Brewed for the Holidays – Guinness Chocolate Mint Stout Aged In Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

Guinness announces their new Chocolate Mint Stout Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels from the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore. (image courtesy of Guinness)
Guinness announces their new Chocolate Mint Stout Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels from the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore. (image courtesy of Guinness)

Though the storied Guinness St. James Gate Brewery from Dublin has a storied history of over 260 years, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore is still in its infancy. Just four years in, the U.S. outpost is building a solid reputation for its barrel-aging program.

For the 2021 holiday season, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery has released Guinness Chocolate Mint Stout Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels. This bold beer is a limited-edition barrel-aged stout that brings the flavors of the season to life.

This new Guinness Chocolate Mint Stout Aged In Kentucky Bourbon Barrels is aptly described by its name, but not in an over-the-top kind of way. With mint in the name, we were a bit skeptical of what sort of influence this flavor would have in the beer, but were pleasantly surprised by the nuances of the beer. Its definitely fitting of the season at hand!

Guinness Chocolate Mint Stout is brewed dried mint leaves, aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels, and then conditioned with pure cacao. This results in a 10.8% ABV stout that’s full of dark chocolate and a slight hint of mint alongside the expected bourbon oak aromas and flavors. There’s no mention of which Kentucky bourbon barrels were used but we suspect that its likely Bulleit barrels, as both brands are all part of the Diageo family.

“With each new beer from our barrel-aging program, we look to challenge ourselves with flavor combinations and tastes that most people wouldn’t expect from Guinness,” said Sean Brennan, Head Brewer at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, in a statement. “And that’s exactly what we’ve got here with our Chocolate Mint Stout Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels. Chocolate and mint are a classic flavor combination, and the way those flavors interact with the bourbon character leads to something really special. It’s the perfect beer to sip on after a solid meal with family and friends over the holidays.”

Guinness Chocolate Mint Stout Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels can be found on shelves across the country now for a limited time in 4-packs of 11.2oz bottles at a suggested retail price of $19.99, as well as on tap at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore. Locally in Portland, we have noticed it being available at Belmont Station.