Columnist George Lenker shares some classic Irish stouts ahead of the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. George Lenker

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the bend, Guinness is probably on some readers’ minds.

Although I drink mostly Irish craft beer on my visits to the Emerald Isle, I’m sure no one will be surprised to learn that I also indulge in plenty of The Black Stuff. Although it’s true that even most of the older traditional pubs now feature at least a few craft offerings, Guinness is always a welcome choice when I want to keep the alcohol level on the lower side.

Of course there are any number of good craft stouts in Ireland, including Carlow Brewing’s excellent O’Hara’s Stout and Wicklow Brewing’s Black 16, but you can’t always find them everywhere (although O’Hara’s is pretty ubiquitous). However, if you want an standard alternative to Guinness that is fairly available in most municipalities, there are two that you should try: Murphy’s and Beamish.

Let me start with this caveat: Only one of those options is available here in America as of this writing. So I’m also writing this with the idea that some of you will be visiting Ireland and can seek all sorts of stouts out when you’re there. I’m also hoping they’ll all be available again at some point. But let’s start with the one that you can get here in the United States .

Murphy’s Irish Stout originally hails from Co. Cork, which was the only place you could get it until 1983, when Heineken acquired the rights to the brand. Whitbread got the rights to brew and distribute it in the U.K. in 1988, and Whitbread was acquired by a subsidiary of the multinational group Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2000.

Since I never had it before the big boys took it over, I can’t say if it’s changed over the years, but I’m always worried that good products often do – but not always. I have had it plenty of times since 2000, including my most recent trip to Ireland in January. And I have to say it’s pretty tasty stuff. It has a more pronounced toffee note than Guinness and seemed to have a lighter body. There is also a noticeable coffee element to it.

So, if you like those aspects, you’ll probably like it. I enjoy it, but I would prefer Guinness most of the time. It’s even lower and alcohol, then goodness, sitting right at 4% ABV.

Beamish Genuine Irish Stout originates from Cork as well. Its first brew was made by Beamish & Crawford, who established their brewery in 1792. The firm went through several ownership changes over the years and is currently non-operational due to its acquisition by Heineken International in 2008. Despite this, the beer is still produced in Cork, at the Heineken facility residing there.

Regrettably, Heineken made the decision to halt its sales in the United States over a decade ago, for reasons unknown. I consider this a loss, as it poses a wonderful alternative to Guinness and Murphy’s. It has a slight hint of chocolate, blending perfectly with the roasted nut flavor. It’s a smooth drink and with a 4.1% ABV, it’s excellent as a session beer. While I hope it makes its way back to the US, I’m not particularly optimistic.

In the spirit of the holiday, happy St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy the stout beer you prefer most, and cheers!

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