Division Brewing—a popular brewery in Downtown Arlington—offers a rotating selection of more than a dozen beers on tap. While they are partial to IPAs and sours, they also do many darker beers, including stouts, porters, and others.
The Dark Beers of Division Brewing
“I just turned 65,” confessed the man at the bar. “I’m not too familiar with IPAs and such—I prefer dark beers.”
The barman at Division Brewery motioned over to me, who had just ordered a pint of their Irish stout. I raised my glass to them both and said cheers. Although 25 years his junior and familiar with IPAs and such, I also prefer dark beers, especially stouts. It’s always nice to meet someone from the dark side.
J.R. Bentley’s Pub used to be my go-to place in Arlington for a beer, where I almost exclusively ordered a pint of Guinness. I went there one night in February 2023, but they were closed—a handwritten sign loosely taped to the door blamed a water leak. I don’t think they were open again after that, and my adventures at J.R. Bentley’s were no more. That fateful night, I tried Division Brewing for the first time, and since then, I’ve become a regular, finding a place that has great beer and that I enjoy visiting.
During my first visit in February 2023, Division Brewing had four stouts available, including two imperial stouts, an oatmeal stout, and a casked version. I tried two of them; the Ben Stout quickly became my favorite and remains so, even after trying more than 20 of their beers of various styles. I’m looking forward to the fall and winter months, where stouts and other dark beers tend to be more popular, to see what other offerings they have available. I believe their annual “Darkest Night” Winter Solstice celebration on December 21 features several stouts and other dark beers—I’m making plans to attend that this year!
The Dark Beers of Division Brewing
Whether stouts, porters, or brown ales, Division Brewing has some tempting offerings of the darker variety. Here are my tasting notes for the ones that I’ve tried so far.
Ben Stout – Oatmeal Stout
Ben Stout is a hearty 7.2% oatmeal stout made with Cascade hops. The beer is smooth, rich, well-balanced, and not too sweet or not too bitter. It has subtle chocolate and coffee flavors in its taste and aroma. The beer pours darker than a cave at midnight and has a fluffy, tan-colored head. It’s traditional, sippable, flavorful, enjoyable, and one of the best local stouts.
Macaroon Morning – Coconut Porter
Macaroon Morning, a 6.8% Coconut Porter, is another of my favorites. It’s dark, smooth, refreshing, and semi-sweet and pairs well with any weather. I definitely enjoyed this one and would love to see it as a full-time part of their lineup.
Ditch Witch – Brown Ale
The Ditch Witch, a 6.5% hearty Brown Ale, was a little too sweet the first time I had it, but it quickly grew on me. It’s an excellent alternative to stouts and porters and has become one of my new favorites. It pours a dark mahogany brown and is slightly sweet, with a smooth, nutty, rich, and robust flavor.
#BrewStacheStrong – Irish Stout
I was excited to see a summer stout appear on the beer board. The #BrewStacheStrong is a traditional 5.6% Irish Stout. It’s slightly sweet, malty, and with hints of chocolate and coffee notes. It’s a damn good beer, but more important than that, this one supports a worthwhile cause. Division Brewing, along with hundreds of other breweries across the country, collaborated with StacheStrong, a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for brain cancer research. Division donates $1 from every one of these beers sold to support the organization.
Grind and Press – Imperial Coffee Stout
At 10.5%, this one is a beast. Made with cold-brew coffee, cocoa, and vanilla, this beer is bold, boozy, smooth, and flavorful. This is definitely one to sip slowly and savor while admiring its midnight black color. While satisfying and impressive, it’s a bit heavy for the Texas summers. It would be a great beer for the fall and winter months, and I hope they bring this one back when the weather gets cooler.
Blog post & photos by Jason S. Sullivan, 07-27-23
Jason S. Sullivan 