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Guinness Smooth

Guinness
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🌍 Ireland · Stout · One of 45 Stouts in hopIQ

A stout built for a softer finish than the classic draught, brewed with sorghum alongside malted, unmalted and roasted barley. The aroma leads with roast and a pronounced sweetness of chocolate and caramel. It pours dark ruby red under a frothy head, and the palate is rounded rather than sharp: malt sweetness and roast bitterness sit close together, and the close is short and clean rather than drying. It is sold mainly in African and Asian markets.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark35
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How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Substantial body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Off-dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Moderate bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Somewhat creamy mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Stout.
Malt character
roasted
caramel
chocolate
malty
coffee
Fermentation & yeast
clean
Distinctive notes
dark fruit

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Guinness Smooth

Appearance

Guinness Smooth pours a striking dark ruby red, distinctly lighter than traditional Guinness Draught, with exceptional clarity for the style. A dense, creamy head forms and persists admirably, characteristic of nitrogen-conditioned stouts. The deep mahogany hue transitions to near-black at the core, creating an visually inviting presentation.

dark ruby redcreamy headtranslucentnitrogen-conditioned

Aroma

The nose is dominated by pronounced roasted malt and chocolate notes, with complementary caramel sweetness providing balance and approachability. Coffee and subtle dark fruit undertones emerge beneath the primary roast character, creating a complex yet harmonious aromatic profile. The sweetness-forward bouquet signals this beer's softer, more accessible approach compared to its classic counterpart.

roasted maltchocolatecaramelcoffee

Taste

The palate delivers rounded malt sweetness upfront, with roasted barley and chocolate flavors developing seamlessly through the mid-palate. Bitterness and roast sit in careful equilibrium rather than in conflict, with the sorghum adjunct lending smoothness and subtle grain sweetness. The body is full yet never harsh, balancing malt-forward character with restrained hop bitterness.

smooth maltroasted chocolatebalancedapproachable

Finish

The finish is notably short and clean, avoiding the drying astringency typical of traditional stouts. A whisper of roast lingers pleasantly on the palate without overstaying its welcome, leaving a refined aftertaste of chocolate and caramel.

cleanshortrefined
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
80
Appearance
85
Finish
72
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Guinness Smooth

Serve at 10–14°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Guinness Smooth

About Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, chocolate, caramel character as Guinness Smooth will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Stouts in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Stout beers in hopIQ →New to Stout? Read our guide →Browse Ireland beers →