a fun tipple and, at £4 for 500ml, great value.
Rating: 3/5
Jiddler’s Tipple Swiss Roll 440ml, 5.1%, £3.50, Sainsbury’s
STOUT and a Swiss roll are not your everyday combination, let alone consumed in a drink, so this is certainly a bit different.
I’m rather fond of the retro fruit jam and sponge treat, but while this is a very pleasant drink – it’s chocolatey, creamy and a bit cakey – I’d say the flavours are more similar to a chocolate mini roll.
Still, it’s balanced and easy to drink – and the packaging looks really smart.
Rating: 3/5
Fierce Beer Dubai Chocolate Pistachio
440ml, 6.5%, £3.60, Morrisons
THE pistachio Dubai Chocolate craze is still going strong, so it’s perhaps little wonder there’s now a stout dedicated to the bar.
Given the posh packaging of this tipple and how it leans into the name, the pistachio flavour is, sadly, lacking.
If you are going to promise the nut, you should be able to taste it.
There is a lot of milk chocolate, a nice touch of caramel and it’s very smooth, but it’s a tad thin for a stout.
Rating: 3/5
