Background – From Guinness themselves “A direct descendant of our archival recipes, Guinness Extra Stout is based on a beer first brewed in 1821, when Arthur Guinness II set down precise instructions for brewing his Superior Porter. This beer has since become the precursor to every Guinness innovation you’ve ever enjoyed. Brewed at our St. James’s Gate brewery in Dublin, Guinness Extra Stout is crafted from finest quality malt, hops and Irish barley. Sharp and crisp to the taste, it’s an entirely different experience from the smooth, creamy Guinness Draught and punchier Foreign Extra Stout, but the trademark Guinness flavors preside. We’ve come a long way since this beer was first dreamt up in the 1800s, but we’ve stuck to our values. We’re blessed with over 250 years of brewing experience, and, as Guinness moves forward, history accompanies us in the bottle still enjoyed by people all over the world.”

Appearance – Starting with the bottle I have to say I love the overall look, simple and retro looking the dark brown bottle mixed with the tan label is a classic. With the iconic Guinness harp it helps make the label stand out. Once poured you will see the distinctive black body with a tan head that produces a ton of lacing.

Aroma – The aroma is similar to the Draught Stout being fairly strong with roasted malts, coffee and a general smokiness. You can detect a faint hint of fruits by the end of the glass.

Taste – The flavor is evenly balanced between the roasted flavor and the malts. You will notice a decent amount of chocolate and coffee and as the beer warms you notice a small hint of dark fruits.

Drinkability – Compared to the draught the extra stout is much more bitter. It is still quite smooth overall but just has a dryer finish with less of a creamy mouthfeel.

Overall – Overall, this is quite different from the draught, but it is still damn good. If you have only had the draught in the past I would recommend giving the Extra stout a try. The additional alcohol and sharp bite adds a new dimension to the Irish Dry Stout, without sacrificing the flavors.

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I chose Bioshock. Something makes me feel that this would have been a popular beer in Rapture. An excellent game that manages to be both an inventive FPS with plenty of horror elements. Mix these two and keep an eye out for Big Daddy, Sláinte

Background: From Guinness themselves “Developed in 1959, this beer was our brewers’ celebration of Arthur Guinness signing his 9,000-year lease – a fitting way to mark 200 years of groundbreaking brewing. With a skillful pairing of nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, the smooth, velvety texture was born. Distinguished by its legendary stormy surge upon pouring, Guinness Draught brewed up a storm all of its own. It established itself as the top-selling Guinness beer with lightning speed. Drinkers were instantly drawn to its complexity; its bold combination of flavors made a lasting impression. Guinness Draught was an unparalleled success.

Rich and creamy. Distinctively black. Velvety in its finish. This iconic beer is defined by harmony. Sip after sip, sweet counters bitter as the malt arrives on cue to compliment a base of roasted barley. Just as the unmistakable white head sits flush atop the dark beer, so do the flavors counter and combine perfectly. This is our greatest innovation. Truly unique. Perfectly balanced.”

Appearance: The bottle used in this review is a special commemorative design with a white dominant color scheme and the classic image of the Guinness Tucan taking center stage. I personally prefer the usual black can/bottle with the golden harp. For the purposes of this review I am using the classic can as my basis. The beer pours a dark black with a tan head that leaves the traditional lacing that anyone who has sipped this Irish classic knows well.

Aroma: The aroma is fairly strong with roasted malts and coffee being the strongest. It is an inviting smell that will always remind me of my time in Ireland.

Taste: The flavor is everything that you would expect from a Stout. Coffee, smokiness, chocolate, and roasted malts all blended in a very pleasing way.

Experience: It may be my personal bias but I find the Draught Stout to be one of the most drinkable stouts I have ever had. Of course if you have too many it will begin to sit heavy so you will be limited. During the time when you are enjoying this iconic brew you will notice a creamy mouthfeel with a dry finish that leaves you craving more.

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I chose Left 4 Dead 2. This is my favorite multiplayer game as well as one of my favorite games of all time. Naturally I had to chose one of my games to go with one of my favorite beers. Grab a few cans and some buddies and mow down some zombies, but avoid the witch, Sláinte