Irish Stout can be traced back to London in the early 1730s. Within time, the Irish stout became popular in Great Britain and Ireland.
The word, “stout” became a part of the brewing vernacular in a manuscript dated back to 1677. In this manuscript, stout was synonymous with strong beer.
In the 1700s the phrase ‘stout porter’ was to describe a strong Porter. Stout ales and stout porters were common until the end of the 19th century.
The Use of Brown Malt
The original Irish stouts had a very particular characteristic from one particular ingredient – brown malt. Brown malt was the lowest, roughest grade.
It was kilned as if it were like popcorn, as it would explode while being heated. It gave a very burned, acrid flavor or a “smokey tang” as Willaim Ellis wrote about it in 1736.
Wheeler’s Malt Kiln Invention
Daniel Wheeler’s 1817 invention of the malt kiln certainly helped the brewing world. This allowed for the use of roasted malt and brough on a very unique taste to beer.
The results were a very dark, bitter roast to the malt without the smoky tang. This became known as what we know as black patent malt.
Upon Taxation Comes Innovation
The next change for the beer world came in 1880 in the form of a new tax law. Ireland, as we remember from history class, was part of the United Kingdom then. Only malt was allowed to be in the grist for