Stout

Denver’s River North is winning international awards and a strong reputation for its deep, dark, malt-forward beers. Here, owner Matt Hess and head brewer Matt Malloy share the thinking and process behind them. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

Tonya Cornett and Ian Larkin have been brewing medal-winning beers together, apart, and together again through three different breweries, but they’re constantly reinventing their pathways to success, just as they’re consistently tweaking their medal-winning beers.

Mike Rybinski, brewmaster at ZwanzigZ Pizza in Columbus, Indiana, shares this recipe for the American imperial stout that won gold at the 2022 and 2025 World Beer Cups—plus, notes for the ghost pepper variation that also won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2017.

From ZwanzigZ Pizza & Brewing in Columbus, Indiana, the Fulcrum imperial stout twice won gold medals at the World Beer Cup, in 2022 and 2025. Here, brewmaster Mike Rybinski shares the beer’s inspirations and what makes it stand out from the modern crowd. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

From Pinta Barrel Brewing in Wieprz, Poland, here’s a recipe for their barrel-aged imperial stout with vanilla, coconut, and barrel-aged coffee—a richly layered treat that beat out many others to become one of our Best 20 Beers in 2025.

From the Hércules brewery in Querétaro, Mexico, here’s the lowdown on Pueblito, the export stout that won gold at the 2024 World Beer Cup—including the brewery’s German-inspired method for bottle-conditioning, which kept the beer in top form at the judging table.

Mike Lukacina, founder and brewer at Magnanimous in Tampa, shares this iteration of the ever-evolving stout they brew especially for aging in whiskey barrels.

Magnanimous Brewing in Tampa has built a strong local following for its big-flavored beers, including its barrel-aged imperial stouts. Here, founder and brewer Mike Lukacina shares some thoughts behind their ever-evolving base stout meant for aging in whiskey casks.

From sessionable milk stout to silky barrel-aged sippers, here are five brewer favorites certain to satisfy.

Rich in malt flavor yet light in strength and easy to drink, lower-ABV stouts, porters, and other dark beers represent a wide-open playground for brewers at any level.

From Josh Brengle and his team at Cervecera Hércules in Querétaro, Mexico, here’s a recipe for the export stout that won gold at the 2024 World Beer Cup—plus, a method for adding fresh wort at packaging for a beer that lives longer in the bottle, cask, or keg.

While different recipes call for different approaches, Third Eye co-owner and head brewer Kelly Montgomery explains why some stouts need more than one bourbon barrel, and why they add certain sugary adjuncts directly to the barrels.

From lower-strength versions to higher-gravity ones that need a bigger yeast pitch and more time, Third Eye co-owner and head brewer Kelly Montgomery details their approach to fermenting award-winning milk stouts.

Third Eye co-owner and head brewer Kelly Montgomery makes the case for freshly roasted cacao nibs and using real vanilla extract in combination with vanilla beans to capture a rich chocolate flavor in stouts.

From layering malts to selecting and infusing adjuncts, Third Eye co-owner and head brewer Kelly Montgomery lays out their medal-winning approach to planning and brewing rich, flavorful stouts.

This bigger cousin of the dry stout gets a bump of strength and a deeper coffee-chocolate flavor profile, making it a great option for a seasonal treat.

For a hearty dish to warm these chilly days, grab your favorite roast-forward stout or porter and head for the kitchen to try the recipe for these short ribs.

Musing on the “Florida effect” and chocolate-chip cookie-dough as the compass North, the team at Bottle Logic in Anaheim, California, shares the thinking and process behind their coveted barrel-aged stout, Fundamental Observation.

Oklahoma City’s Big Friendly is a two-time Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival, in 2022 and 2023. Here’s a recipe for the imperial stout—no adjuncts, not yet barrel-aged—that serves as the base for Vanilla Boom, one of our Best 20 Beers in 2024.

One of the great things about this beer is its stability: The roast continues to shine even after a few months in the keg or bottle. Some sweetness can build over time—but by then, we may be deep into winter, and that sweetness may be just the thing.