Stout beer

Pour it slowly down the side of a clean, tilted glass, then straighten the glass as it fills. For nitrogenated stout, let the foam settle before topping it up; that two-part pour is not needed for every bottled or canned stout.

Serve it cool rather than warm, but not so cold that its roasted, coffee-like flavours disappear. Follow the serving advice on the bottle or can, as stronger and more complex stouts are often served a little warmer than lighter ones.

Brown the beef and soften the onions first, then add stout with the stock and simmer gently until the meat is tender. A spoonful of tomato purée or a little brown sugar can balance stout’s roasted bitterness; avoid a rapid boil, which can make the sauce taste harsh.

Yes. Stout works especially well in chocolate cake: use it in place of some of the liquid, and pair it with cocoa, dark chocolate or coffee. Its roasted flavour deepens the chocolate taste without making the cake taste strongly of beer.

Seal the bottle or can and refrigerate it, then use it soon; once opened, it loses carbonation and its fresh aroma. Keep unopened stout cool and away from light, and store bottles upright to limit contact between the beer and the closure.

For a stew or gravy, use another dark beer or beef stock; the stock gives a milder result, so add a little roasted malt extract or a dash of coffee if the recipe needs stout’s depth. For cake, use coffee or milk instead, depending on the recipe.

Both are dark beers with roasted malt flavours, and the styles overlap; stout is often more intensely roasted, while porter can taste softer and more chocolate-like. Names alone do not guarantee a particular strength or flavour, so the brewer’s description is useful when choosing.

Cooking reduces some alcohol but does not reliably remove it all. If you need the dish to be alcohol-free, replace the stout with stock or a non-alcoholic dark beer rather than relying on simmering.