White Stout for Beginners

A White Stout beer is neither white nor is it a Stout. It is not a very popular style of beer across the world because it tastes completely different from any other beer you have ever had. This is one style of beer that invites two kinds of crowds: people who are fascinated by this style, and those who completely cringe at the thought of it.

Brewers across the world favor this beer style as it gives them a reason for making experimental and interesting beers, so let’s dive into the interesting world of this unique beer style.

What Is a White Stout Beer?

To put it simply, the White Stout beer is a gorgeous golden Ale that is made to mimic the flavors and aromas of a traditional American stout. This beer style is created by adding cold steeped coffee, vanilla beans and cacao nibs instead of dark roasted malts, and it is all about the flavors minus the colors.

Everything About the White Stout

The ingredients of a White Stout are added to impart the desired levels of bitterness and a toasty character without adding any color to the beer. Some brewers even add a handful of oats to increase the mouthfeel of the overall beer.

Taste

The flavor profile of these beers completely depends on the combinations of several ingredients used. Some brewers prefer making it high on IBU to make it taste more like a rough and tough Stout, but this beer mostly tastes like coffee, caramel, chocolate and bready notes. It has a very sweet taste, almost like a pastry stout or milk stout.

Brewing Process

The base process for brewing this bizarre beer is similar to other styles: mash, boil, hop, chill, and ferment. The only difference here is the additions made at the fermentation step that give this beer its unique Stout-like flavors.

After primary fermentation, Cacao nibs are added. Some brewers also add smoked malt to mirror the roasted chocolatey finish that is found in traditional Stouts. Others also add green coffee beans to get the right coffee notes. These beans also add a slightly acidic character to the beer.

Ingredients

Some common and expert-recommended ingredients used in brewing this style of beer are:

Barley and Wheat
Usually, flaked oats are used in such beers, but alongside this, some brewers also use flaked barley and flaked wheat. The extra addition is a vanilla bean or extract that gives a traditional Stout taste and aroma.

Lactose
Some brewers opt to add lactose because it adds to a fuller mouthfeel of the beer. Just like traditional Stouts, adding lactose can give a heavy character to the beer. However, it shouldn’t be overdone.

Malt and Light Malts
There are endless options here and it completely depends on the brewer’s personal choice. Some brewers prefer using lower Lovibond versions of grains that support a traditional Stout recipe, but this can lead to a darker-colored beer.

When it comes to a White Stout, brewers prefer sticking to Pale Ale malts to maintain a low color tolerance level. A base of Maris Otter alongside some Crystal malts can bring out a light-colored beer. Throw in some Black patent malt and Briess roasted barley to play around with the color of the beer.

Grains
Base malts and flaked grains make up 85 to 95 percent of the beer. To this mixture, small amounts of crystal or chocolate malts can be added. For a sweeter beer, vanilla or some lactose can be added too.

Hops
The most common variety used here is a normal high-alpha acid hop variety with some German or English hop type.

Yeast
The universally accepted yeast option in this case is a crisp English Ale yeast. Brewers suggest sticking to this traditional choice and not fiddling around with the yeast strains.

Cocoa and Coffee
Most brewers believe it is best to use normal 2-Row pale malt, which can give the cocoa and coffee flavors some intensity. It is best to avoid using richer malts that could conceal the Stout-like flavors in this beer.

The cacao and coffee additions should be used in a range of two to four ounces. For coffee, you can use a cold steep method and for cacao, you can dip it in a vodka tincture to extract the right amount of flavors.

The Best Food Pairings

This beer has a very unique and distinct flavor profile. With or without the addition of lactose, this beer goes well with sweeter dishes, so you’re in luck if you have a sweet tooth. However, it also pairs well with oysters, stews, and smoked and roasted foods.

History of White Stout

As mentioned before, the White Stout is neither a Stout nor white. Both the Beer Judge Certification Program and the Brewers Association do not certify this particular Stout. One could sub-categorize it under the Stout style of beer for its flavor profile.

This beer style was originally brewed as an April fools prank. It all started when Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing Company and the infamous bearded beer Jesus, and James Watt, MD at Brewdog Brewery, came together and did an April fools press release to make fun of all the cross-pollination that several brewers were involved in.

What started as a prank soon caught on and experimental brewers thought it would be a great idea to make a real White Stout beverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Best White Stouts

Some of the best White Stout Beers include:

Big Shed Golden Stout Time, Big Shed Brewing, Australia
At an ABV of 6 percent, this Golden Stout was brewed to bring in fresh, new memories. It is extremely light on hops and has flavors of toffee and the richness of honeycomb. This beer was actually brewed with the intention to bring back childhood memories of enjoying lovely summer days and Golden Gaytime ice-creams.

Despite the intentions though, this beer is best enjoyed on a cool winter night. It has a brilliantly fluffy, lighter-than-air mouthfeel and back tones of chocolate and char from the black malt, bringing a subtle balance to overall flavors.

Naughty Sauce Stout, Noble Ale Works Brewing, California, USA
This is a beautiful Golden Milk Stout with 5.4 percent ABV. It has the sheer richness of Guatemalan coffee. The Naughty Sauce is a unique drinking experience created in collaboration between Master brewer Evan Price and world-class roastmaster Jeff Duggan.

You can spot the lactose, oats and the world’s finest coffee in this beer. It strikes as coffee initially, but has good berry acidity and is a very light roast. It also has notes of graham crackers, chocolate and coffee.

Brew Link Ivory White Stout, Brew Link Brewing, Indiana, USA
At 4.8 percent ABV, this beer is an unexpected surprise with a bomb of flavors. The flavor profile matches a classic Neapolitan ice cream with a berry finish. It is smooth and creamy on the tongue with a medium mouthfeel.

Substantial coffee, vanilla, chocolate and caramel notes can be felt on the nose and the tongue. It is extremely low on bitterness, and there is a nice balance and complexity of cacao, vanilla, bready malts, and graham crackers followed by light earthy hop notes. It is a highly robust beer with a slightly dry finish.

White Canyon Blonde Stout, Arizona Wilderness Brewing, Arizona, USA
At 6.7 percent ABV, this Blonde Stout is made using Zak’s chocolate Cacao nibs, sunrise and Veneto blend coffee, and star anise. On the nose, it has strong coffee, creamy, milk chocolate and caramel aromas.

The taste follows the smell with additional flavors of rich coffee beans and cacao nibs alongside subtle caramel malts ending with slight balanced sweetness. The beer has an overall rich and robust mouthfeel. The brewery uses environmentally-friendly practices and encourages the use of local agricultural ingredients.

Brunch Money, Armadillo Ale Works, Texas, USA
At a hefty 10 percent ABV, this beer is the hail mary of White Stouts. The folks at Armadillo market this as the best wake-up beer and the perfect brunch beer.

Brunch Money is a Stout-inspired Golden Ale. It is flooded with flavors of coffee, chocolate and vanilla. This brew pours a beautiful golden color, with a long white head and some lacing. It has a unique mix of biscuit and floral aromas and is high on overall hops, making it a perfect awaken-your-tastebuds type of beer.

Related Stout Styles

Our beginners guide to stout is a perfect starting point if you want to learn more. Otherwise check out these related stout styles, I’m sure you’ll find something noteworthy.

Conclusion

The White Stout is a Golden Ale that mimics a Stout. It isn’t certified as a separate category under the BJCP, but some of the main characteristics of this beer type are stated below.

• A White Stout is golden in color, unlike a traditional dark brown Stout.
• It is a gorgeous golden Ale that is made to mimic the flavors and aromas of a traditional Stout.
• Some brewers prefer making it high on IBU to make it taste more like a rough and tough Stout, but this beer mostly tastes like coffee, caramel, chocolate and bready notes with a very sweet taste.
• Brewers suggest that it is best to use raw coffee beans instead of coffee extract to increase the richness of the beer.
• It is best to add the cacao nibs and coffee flavors as a secondary fermentation step to replicate a dry-hopping method and extract as many aromas and flavors as possible.

Whether you enjoy a creamy, full-bodied beer or not, this is one beer style you must absolutely try, especially if you’re a coffee lover or enjoy some mouth-watering dessert Stouts.

So what are you waiting for — grab a bottle today!