Murphy's Irish Stout by Murphy Brewery Ireland

Beer specs

Preferred vessel: Pint glass
Color: 35 SRM

Beer details: Rating: 80; Murphy’s Irish Stout; Brewery: Murphy Brewery Ireland · Cork, Cork, Ireland; Variety: Ale · Irish Ale · Irish Dry Stout; Alcohol: ABV 4.00% / ABW 3.20%; Preferred vessel: Pint glass; Color: Dark Black (Stout) (35 SRM); Added by Keith

From Wikipedia: Murphy’s Irish Stout is a Corkonian dry stout brewed according to the original recipe by Murphy’s Brewery since 1856.

In comparison to its more bitter and heavier chief competitors, Guinness and Beamish, the underdog Murphy’s is a lighter and sweeter dry stout. Its flavour is evocative of caramel and malt, and is described as “a distant relative of chocolate milk”. The resemblance to milk extends beyond flavour to texture; Murphy’s is free from any hint of carbonation, and is delivered “black as strong cappuccino” with an inch of foam – “the head” – on top. The head, in particular, is lauded for its remarkably thick and creamy nature and its “spoonable” density.

After years as a fiercely guarded secret of the citizens of Cork, economic liberalisation and cultural globalisation inevitably exposed Murphy’s to the international drinking community. As the fastest growing stout in the world, Murphy’s is available in 70 countries worldwide. Critical reception of the beverage outside its native land has been glowing, with the prestigious ‘“Beer Bites” column of The Daily Orange granting it their coveted “three and a half out of four mugs” rating, an achievement amplified in light of the fact that the American alcohol consumer’s preference for smaller quantities than the European has meant deviations in distribution volume from the standard pint. Commentators have noted the more intense, darker and heartier flavoured nature of Murphy’s as a significant distinction over American beers.

Indeed, its potential effects on criminal bands of uilleann pipe-wielding hijacker tribal jungle pygmies were the subject of some speculation on the part of Rónán Ó Snodaigh in the Anchorage, Alaska news media. Such respect does the drink command in the United States, luminaries such as then-President of the United States Bill Clinton have, in the past, made pains to be seen in public with a pint of Murphy’s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mur…

Dark, Creamy, Smooth, Caramel, Delicious

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Reviews

Review by Keith

Rating: 85

Keith

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA

Oct. 23rd, 2008 at 7:28 p.m.

Comment:
Mmm, Murphy’s. Pours from the nitro can dark with the thickest, creamiest head you’ve ever seen. As far as stouts go it’s light and sweet, with strong hints of caramel and chocolate and a very, very smooth finish. It’s medium bodied, very drinkable and oh, so smooth.

Characteristics: caramel chocolate creamy dark smooth
Review by Brian

Rating: 58

Brian

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Denver, CO

Oct. 31st, 2008 at 10:25 p.m.

Comment:
Aroma and taste: some hops, roasted malt, nothing really else. Disappointing. I’d try it again just to see if it was a fluke.

Characteristics: roasted
Review by Chris J. Davis

Rating: 77

Chris J. Davis

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Lexington-Fayette, KY

Jan. 13th, 2009 at 9 p.m.

Comment:
Big fan of this stout. Wonderful color and rich, creamy experience from beginning to end. Can’t get enough!

Characteristics: caramel smooth
Review by Shewchuk

Rating: 83

Shewchuk

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Las Vegas, NV

Jan. 14th, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.

Comment:
Prefer Murphy’s over Guinness because it’s not so heavy and I prefer the chocolaty finish.

Characteristics: chocolaty smooth
Review by Anastasia

Rating: 90

Anastasia

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA

Jan. 14th, 2009 at 2:46 p.m.

Comment:
One of my favorites and what got me drinking real beer. Yum.

Characteristics: creamy delicious smooth
Review by dotsara

Rating: 78

dotsara

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Seattle, WA

Jan. 14th, 2009 at 11:35 p.m.

Comment:
Much creamier than I thought it was going to be (I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize it was a stout when I ordered it, heh). If you’re unprepared, that strong bitter taste will take you by surprise. Still, it’s not a bad choice for after-dinner, hanging out.

Characteristics: bitter creamy thick
Review by Jeremy Keith

Rating: 88

Jeremy Keith

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Cork, Cork, Ireland

Jan. 15th, 2009 at 1:17 a.m.

Comment:
Murphy’s is to Guinness as Apple is to Microsoft. It’s a superior stout with a great sweet flavour but, as with Guinness, there’s not much point ordering it outside Ireland. I’m not being contentious when I say it really does taste different there …whether it’s because of different ingredients or the knowledge of how to pull a good pint, I’m not sure.

Characteristics:
Review by Ted

Rating: 90

Ted

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

Jan. 15th, 2009 at 6:57 p.m.

Comment:
The quintessential dry stout. Smoother than Guinness, also lacks that limestone water twang. Lacking that twang is a feature, not a bug.

Characteristics: drinkable
Review by wordridden

Rating: 80

wordridden

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Cork, Cork, Ireland

Jan. 16th, 2009 at 9:03 a.m.

Comment:
Far smoother and sweeter than the ubiquitous Guinness. Thick, rich, and creamy, it’s like a meal in a glass. When it’s fresh and the pint is pulled right, it’s a very delicious stout.

Characteristics: creamy dark rich smooth
Review by Jeff

Rating: 85

Jeff

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Boston, MA

Jan. 22nd, 2009 at 9:27 p.m.

Comment:
As many have stated, much smoother and sweeter than a Guinness. My favorite stout!

Characteristics: creamy smooth
Review by Dave S.

Rating: 85

Dave S.

drank this beer from a Pint glass in San Francisco, CA

Jan. 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 a.m.

Comment:
Absolutely my favourite Irish stout, even in North America. When poured by someone who knows how to do it right, Murphy’s is heads above any other Irish stout on the market.

Characteristics: creamy
Review by mjb

Rating: 80

mjb

drank this beer from a Pint glass

Jan. 24th, 2009 at 2:24 p.m.

Comment:

Characteristics:
Review by Jason

Rating: 85

Jason

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Chicago, IL

Jan. 24th, 2009 at 2:58 p.m.

Comment:
Great beer, even out of a can. It’s smoother than guiness (if possible). The downside, I don’t see Murphy’s around where I now live.

Characteristics: dark delicious smooth
Review by reedi (mod)

Rating: 75

reedi (mod)

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom

Jan. 26th, 2009 at 6:22 a.m.

Comment:
Yes I rate this one on good smooth beers to drink. A smooth creamy taste that leaves no “windy” after effects. :)

Characteristics: creamy smooth
Review by elmazz

Rating: 77

elmazz

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Buffalo, NY

Feb. 7th, 2009 at 2:50 p.m.

Comment:
A good predictable stout.

Characteristics: creamy stout
Review by Brian Flanagan

Rating: 76

Brian Flanagan

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Feb. 8th, 2009 at 10:15 a.m.

Comment:
Very smooth. Nice head, but altogether a bit too light for my tastes. Lacks that wheaty something-or-other that makes me so crazy about Guinness.

Characteristics: creamy light sweet
Review by Jared

Rating: 82

Jared

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Reston, VA

March 23rd, 2009 at 12:02 p.m.

Comment:
Really good stout. After a long day at work, it’s nice to come home and wind down with a pint of Murphy’s. The Trader Joe’s near my house just started carrying 4-packs for $5.99.

Characteristics: creamy smooth
Review by mwalsh

Rating: 83

mwalsh

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

May 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 p.m.

Comment:

Characteristics: bitter caramel smooth
Review by SirPsycho

Rating: 72

SirPsycho

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Virginia Beach, VA

Dec. 13th, 2009 at 8:04 p.m.

Comment:
Very good Stout, but lacks a bit of the richness found in Guinness.

Characteristics: chocolate rich