This week, Value for Money samples five varieties of Irish stout

Marks & Spencer Irish Stout

€3.29 for 500ml, €6.58 per litre

Highs: Buying stout from M&S is like buying a bowler hat and brolly in Guineys, so we were very suspicious when we happened across this bottle. Despite in-built and entirely irrational prejudices about the "brewed in Éire" on the label, we were surprised by how good this was. Its taste, the bottle tells us, "was said to make grown men weep for more"! We didn't weep but could certainly have downed a couple more bottles. It is a completely different product from the canned stouts we reviewed. It smells very strongly of hops and has a lovely smooth finish and strong flavours.

Lows: While it would accompany a plate of strong cheddar nicely, we're not sure how well it would go down on a night in watching the football. Apart from the whole Éire problem, we were also concerned with the price.

Verdict: Nice but pricey.

Star Rating: * * *

Murphys

€2.19 for 500ml, €4.38 per litre

Highs: This Cork stout runs Guinness surprisingly close in the creamy head (and in the creamy rings left around a pint glass) stakes. It is very smooth and easy to drink with a lightness not to be found anywhere else. It has slightly sweet undertones, thanks to the presence of chocolate malt in the mix, and a hoppy aftertaste that lingers. An easier introduction to stout than some of the more robust-flavoured stouts on the market. It has the lowest alcohol content – a plus or minus depending on your perspective – but we consider it a plus.

Lows: It doesn't matter if you have this in draught or from a can, it is hard to get away from the fact that (Cork people look away now) it is thinner and more watery than the product which comes out of St James's Gate.

Verdict: Just a little thin.

Star Rating: * *

Guinness

€1.77 for 330ml, €5.36 per litre

Highs: There is a lot to be said for familiarity and before we had even popped open this stubby can with its gassy widget, we were feeling sufficiently well-disposed to almost ignore the fact that it was significantly pricier than many of its peers (although, to be fair, it does cost less when bought in the 500ml cans). To say this product has a long tradition is something of an understatement. The 330ml can has a distinct advantage in that it fits into a pint glass without any overspill. It also tastes fuller, with the roasted malt flavours coming through strongly, and is richer than the canned competition. It has a creamy head which stays in place for the duration.

Lows: It is comparatively expensive and too easy to drink too much of it.

Verdict: Best from a can.

Star Rating: * * * *

Beamish

€1.76 for 500ml, €3.52 per litre

Highs: Beamish has been brewed in a fairly small Cork brewery for a very long time, although we won't be able to say that for much longer as its parent company, Heineken, is moving production to the brewery where Murphys is made. It deserves kudos for being the cheapest of the stouts we tried. It comes out frothy and its bitter flavours give it a pleasingly sharp bite. Its colour suggests it is the one which truly deserves to be called the black stuff and it pulls off the trick of being light without tasting watered-down.

Lows: We found it to be surprisingly fizzy for a stout, although it did lose its head very fast and was (Cork people look away again) almost completely flat by the time we got halfway through our glass.

Verdict: Solid.

Star Rating: * * *

O’Hara’s Leann Folláin

€2.50 for 355ml, €7.04 per litre

Highs: We have a sneaking but unconfirmed suspicion that this Carlow brewery is also responsible for the M&S stout, but its own "Extra" Irish stout is in a class of its own. It has bitter coffee undertones and a depth of flavour that leaves the canned stouts in the ha'penny place. It's 6 per cent but doesn't taste strong.

Lows: It might be a little daunting at first and if you're expecting a creamy stout with a big head, prepare to be disappointed as this delivers very little by way of a head. It's the most expensive of the lot and will also prove hard to get as it is aimed mostly at the export market (we found it in the always excellent Drink Store in Dublin's Stoneybatter). If you can't find this, O'Hara's regular brew is pretty fine too.

Verdict: Pricey but worth it.

Star Rating: * * * * *