Substitutions

What can I use instead of stout?

Q: Can I use non-alcoholic stout instead of stout?

1 cup stout = 1 cup non-alcoholic stout. Brewed with the same roasted barley and then dealcoholised, so the coffee-and-cocoa bitterness and the dark colour both survive. Slightly sweeter and thinner-bodied than the full-strength version, which shows in a long braise more than in a cake.

Q: Can I use strong black coffee + molasses instead of stout?

1 cup stout = 1 cup strong brewed coffee + 1 tbsp molasses. Stout's defining flavours are roasted bitterness and dark malt sweetness, which is almost exactly what coffee and molasses give you between them. More bitter and less malty-round, with none of beer's slight carbonation. Excellent in a chocolate stout cake, good in a beef stew.

Q: Can I use gluten-free dark beer instead of stout?

1 cup stout = 1 cup gluten-free dark beer. Brewed from sorghum, millet or rice rather than barley, so it delivers comparable carbonation, colour and malt-style sweetness without the gluten. Rarely as roasted or as bitter as a real stout, so a teaspoon of instant coffee or cocoa helps close the gap.

A dark beer brewed with roasted barley, giving coffee and cocoa bitterness alongside malt sweetness. It appears in beef and Guinness stew, chocolate cake and dark braises. Being barley-based, it contains gluten.

What it does in a recipe: Roasted bitterness and dark malt sweetness in a savoury liquid — depth and colour rather than lightness. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.

Also called: Dry stout, Guinness, Porter

4substitutes

1close matches

Wine & spiritscategory

Quick answer

Non-alcoholic stout

1 cup stout = 1 cup non-alcoholic stout

All substitutes, best first

4 ways to replace stout

Non-alcoholic stout

Closest match

1 cup stout = 1 cup non-alcoholic stout

Brewed with the same roasted barley and then dealcoholised, so the coffee-and-cocoa bitterness and the dark colour both survive.

Trade-offSlightly sweeter and thinner-bodied than the full-strength version, which shows in a long braise more than in a cake.

CookingBakingSaucesAlcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Allergen checkRemoving the alcohol does not remove the barley. Non-alcoholic stout still contains gluten and is not suitable for coeliac cooking.

Strong black coffee + molasses

Reliable

1 cup stout = 1 cup strong brewed coffee + 1 tbsp molasses

Stout's defining flavours are roasted bitterness and dark malt sweetness, which is almost exactly what coffee and molasses give you between them.

MethodLet the coffee cool before adding it to a batter so it does not start setting the eggs or melting the butter.

Trade-offMore bitter and less malty-round, with none of beer's slight carbonation. Excellent in a chocolate stout cake, good in a beef stew.

CookingBakingSaucesAlcohol-freeVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Beef broth + molasses

Reliable

1 cup stout = 1 cup beef broth + 1 tbsp molasses + 1 tsp cider vinegar

Broth supplies savoury liquid, molasses the dark malt sweetness, and the vinegar the faint acidity that keeps a braise from turning heavy.

Trade-offMissing the roasted bitterness that gives a stout braise its edge. A teaspoon of instant coffee restores most of it.

CookingSaucesAlcohol-freeEgg-freeNut-free

Allergen checkCommercial beef broth is a frequent source of wheat, celery and soy. If you are swapping stout out because of gluten, check the broth carefully — it can reintroduce exactly what you removed.

Gluten-free dark beer

Reliable

1 cup stout = 1 cup gluten-free dark beer

Brewed from sorghum, millet or rice rather than barley, so it delivers comparable carbonation, colour and malt-style sweetness without the gluten.

Trade-offRarely as roasted or as bitter as a real stout, so a teaspoon of instant coffee or cocoa helps close the gap.

CookingBakingSaucesGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Allergen checkThere is a real distinction between 'gluten-free' beer and 'gluten-removed' beer brewed from barley and treated with an enzyme. The latter is not accepted as safe for coeliacs in many countries. Read which one you have bought.

Worth knowing

Alcohol does not fully cook off, and a stew simmered for a couple of hours can still retain a measurable amount. Where alcohol is being avoided, use the coffee-and-molasses or non-alcoholic route. No vegan or vegetarian claim is made, as some stouts are still fined with isinglass from fish.

At a glance

Stout in summary

Category	Wine & spirits
Job in a recipe	Roasted bitterness and dark malt sweetness in a savoury liquid — depth and colour rather than lightness
Suits	Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free
Swaps available for	Alcohol-free Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Nut-free Soy-free Vegan Vegetarian
Number of substitutes	4

More wine & spirits

Bourbon4 substitutes Brandy4 substitutes Dark rum4 substitutes Dry red wine4 substitutes Dry sherry4 substitutes Dry white wine4 substitutes

Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.