"Stout" is a beer style that in my opinion is greatly misunderstood. People often think that these dark beers are more potent, yet a pint of Guinness actually has less alcohol than a Bud. Speaking of Guinness, many people find it to be the end all, be all of stouts. It’s actually a great beer but it’s just one little part of the stout story.

Stouts can be dry, sweet, flavored, hoppy or strong. There are tons of variations on the style. They share the commonality of a roasted flavor characteristic (because they’re made with roasted barley that has been kilned until it resembles burnt toast, instead of being malted) but that flavor can range from bitter unsweetened chocolate to coffee-like.

If you want to expand your knowledge of the various kinds of stouts, read on and discover the differences that distinguish one dark beer from the next.

Next time you’re craving a stout and you feel inclined to go for the Guinness, just remember that there are other beers out there.

TAGS [ STOUTS | DRY STOUT | SWEET STOUT | OATMEAL STOUT | IMPERIAL STOUT ]

I’m no stranger to drinking games but when one of my colleagues sent me this New York Times article on the latest "it" game of the moment, Icing – I was nothing short of flabbergasted.

According to the Times, the game is spreading virally – like crazy. The object is to "ice" your friends, before they "ice" you. It’s actually quite simple; just hand a friend a sickly sweet Smirnoff Ice malt beverage and he (most people who play are guys) must kneel down on one knee and drink the entire thing… unless he is also carrying a bottle with him – in which case, the original "attacker" must drink both bottles of the notoriously feminine (and mostly awful) beverage.

Smirnoff denies having anything to do with the game and its popularity. I’m not entirely convinced that they’re completely uninvolved but regardless, it’s amazing how the trend is gaining clout. With "icings" documented on Twitter, Facebook pages and blogs as well as an entire website dedicated to the game, it’s become all the rage in about a month’s time. Check out BrosIcingBros.com to see for yourself. Apparently it’s popular at weddings, graduations and other events – so look out or you too could fall victim to a lukewarm bottle of stuff you don’t want to drink.

Most people playing are probably too caught up in the hype to realize that they’re likely part of a mass-marketing tactic that’s encouraging binge drinking and the purchase of a product that they don’t even enjoy. A company statement from the folks at Smirnoff stated, "Icing is consumer-generated, and some people think it is fun," a company statement read. "We never want underage ‘icing’ and we always want responsible drinking."

It is said that the exact origin can’t be determined but early on, the game was most favored by fraternity brothers in the South. Not so shocking if you ask me. I wasn’t in college too long ago and I can totally see the guys in my dorms taking this and running with it. Regardless of your desire to take part, consider yourself up to date.

TAGS [ ICING | SMIRNOFF ICE | DRINKING GAMES | NEW DRINKING GAME | ICE DRINKING GAME ]