Pastry is an informal term used in the craft community to describe beers made with additional ingredients such as vanilla, cocoa, coffee and fruit, evoking dessert-like flavours.
Despite their sweetness, Pastry beers usually have a high alcohol content, often ranging from 8% to 12% or even higher. The alcohol helps balance the sweetness and adds a warming sensation, making them ideal for slow sipping, like a liquid dessert.
This sweetness is achieved by adding lactose (or maltodextrin in vegan options), a non-fermentable sugar that remains in the beer after fermentation, adding sweetness and a creamier body. This sets them apart from more traditional Stouts, which tend to have a drier or more bitter profile.
They are a relatively recent phenomenon in the world of craft beer, popularised over the last decade. The rise of experimental beers and the trend for playing with non-traditional ingredients have driven the creation of this substyle. Breweries such as Omnipollo have been pioneers in this field, with extravagant creations that blur the line between beer and dessert.
Pastry Stout beers are not designed for anyone looking for something light or refreshing. They are meant to be a different experience, ideal for special occasions or for enthusiasts seeking intense, complex flavours. It is common to enjoy them as a dessert, or paired with one.
So what is the difference between a Pastry Stout and any other Stout brewed, for example, with vanilla and cocoa?
Their purpose: Pastry beers focus on recreating the experience of tasting a dessert.
Jared Lewinski: "They have to be sweet. Years ago I would have considered these beers completely unbalanced, but it is a style that I do not think is particularly concerned with seeking balance. In fact, balance is the enemy of this style."
Buy Pastry Stout beer online
Our rotation of Pastry Stouts ranges from more balanced interpretations by national microbreweries to some of the most sought-after imported releases. We filter the catalogue for technical quality: we avoid artificial flavours and prioritise beers where the adjuncts are perfectly integrated into a robust malt base. Whether you are looking for a Stout with pastry, biscuit and caramel notes, or fruit and dark chocolate bombs, here you have direct access to some of the densest cans and bottles on the market.
New dark beer arrivals and limited editions
The world of Pastry moves through small batches and exclusive collaborations that are rarely repeated. When you buy dark beer in this style from our store, you get access to limited editions (one-offs) that often sell out quickly due to high demand among collectors. Keep this section on your radar to catch the latest arrivals, knowing that we handle these high-ABV beers with the logistical care they deserve so they reach your glass in perfect condition.
