Blindin' Irish: Five Wisconsin brews for a hearty St. Patrick's Day

Most Americans really only celebrate St. Patrick's Day for love of booze. There’s no shame in that, especially here in Wisconsin. But even a foolish St. Pat's bender needn't be devoid of good taste. In the interest of keeping the holiday at least halfway Irish and steering hearty local drinkers away from anything dyed green, The A.V. Club sought out some bold variations on the stout (and at least one beer that can rival it for richness and heaviness).

Sprecher Irish Stout
Sprecher’s Irish Stout pours in an enticingly dark-brown pint, thickened with foam. A swig transitions from a hearty, grainy flavor to a brief coffee aftertaste. The finish burns a bit, betraying the slightly higher than normal alcohol content. It’s the closest in taste to Guinness itself on this list, yet still outdoes it in the flavor department.
Smilin' eyes for: those who keep it traditional, but need more booze for the buck.

Lake Louie Mr. Mephisto's Imperial Stout
This Russian stout's coffee flavor comes on a lot lighter than Sprecher’s, with a long, lingering aftertaste that’s at once smoky and creamy. It doesn’t have the earthy quality of more traditional brews, but the difference in style is a small price to pay for the huge boost in flavor.
Smilin' eyes for: those who can swap out the first beer of the day with morning coffee.

New Glarus Cherry Stout
This limited stout from New Glarus seems to be a beer in identity crisis—it bears the sharp cherry taste of New Glarus' Belgian Red, but finishes with the farmhouse taste of Spotted Cow. The cherry flavor can prove overpowering, especially for drinkers expecting the bitterness of the Irish tradition of brews.
Smilin' eyes for: those who generally hate thick, heavy beers.

Furthermore Thermo Refur
Furthermore’s seasonal offering isn’t actually a stout at all—it’s a sour ale. But it’s got 8.1 percent alcohol content by volume, so it still succeeds in the “get you drunk” category critical to St. Patrick’s Day. Thermo Refur employs beets and black pepper in its recipe, and manages some kind of magic synergy between awkward-sounding ingredients. The black pepper is powerful throughout the cloudy red brew–you can taste it the moment the beer hits your lips, and might find yourself stifling a sneeze even after it goes down. The beets function in a more elusive way, though they might supply some of the residual bitterness and overall veggie-tinged flavor.
Smilin' eyes for: the adventurous, the pretentious, and those who need to maximize drunkenness while drinking as few beers as possible.

Furthermore Three Feet Deep
Furthermore sells this dry Irish stout year-round, but may be the most balanced of the locally brewed stouts The A.V. Club has tasted. Three Feet Deep leaves behind a savory taste of butter, along with the flavor of long-roasted nuts and potatoes. It tastes like something that should be sipped in front of a roaring fire while the wee little ones beg you for a story about the old country.
Smilin' eyes for: those who prefer the friendly side of Ireland.