Murphy’s Irish Stout (Alcohol Content: 4 percent)Murphy Heineken Brewery Ireland Ltd.

Three and a half out of four mugs

Murphy’s is the lightest and sweetest of the three major Irish dry stouts – Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish.

Brewed since 1856 by Lady’s Well Brewery (now Murphy Heineken Brewery Ireland Ltd.), this stout gives Guinness – the king of the stout market – a run for its money in terms of quality.

Murphy’s pours much like any other Irish dry nitro-pumped stout – black liquid that squanders any hope of light passing through and a creamy, white head of foam. Put a pint of Murphy’s next to a pint of Guinness and try to guess which is which. I say it’s impossible.

Likewise, the smell of Murphy’s resembles that of Guinness. A concerted effort to find a difference turns up a slightly more distinct presence of caramel in Murphy’s.

But the taste of Murphy’s ultimately sets it apart from other Irish dry stouts. Midway through the swallow, the sweet caramel flavor comes to life. Consider the brew a distant relative of chocolate milk.

The texture of Murphy’s also resembles milk. No signs of carbonation appear. The brew remains cool and calm on the palate.

Murphy’s must be consumed using a nitrogen-pumped tap. Cans and bottles can’t do justice to the simple pleasure of a dry Irish. Fortunately for students, nitro-pumped Murphy’s is available at Clark’s Ale House in Armory Square.

Rogue’s Shakespeare Stout (Alcohol Content: 6 percent)Rogue Ales

Two out of four mugs

The oily texture and apricot flavor of this stout confused me, much like the poet it’s named after.

Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (Alcohol Content: 5.2 percent)Young & Co.’s Brewery PLC

Three out of four mugs

Young’s resembles Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup when you first taste it. The flavor draws out into a dark, roasted coffee taste that lasts until the beer taste dissipates.

Published on November 29, 2007 at 12:00 pm