Chris Shanahan: Beer review — real stout: Dublin Guinness and Rogue Shakespeare

Guinness Foreign Extra (Dublin) 330ml $5.67
Dear Guinness, if you can brew such opulent, glorious stout in Ireland, why can’t you achieve the same in Australia? Or are we just getting what we deserve? This Dublin brew is a benchmark stout – alcoholic, malty, chocolaty and delightfully bitter, but also harmonious and very drinkable.

Rogue Shakespeare Stout (Oregon USA) 650ml $14.85
Rogue, from Oregon, USA, presents a modern but still opulent face of stout. Its vibrant, fresh hops and fruity, estery aroma are novel in such a dark, potent beer. But these give tremendous freshness and vivacity to the underlying deep, roasted-malt flavours and assertive bitter finish.