I tried three local dark beers — are they better than Guinness?

Is it just me, or do a lot of Guinness drinkers tend to make their choice of beer an alarmingly large part of their personality?

Insisting you go to certain pubs because they “pour it better”, insisting the barman needs to wait before topping up… for a lot of people a pint of the black stuff isn’t just a drink, it’s a way of life.

But there’s so many more dark beers out there to try from local breweries that are as good as or, whisper it, even better than the Irish icon.

I picked up these beers from Fountainhall Wines in Stonehaven.

(And that’s from me, an avid Guinness drinker!)

I’ve put three of these stouts and porters to the test, two from Aberdeenshire and one from the Highlands, to see if they’d go down well with a Guinness fanatic.

These local brews are readily available in bottle shops across the north and north-east so you can get your hands on them and give them a shot yourself.

Here’s what I thought of each…

Ghost Town, Cromarty Brewing

5.8%
£3.20 a bottle on the brewery’s website
From Cromarty Brewing, based in Cromarty (the hint is in the name)
Style: Porter

If you like Guinness, you’ll love this — but if you’ve never strayed out of Guinness town before you’re in for something quite different with a glass full of Ghost Town.

Here’s what Ghost Town looks like in the glass. A thing of beauty.

It’s quite a bit stronger in booze for one, and a lot thinner (because it isn’t a nitro beer like Guinness).

The biggest difference is you’ll find this is a LOT more bitter, which is something I’m a big fan of when it comes to darker brews.

Is it better than Guinness? It certainly is for me, but my tastebuds are well used to the more bitter things in life.

Rating: 4/5

Darkness Inside, Six Degrees North

This bevvy was the strongest of the three I tried.

6.4%
£4.50 a can on the brewery’s website
From Six Degrees North, based at Laurencekirk
Style: Stout

Compared to Ghost Town, this number from Aberdeenshire’s 6DN brewery is a lot closer to the traditional Guinness, in both taste and consistency.

However, it’s significantly stronger than Guinness at 6.4%, but it’s really hard to notice if high booze levels isn’t your thing.

Check out the head on that. Could I get a flake with that mate?

Where Ghost Town is really bitter, this one is seriously sweet, most likely from the inclusion of muscovado sugar in the brewing process.

Is it better than Guinness? In my opinion, it’s way, way better. (And that’s in no way influenced by the fact I used to work for 6DN! Well, maybe a little.)

Rating: 4.5/5

8 Ball Stout, Reids Gold

I love the golden touch on top of Reids Gold cans.

5%
£3.59 a can from Hop Shop Aberdeen (it’s sold out on the official website as of time of writing)
From Reids Gold Brewing, based in Stonehaven
Style: Milk Stout

If you’ve never heard the name “milk stout” before to describe a beer, don’t worry, it’s not something you pour on your cornflakes.

It just means it’s brewed with lactose, to give it a thicker body and texture, as well as a sweeter taste.

You’re in for a treat with this one, albeit a treat which I think might divide opinion.

At 5%, this one is very close to Guinness in alcohol volume, and it has a comparable consistency even without nitro.

If you’re used to Guinness, the punchy, verging-on-sour taste of this beer will make the Irish offering seem muted by comparison.

Is it better than Guinness? For me, I’d say this one is on the same level of enjoyment as a pint of the usual black stuff, but if you’re a Guinness fanatic who rarely ventures outside of your comfort zone, this one would be very much outside your comfort zone.

Rating: 3.5/5