Porter

Porter, variety of dark beer, originally brewed in England in the 18th century, that evolved from the English brown ales of the time. Porter is characterized by its deep brown or black color. Most porters are brewed with top-fermenting ale yeast; one specific style (Baltic porter, which uses lager yeast) is an exception to this. The beer’s name derives from the fact that it became a great favorite among the porters (transportation workers, who carried goods to public markets) of Central London.

Porter vs. stout

Porter and stout are both dark beers of English origin, and the relationship between them can be difficult to untangle. The most basic difference between them lies with one ingredient. Stouts are usually brewed with unmalted roasted barley, whereas porters are made with malted roasted barley. This results in subtle differences in flavor, with porters typically having a lighter, more chocolatey flavor, as opposed to the more roasty, coffee-inflected taste of stout.

Historically, stout evolved from porter. That said, there continues to be a dispute as to whether the two styles of beer can be clearly distinguished from each other. While the name porter came first, there is disagreement regarding whether stout is a further evolution of porter or whether it constitutes a style of its own. In the minds of 19th-century beer drinkers, the two terms were interchangeable. Alcohol content has often been considered an additional defining factor. Indeed, the term stout originated as an indication of higher alcohol content: a stout beer was a “stouter” (that is, stronger) porter. Such brews were initially referred to as “stout porters,” combining the two terms. Yet in today’s brewing lexicon, stouts are not necessarily more alcoholic than porters. Indeed, the iconic Extra Stout by Guinness is 4.2 percent alcohol, a figure exceeded by a great number of porters, which typically have an alcohol level ranging from 4.8 to 6.5 percent.

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Styles

English porter, the first to be brewed, comes in two basic varieties: brown and robust. Brown porter is noted for its malty taste and often sweet flavor, with notes of caramel, chocolate, or toffee. Robust porter is often hoppier, with a stronger flavor produced by the use of roasted or black patent malt. Baltic porter is a type of English porter fortified with additional alcohol; this was originally done to preserve it when it was being transported to locations around the Baltic Sea. American porter tends to consist of variations on the basic English styles, often with an experimental flourish. Thus, American brewers have invented “smoke porter” by using smoked malts and have increased the alcohol content to create a local “imperial” type of porter. A wide variety of flavored beers, such as vanilla, chocolate, nutty, and fruity brews, also exists.