Comparison
Foreign extra stout vs Tropical stout
What is the difference between Foreign extra stout and Tropical stout?
The short answer
The main difference is dryness: Foreign extra stout has far more of it than Tropical stout. Foreign extra stout also leads on roast; Tropical stout on caramel & toffee and sweetness.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable bitterness, body, alcohol warmth, overlapping strength ranges, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Foreign extra stout | Tropical stout | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Porter & stout | Porter & stout |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | Ireland | United Kingdom |
| Category status | Established | Established |
| Strength | 6–8% ABV | 5.5–8% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 30–70 IBU | 30–50 IBU |
| Colour — These are the same depth in the glass; colour is not what tells them apart. | Black — 30–40 SRM, 59–79 EBC | Black — 30–40 SRM, 59–79 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.056–1.075 | 1.056–1.075 |
| Final gravity | 1.010–1.018 | 1.010–1.018 |
| Serving temperature | 10–13°C | 9–12°C |
| Carbonation | 1.8–2.4 vol CO₂ | 2–3 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Tulip glass, Nonic pint | Nonic pint |
| Clarity | opaque | opaque |
How they taste different
| Character | Foreign extra stout | Tropical stout |
|---|---|---|
| Dryness | Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Caramel & toffee | Not characteristic | Moderate |
| Roast | High | Moderate |
| Sweetness | Low–Moderate | High |
| Yeast fruitiness (esters) | Low | Moderate–High |
| Carbonation | Low | Moderate |
| Coffee | Moderate | Low |
Which should you choose?
- You want more dryness → Foreign extra stout
- You want more caramel & toffee → Tropical stout
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.