103 of the Best Sweet Stouts, Blind-Tasted and Ranked

Learn about how we rate & review beers with our BJCP blind panel here


Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Cherry Thrale's (75)

“Russia’s Peter the Great loved English stouts. Unfortunately, the beer could not survive the long journey until 1796, when London brewery Thrale’s increased the alcohol content and hopping rate in their stout, creating the imperial stout. We’ve ‘imperialized’ this stout by fermenting it a bit further with sour cherries.”

Saint Arnold Brewing Company Winter Stout (81)

“A creamy, full-bodied sweet stout with subtle chocolate and coffee flavors and a well-balanced soft roastiness. Saint Arnold Winter Stout is loosely filtered to preserve a rich mouthfeel.”

Salty Nut Brewery Make Stout Great Again (83)

“This stout is the greatest. It's yuge. You're going to love it.”

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Barrel-Aged Scarface (83)

“The bourbon barrel-aged edition of Scarface will assault your senses with sweet caramel, oak, and vanilla.”

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Chouuteau Joe (84)

“Dear Auguste Chouteau, founding father of The STL, we toast to you today with a blend of two Saint Louis beverages: coffee from Kaldi’s and beer from UCBC. If you were here to raise a glass with us, you’d find a ‘namesake brew’ of a cold-steeped, savory coffee and a rich, creamy stout ale.”

Twin Barns Brewing Company McGuigan's Stout (85)

“Classic milk stout brewed with lactose and roasted barley.”

Schlafly Beer/The Saint Louis Brewery, LLC Oatmeal Stout (85)

"This classic, British-style stout is dark, smooth and slightly sweet, with just enough bitterness and hops to balance out the richness of the roasted malt’s nutty character and the creaminess of the oatmeal flakes. Freshly roasted coffee beans, cocoa and touches of raisin and dried fruit dominate the aroma of this super dark ale."

Avery Brewing Company The Czar (85)

“Behold the stunning crimson hues through the inky blackness. Inhale the noble Hallertau hops, spicy and floral. Savor the flavors redolent of English toffee, rich mocha, sweet molasses, candied currants, and a hint of anise.”

Tallgrass Brewing Company Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat (85)

“Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat is a combination of our award-winning oatmeal cream stout, Buffalo Sweat, with whole Ugandan vanilla beans. The result is the natural espresso-chocolate flavors of Buffalo Sweat infused with the sweetness of vanilla. It’s an exceptional treat on a cold winter’s night.”

Perennial Artisan Ales Southside Blonde (85)

Dry, bitter, and popping with lemon, orange, and dried herbs, it finds balance through sweet pilsner malt, wheat, and a classic Belgian yeast strain.

Rogue Ales & Spirits Chocolate Stout (86)

“Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. An earthy flavor of oats and hops that gives way to a rich chocolate truffle finish.”

Idle Hands Craft Ales Raspberry Torte (86)

“We combined raspberries, cocoa, and lactose in a sweet stout base.”

Brew Kettle - Production Works Kitka Coconut Chocolate Milk Stout (86)

Traditional Milk stout with a hint of Coconut and Chocolate.

Revelry Brewing Co. Rum Tum Tugga (86)

“A blended mixed-ferm tropical stout aged on rum oak staves with vanilla, pineapple, golden raisins, toasted coconut.”

Two Roads Brewing Co Espressway (86)

“We mixed coffee beans with a rich oatmeal stout under pressure.”

Summit Brewing Co Summit Oatmeal Stout (86)

"Summit Oatmeal Stout in bottles offers notes of hazelnut, caramel and chocolate. Full and sweet with a robust body, it finishes bright and crisp."

Brouwerij De Molen Cease & Desist (86)

“A sweet imperial stout with lots of chocolate and coffee notes accompanied by plums. Strong yet not overwhelming, very flavorful and powerful. Try aging it for a couple of years to get its full complexity.”

Stone Brewing Co. Milk Coffee Stout (86)

“With lactose and coffee from ACME Coffee Roasting Co., Brian Gallagher put together a delicious stout that can be considered a hybrid between Irish, sweet, and a milk stout.”

Single Hill Brewing Company Reserve - Osa Major (86)

"This imperial stout was aged in Westland American Single Malt Whiskey barrels, imparting stellar notes of dark roast coffee, sweet vanilla, and cocoa powder."

Stone Brewing Mint Coffee Milk Stout (87)

“We decided to take our classic brewhouse Stone Coffee Milk Stout and make our own riff by adding fresh chocolate mint and peppermint. The bright, intoxicating aromatics of the chocolate and mint emanating from this smooth-drinking, caffeinated libation are palpable.”

Southern Tier Brewing Company Creme Brulee (87)

“How, you may ask, would a brewery determine a likeness to hard-coated custard? Our response is simple: it’s all in the power of history, and of course, the extra finesse needed to top off a contentious treat with definition. It was the French Crème Brûlée that survived to represent our deliciously creamy brew!”

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Kinsale Stout (87)

“Named for the southern Ireland town boasting a Caribbean sister town of the same name, this foreign export-style stout has become an Irish-perfected, Caribbean-loved style of beer. Historically generously hopped and full of roasted malt flavors, our version leans toward the creamy, sweet side of things.”

Alaskan Brewing Oatmeal Stout (87)

“The unique blend of the oats and malts in Alaskan Stout produce a balanced, smooth beer with hints of coffee and caramel.”

Springdale Beer BRIG Mocha Stout (87)

"Brazilian coffee, chocolate, oats, and milk sugar bring their best to this delightful, decadent beer."

Jackie O’s Brewery Oil of Aphrodite (87)

An American double stout brewed with locally harvested black walnuts and Belgian candied syrup. A sweet and rich springboard for deep nuttiness.

Smuttynose Brewing Company Rocky Road (88)

“Ooey-gooey Fluff amazingness and the rich goodness of cacao nibs are blended into a full bodied sweet stout beer that is aged on amaretto-soaked oak chips.”

Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company Marshmallow Milk Stout (88)

“Our imperial milk chocolate stout base with a blast of marshmallows.”

Elevation Beer Company Oil Man (88)

“Much like the sweet light crude oil from the eastern plains of Colorado, this beer pours a deep black with an unbelievable coffee-colored head. Aromatics of sweet malt and bourbon envelop the nose. The malt profile continues through the palate from beginning to end with subtle hints of chocolate, coffee, and of course, bourbon.”

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Seeds Take Up the Soil (88)

“Celebrates the sweet potato and the story of agriculture and people from Africa to the South.”

Evil Twin Brewing Imperial Biscotti Break (89)

“Keep it cool, clean, confident, arrogant, and flamboyant. Forza Imperiale.”

Summit Brewing Co Summit Oatmeal Stout (89)

“Notes of hazelnut, caramel, chocolate. Sharp and sweet with a more robust finish.”

Belching Beaver Brewery Peanut Butter Milk Stout (89)

“Cascading aromas of roasted peanuts, dark chocolate, coffee.”

Denizens Brewing Company Cool Breeze (90)

“Our English-style oatmeal stout. Flavors reminiscent of coffee and chocolate-chip cookies.”

Upslope Brewing Company - Flatiron Park Oatmeal Stout (90)

“Smooth, roasty, sessionable. Full flavor, robust body. Smooth finish.”

Union Craft Brewing Snow Pants (90)

“Combines roasty chocolate richness, a creamy body, and a touch of piney character.”

Garage Brewing Marshmallow Milk Stout (90)

"Pure decadence with none of the gooey mess."

The Brewery LBK Social Justice Warrior (90)

"Whiskey milk stout made with natural flavors."

Alvarado Street Brewery Motor Oil No. 5 (90)

Motor Oil No. 5 is our incredibly decadent, rich, and roasty imperial stout treated with sweet orange, vanilla, and cacao nibs. Like a Lindt orange chocolate bar.

EPIC Brewing Imperial Stout (90)

“This massive stout pours a mahogany black with a thick, brown head. The aroma is all chocolate and toasted malt. The first wave of flavor embraces anise and dark, bitter chocolate but opens up to include coffee, smoke, and rich sweet malt.”

Terrapin Beer Company Cinnamon Roll’d Wake-n-Bake (90)

“Like your favorite breakfast treat and a great cup of coffee, Cinnamon Roll’d Wake-n-Bake hits on all cylinders. Starting with a delicious coffee aroma, a touch of cinnamon gives way to a sugary sweet icing flavor as a buttery nuttiness fills out the last drop of this breakfast in a glass.”

Port Brewing Company Santa’s Little Helper (90)

“Our imperial stout starts with an emphasis on dark cocoa and roasted coffee aromatics. The finish lends hints of sweet crystal malt, warming tones of alcohol, and a touch of hops.”

Ninkasi Brewing Company Oatis (91)

“Oatmeal stouts are characterized by a roasted front flavor, smooth rich oats, a touch of chocolate flavor and dry finish. Oatis is bigger than the traditional style with more alcohol, body, and a touch more bitterness to keep it balanced.”

Hi-Wire Brewing Strongman Coffee Stout (91)

“Inspired by our head brewer’s café con leche-fueled travels in Key West, this is a milk stout with some kick. Local coffee from Dynamite Roasting Co. is cold-extracted and added post fermentation to this sweet, creamy beer.”

Nantahala Brewing Company Chocolate-Covered Cherry Stout (91)

“Our Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout aged in bourbon barrels for more than a year. It emerged velvety with hints of oak, vanilla, tart cherry, and chocolate. A monster of a beer, best enjoyed fireside, this beverage will warm your soul and vanquish winter’s howling winds and icy breath.”

Southern Tier Brewing Company Choklat Oranj (91)

“Choklat Oranj is a stout brewed with chocolate and orange peel, opaque black in color, and a delicious dessert beer. Perfect alone or enjoyed as a float.”

Trillium Secret Stairs (91)

“Secret Stairs is our signature Boston Stout. Bold and balanced; satisfying with a substantial body, but not syrupy or sweet. Roasted malt provides a nutty, earthy backdrop to bitter cocoa and little hints of caramel. Smooth mouthfeel with a drying sensation on the finish.”

Pinthouse Pizza Bearded Seal (91)

"Aromas and flavors of roasted coffee and dark chocolate balanced with a nice dry finish."

Parish Brewing Rêve Coffee Stout (91)

"This silky-smooth coffee stout is created with a carefully selected blend of specialty grade estate beans from Colombia and Java."

Ska Brewing Co. Steel Toe Milk Stout (91)

This traditional English cream stout is brewed with actual milk sugar to create a creamy and sweet brew that will make you mooo for more.

Alesong Brewing Señor Rhino (91)

"Oozes with rich cocoa and spicy cinnamon aromas, with background notes of sweet vanilla."

Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery Bourbon Barrel Oil of Aphrodite (91)

“Brewed with black walnuts and Belgian candied syrup. Pacific Northwest hops accompany English, German, American, and Belgian malts to create a sweet and rich springboard for deep nuttiness. Aged in bourbon barrels for 8–12 months.”

Green Flash Brewing Company Dia De Los Serranos (91)

“This Double Stout reveals notes of roasted malt, coffee, and sweet baker’s chocolate with a caliente kick of fresh Serrano chiles.”

Southern Tier Brewing Company Choklat (91)

“Chocolate, sweet caramel notes, hints of vanilla on the nose. Chocolate, dark cherries, lightly woody and bittersweet on the tongue.”

Firestone Walker Brewing Company Velvet Merlin (92)

“Velvet Merlin offers robust cocoa and espresso aromas with subtle American hops nuances. Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavors accentuate a creamy mouthfeel and dry finish to create balance in this full-bodied stout.”

Burnt City Brewing Freight Handler (92)

“Our milk stout is full-bodied and smooth, with rich chocolate flavors and complex maltiness, along with a touch of subtle lactose sweetness.”

Deep Ellum Local Legend (92)

“Local Legend, a sessionable sweet milk stout, is the perfect balance of roasted barley and milk sugar for a subtly sweet, silky brew. Legends aren’t born, they’re brewed!”

Samuel Adams Nitro Coffee Stout (92)

“Noted by a strikingly vigorous cascade and thick foam head, nitro beers are known for their rich and smooth texture. With Nitro Project, we explored recipes that held the integrity of the style while being gassed with nitrogen. The result, in our humble opinion, is awesome.”

Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout (92)

“Brewed with well water, the gently roasted organic chocolate malt and organic cocoa impart a delicious, smooth, and creamy character, with inviting deep flavors and a delightful finish.”

Left Hand Brewing Company Bittersweet Imperial Milk Stout (92)

“Allegro Coffee’s exotic Mocha Java blend’s dark cherry flavors and spicy undertones weave into the milky sweet stout like a chocolate-covered espresso bean melting on your tongue.”

Wild Fields Brewhouse Mountain Moonlight (92)

“Oats provide a smooth texture that complements roasted and chocolate flavors.”

COVA Brewing Company Coffee snob (92)

“A tribute to our best-selling in-house latte, Coffee Snob is a vanilla latte stout.”

The Brew Kettle Kitka (92)

"We take a traditional milk stout and add chocolate, coconut, and vanilla."

12 West Brewing Midnight Run (92)

"This roasty oatmeal stout finishes with notes of chocolate and slight bitterness."

Perennial Artisan Ales Shake the Frost (92)

"Session coffee stout with Sump Coffee."

Green Bench Brewing Co The Lifted Veil (92)

The Lifted Veil is a blend of Foursquare Rum barrel-aged Imperial Stouts, and Heaven Hill 7-year barrel-aged English-style Barleywines, all aged for nearly 2 years prior to blending. Bold and complex, The Lifted Veil is a treat: warm chocolate and sweet caramel with nuanced vanilla, cocoa, and molasses barrel character.

Service Brewing Company The Love Boat (92)

“Aged in bourbon barrels, then conditioned on brewed sweet cherry puree and liquid cocoa nibs.”

Upland Brewing Co. Teddy Bear Kisses (92)

Slightly sweet, with bold chocolate and dark caramel flavors that are complemented by subtle hints of fruit that evolve from additions of caramel malts and molasses.

Tallgrass Brewing Company Buffalo Sweat (93)

“The creamy sweetness of milk sugar complements the dark-roasted barley to create a medium-bodied beer that is rich, complex, and delicious with a definite espresso-chocolate aroma and flavor.”

Upland Brewing Teddy Bear Kisses (93)

"Teddy Bear Kisses features an abundance of dark malts and high-alpha hops for a powerful impact of roast, chocolate, and sweet bitterness. The velvety malt character, balanced bitter intensity, and soothing chocolate notes are created by long aging on fair trade cocoa nibs."

Hardywood Park Cassowary (93)

“Cloaked in black and crowned with vibrant color, the cassowary is the embodiment of prehistoric grace and primal ferocity. Our imperial milk stout is equally bold and unapologetically rich, presenting a balanced aroma of chocolate truffle and dark fruits followed by leather, toffee, and almond that linger on the palate and earn the name Hardywood Cassowary; a graceful behemoth in the beer world.”

Offset Bier Drawn to the Dark: Coffee Milk Stout (93)

“Milk-stout base with coffee added. Intensely coffee-forward.”

Twin Span Brewing Untold Depths (93)

“Brewed with organic fair-trade cacao nibs.”

Two Roads Brewing Espressway Coffee Stout (93)

"We mixed a locally roasted blend of beans with a rich oatmeal stout under pressure."

Birds Fly South Nights Like These (93)

"Caramelized subtlety at the start, mellows into chocolate and coffee malt flavors, and finishes with a clean, traditional dryness."

WeldWerks Brewing Co. Coffee Coconut Stout (93)

“Coffee Coconut Stout, as you may have guessed, features loads of toasted coconut and freshly roasted Peruvian coffee from our friends at Zoe’s Cafe here in downtown Greeley. The sweet, creaminess of the toasted coconut offers a perfect complement to the complex character contributed by Mama Nelly’s coffee, a blend of four different roasts of the same direct-trade Peruvian beans. These delicious, unique flavors are supported by a full-bodied, yet balanced, base stout brewed with both lactose and flaked oats for mouthfeel and a variety of chocolate malts, crystal malts, and roasted barley.”

WeldWerks Brewing Company Mexican Achromatic (93)

“Brewed with an obscene amount of chocolate malts (more than 150 pounds), oatmeal, and crystal malts to lend a sweet, caramel malt backbone and smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Fermented with a clean, attenuative yeast strain to keep the focus on the malts and adjuncts. The spiciness of the cinnamon sticks is a wonderful contrast with the rich, dark chocolate notes from the cacao nibs, and the vanilla beans top it all off with a creamy, decadent sweetness.”

Otter Creek Brewing Co. Couch Surfer (94)

“Brimming with darkly roasted malts and rich notes of chocolate and coffee, this velvety-smooth oatmeal stout lingers and lounges into your heart. Gone before you know it... ”

Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout (94)

Dark and delicious, America's great milk stout will change your perception about what a stout can be. Preconceived notions are the blinders on the road to enlightenment. Udderly delightful.

Boise Brewing Dark Daisy Milk Stout (94)

“Fifty pounds of lacotose, two different types of chocolate malt, and a touch of roast.”

Maplewood Brewing Company Fat Pug (94)

“Welcoming notes of dark chocolate and coffee, complex yet mellow flavor.”

East Brother Beer Oatmeal Stout (94)

"English-inspired with notes of rich milk chocolate, dark fruit—soft, comforting finish."

Hoppin' Frog Brewing Rye B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher - Batch # 400 (94)

"A wonderful, crisp, old-world beer flavor is imparted to our flagship Imperial Stout from an abundance of both sweet malted rye and spicy non-malted rye to add variety and celebrate brewing our 400th batch of B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal Imperial Stout."

Ratio Beerworks BA Genius Wizard (94)

Brewed with specialty grains and molasses, then barrel-aged for 12 months to produce subtle sweet vanilla and oak-forward flavors.

WeldWerks Coconut Brandy Medianoche (94)

Exhibits notes of creamy toffee, sweet vanilla, dark brown sugar, candied dates, and coconut.

Terrapin Beer Company Moo-Hoo (95)

“Cocoa nibs and shells from Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Company give this beer its great taste! An appetizing cold-weather treat, this sweet stout is rich creamy and uniquely satisfying.”

Highland Brewing Company Black Watch Double Chocolate Milk Stout (95)

“Stout brewed with cacao nibs with natural flavor added.”

Schlafly Vanilla Milk Stout (95)

“Vanilla Milk Stout is a rich black stout enhanced by the addition of lactose and fresh Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans for a unique drinking experience.”

Lift Bridge Brewery Irish Coffee Stout (95)

“Milk stout is blended with whiskey barrel-aged imperial stout before it’s finished off with locally roasted coffee.”

Inbound Brewco Contains Nuts (95)

“A smooth, creamy milk stout encounters the richness of golden peanut butter.”

Vitamin Sea Brewing Seven Bells and All's Well (95)

"Session coffee stout with cacao nib, vanilla bean, and rotating coffee."

Bend Brewing Co Canadian Coldfront (95)

"Brewed with over 4 lbs per barrel of fire roasted Sumatra from Bend’s Bohemian Roastery and maple wood smoked malt from Skagit Valley Malting, Canadian Coldfront is loaded with intense coffee notes of silky bittersweet chocolate and a faint sweet smoky finish.  What a way to ride, oh what a way to go."

Lawson's Finest Liquids Coffee Fayston Maple Imperial Stout (96)

“This seasonal specialty is brewed with organic pale malt and almost 2 gallons of Vermont maple syrup per barrel. This cellar-aged brew is a huge, rich, and strong stout with a maple

Starr Hill Brewery Little Red Roostarr (96)

"A full-bodied milk stout brewed with coffee from Red Rooster Coffee Roasters."

2nd Shift Brewing Chico's Revenge (96)

"Big milk stout brewed with oats, lactose, and love."

Transient Artisan Ales Win Bigly (97)

“Imperial cream stout. Formerly known as ‘This is Neat.’”

Weldwerks Brewing Coffee Maple Achromatic (97)

“An imperial stout brewed with an obscene amount of chocolate malts, oatmeal, and crystal malts to lend a sweet, caramel-malt backbone. We boil for more than six hours to achieve the rich, chewy, thick mouthfeel and add multiple maple syrup additions and a huge addition of freshly roasted coffee.”

Wicked Weed Brewing Milk & Cookies (97)

“Hints of cold milk, sweet vanilla, and hearty oatmeal remind us that our memories are forever led by our senses. In this case, we are led home.”

WeldWerks Brewing Co. Double Barrel 1910 Medianoche (97)

"For this year's iteration of Double Barrel 1910 Medianoche, we utilized the same double-barrel technique as our 2020 release, which was inspired by the process used by Old Forester® to create their 1910 bourbon, but with extended aging to unlock even more barrel complexity. After aging for 13 months in freshly emptied 6-11-year-old Kentucky bourbon barrels (heavy toast, light char), we finished this special batch of Medianoche in Old Forester 1910 casks (light toast, heavy char) for an additional 10 months. After more than 23 months combined between the two casks, Double Barrel 1910 Medianoche expresses notes of toasted marshmallows, English toffee, burnt caramel, vanilla, and sweet tobacco."

Urban South Glimmer of Hops (97)

"Tons of sweet melon, citrus, and tropical passion fruit dominate this beer."

King Harbor Brewing Co Choco-Latte (98)

“Chocolate stout with Ugandan vanilla, cacao nibs, coffee, cocoa powder, ancho chile, and lactose.”

Firestone Walker Nitro Merlin Milk Stout (98)

"When Velvet Merlin is brewed with milk sugar to create Nitro Merlin Milk Stout, the effect is similar to adding cream to your dark roasted coffee. The result is a stout that is still dark and roasty, but now with a mellow sweetness and added roundness of body."

Pinthouse Brewing The First 6 Black Sabbath Records (99)

"Imperial Stout aged in Balcones Cask Strength Rye Whisky Barrel. We're getting notes of cocoa puffs and sweet chocolate milk with a mild rye spiciness from the rye whiskey barrel."