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Guinness Smooth

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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
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedchocolatecaramel
roasted
chocolate
caramel
malty
clean
coffee
Aroma
The nose is dominated by pronounced roasted malt and chocolate notes, with complementary caramel sweetness providing balance and approachability.
also:dark fruit
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,smoky

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
Serve at 10–14°C

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

Pint glass

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.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Guinness Smooth

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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.

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