Good Dark Beers
 

The only beer I have ever remotely enjoyed has been Sapporo Dark. However, i can no longer find it anywhere, so I wonder if anyone else had some good dark beer suggestions.

Guinness. :)

Well, I am a beer connoisseur, so I can think of many favorites, but it would depend on the characteristics that you enjoy in beer. Let me look up Sapporro Dark and if I can find some good matches. (www.beeradvocate.com is one of my favorite sites.)

Dola-

Before I come back with some good matches, here's a quickie that almost everyone loves: Oatmeal Stout (particularly Samuel Smith's, Young's, or Bell's).

I'm a big fan of Heineken Special Dark (or Dark Import or something like that... they changed the name recently).

Pete's Wicked Ale
Chimay Blue Label
Arrogant Bastard Ale

After a quick inspection, I can't find a "Sapporo Dark". The closest thing I can find is a "Sapporo Black" from Sapporo Breweries Ltd. This beer doesn't appear to me to be an actual "dark" beer (stouts, porters, etc.), but more like a typical european amber ale.

In that case, I have a ton of recommendations depending on your region. I have my favorites, but some are tougher to get now that I'm out west. There a few decent, cheap ones out here such as Alaskan Amber, or New Belgium's Fat Tire Ale. Let me know more info and I'll hook you up.

Oh...I thought he was asking for a DARK beer :)

Dola

New Belgium's 1554 is rather DARK.

I consider Bass pretty dark but I know nothing of beers really.

New Belgium's Trippel is the cheapest way to get buzzed in history, and it tastes GREAT!!! :)

Those two reccomendations are for people that think they want to drink "dark" beer, but would in actually gag the first time they tasted the smokey, hoppy taste of uber stout or the carmel, peaty taste of a real scotch ale. People like my wife. :)

What he said...

Also, Bass is pretty good - but its very much a beer you like or dislike strongly...

Stony Creek Vanilla Porter is a good dark beer. Sam Adams makes a somewhat decent dark beer. Caffrey's is my favorite, but a good dark beer is nice on that taste buds every once in a while.

I can't seem to find any "official" mention of Sapporo Dark, but Googling it in quotation marks produces numerous references from both restaurant menus/reviews as well as beer conversation on a variety of bulletin boards. One of those conversations even says specificially that this is different than Sapporo Black, and a couple of others describe it as being especially hard to find.

Now, to the original question

There's Guinness, and then there's everything else.

Okay, that said, among the "everything else" possibilities, you might consider some of these that I've found at least tolerable:

--cheap from the grocery store: St.Pauli Girl Special Dark
--dining out: Negra Modela (one of the best beer "surprises" I ever tried)
--Just in case you find it: Sam Adams Double Bock (limited run/seasonal beer that I never seem to find but really enjoyed when I did)

I still have a bottle of the triple bock I am reserving for a special occasion.

:mad:

Thanks for the suggestions, I will have to try guinness next then :)

Ok, since everyone else is giving you a few easily acqiured beers, I'll give mine an then shut up:

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Rogue Ale's Shakespear Stout





I can't can't stop myself from talking about beer, so you may hear from me again in this thread despite myself.......

I second Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout.
Youngs makes some great stouts. I especially like the double chocolate stout.
Oddly enough, Sam Adams' Cream Stout isn't bad.
I also second Guinness (WOOT! CW!)
Porters are nice, too. I had a maple porter one time. Wow, that was insanely good. It was made by a local brewery, though, and I don't believe they bottle it (damn shame, too). But I imagine others might make one.

Yum.
Now I want beer, dang it..
~tk

Hell yeah! I love the cans with the little plastic ball in them. The only problem with this stout is that I can only drink 2 before it's just too rich for me.

I saw that double chocalate stout, and was going to try it, then I looked at the price. I think it was close to $40 for a case!

Does it really taste like chocolate? Seems like the perfect beverage for a chocoholic/alcoholic like me. :)

Half hour till my friends arrive and it becomes Guinness time!

Neener neener. :)

I'm drinking a glass of white wine with dinner. I feel like such a pussy. :(

*contemplates going out to get beer, now that everybody else is having some*

:D

Natty Light.

I've had one bottle of Triple Bock. I'm also a huge fan of Double Bock when I find it. And the Cream Stout someone else mentioned.

Deschutes' Black Butte Porter = best beer ever, closely followed by their Obsidian stout. Although that information is probably near useless for anybody outside of the NW. :(

Black Butte Porter is indeed excellent.

Anchor Porter is another good one.

Got a big bottle of chocolate bock too...mmmmm......

Great stuff. I was in K-Zoo last weekend and greatly enjoyed downing a couple of Sledgehammers at Bilbo's before the Western/MSU hockey game. Good times.

Here are my favorites, most have been listed, so I'll throw a resounding "Second!" on those:

1. Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout
2. Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
3. Guiness Stout
4. MacEwan's Scotch Ale

How could you not be with Boundary Bay Brewery in your backyard!

My wife is a homebrewer and currently has six beers on tap (pale ale, porter, and 4 kinds of belgians). Anyone want directions on how to get here?

Raises hand.

Well, I just moved out here about a year ago and have a family, so I don't have a lot of time to explore what's not in my local distributor. Not only that, but I miss all of my favorites from the midwest (particularly Michligan, my home state).

I'll definitely check out Boundary Bay now though.

I think he means Washington, since I'm here now. :P

Drive west, when you hit the Pacific Ocean, turn right. We're right there :D

My wife is the beer geek in our family. She said to check out the Fairhaven Red Apple market for a good selection of beers.

She also wanted to let you know that there is a beer festival next weekend (Jan 29) in Port Townsend. Great selection of local breweries will be represented. PM me if you want more info.

Go Irish/Northern English: Caffreys, Guiness Bitter (if you can find it - think it's only in cans), Kilkenny's, John Smith's Smooth, Boddie's Gold (Boddington's Gold) - can't go wrong!

Bell's is the best.

I dont drink except maybe a dos equis once a year, but I buy the man here Arrogant Bastard Ale (wonder whyyy :confused: ) and he loves it, soo I'll second this on his behalf.. I had a taste of it and wanted to cut off my tongue

No true Texans have posted in this thread yet.

Bell's is great. Love that beer.

Certainly can't go wrong with Guinness.

Though, after spending 3 years in Belgium, there are a ton of glorious dark Belgium beers:

Leffe Brune
Chimay (Blue, White, or Red)
Grimbergen Brown

All solid beers. Chimay Blue and the Grimbergen are guaranteed to get your fucked up quickly.

There are a ton of other good Belgian beers. I do miss them.

Shiner Bock? That's a dark beer. Man, I love that stuff.

Hey, I'm a true Texan.
Born in Dallas, baby.

~tk

Ding Ding Ding

Where is JeeberD at when you need him?

Rubber ur self....with the ice cold beer...slowly do that is goes down smooth... I am perv let me leave... slowly............ ..... .... ... .. .

Computer troubles all day, just got 'em figured out.

I LOVE me some Shiner. Best friggin' beer there is...

Go that way, really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.

:D