Boss Black vs Newbarns Stout: Which Should You Drink?

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Boss Black

Boss Brewing

United Kingdom · Stout - Other

hopIQ rank #510

90%

Overall similarity

side by side, across 56 flavour tags

Newbarns Stout

Newbarns Brewery

United Kingdom · Stout - Other

HOPIQ TAKE

Boss Black if you want a sessionable stout that won't weigh you down, Newbarns Stout if you want slightly more substance and depth. Both clock in at nearly identical ABV and bitterness, so the real difference is in the malt profile and how they've dialed in their roast. Boss Black drinks leaner—it's the stout for people who don't always want stout heaviness. Newbarns has that extra half percent and seems to use it to build a rounder, more traditional body.

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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick Boss Black when…

→You're starting a night and don't want to be knocked sideways by hour two
→You prefer drinkability and a cleaner finish over heavy malt complexity
→It's warmer weather and you want stout without the oppressive thickness

Pick Newbarns Stout when…

→You want a stout that actually *feels* like a stout—substantial and dark
→You're settling in for the evening with nowhere to be tomorrow
→You enjoy coffee and roasted grain flavors taking center stage

SIDE BY SIDE

	Boss Black	Newbarns Stout
ABV	4.7%	5%
Bitterness	Noticeably bitter	Noticeably bitter
Colour	Dark	Dark
Style	Stout - Other	Stout - Other
Origin	United Kingdom	United Kingdom

WHAT IT TASTES OF

10 shared · 2 distinct

Both beers

roastedcoffeerichchocolatesmoothtoastybittermaltycreamydark fruit

STRUCTURE — HOW IT'S BUILT

Boss BlackNewbarns Stout

Bitterness

Body

TASTING NOTES

Boss Black

RoastedCoffeeRich

Boss Black feels deliberately restrained, which is kind of brilliant for a 4.7% stout. You get the dark grain and cocoa without the thick, syrupy mouthfeel—it's almost crisp for a stout, with a drying finish that doesn't linger. There's a touch of subtle bitterness at the end that's well-integrated, not sharp. It's the kind of stout you could actually drink a few of without feeling like you need a nap.

Newbarns Stout

RoastedCoffeeRich

Newbarns Stout sits heavier on your palate immediately—more viscous, more present. The roast is deeper and darker, with a coffee-forward character that builds as it warms. It's got actual weight to it, the kind of stout that feels earned when you drink it. The 40 IBUs land softer here because they're supported by more malt backbone, so bitterness feels like part of the whole picture rather than a sharp edge.

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