Porter Beer: Complete Guide to the English Dark Beer
Porter is one of the most beloved and historic dark beers: born in London in the 18th century, it has flavors reminiscent of coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts, with a surprisingly light drinkability. It is the older sister of Stout — and in many ways its ancestor.
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Porter vs Stout vs Bock: the differences
- Porter: English ale, dark color, notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee, medium body, good drinkability, smooth finish
- Stout: born as a derivative of Porter, fuller-bodied, uses roasted unmalted barley for more intense and dry notes; Imperial Stout can be very alcoholic
- Bock: German lager (bottom-fermented), amber or dark, malty and full-bodied, less roasted bitterness compared to Porter and Stout
Porter styles
- English Porter: the original London style, medium body, notes of milk chocolate and coffee, smooth finish. ABV: 4.5–6%
- Baltic Porter: Eastern European version, bottom-fermented, fuller and more alcoholic. ABV: 6.5–9.5%
- Imperial Porter: extreme version, very alcoholic and complex. ABV: 8–12%
- Coffee Porter: with added coffee infusion, intense and persistent aromas
Malted malt vs roasted barley: why it matters
- Malted barley: germinated and dried barley — provides sweetness, biscuit, caramel
- Roasted barley: intensely roasted unmalted barley — gives dark color and aromas of coffee and bitter chocolate
- Porters use a combination of light malts + roasted malts to balance body and color
The best Porters on Maltese
Taddy Porter — Samuel Smith's — the absolute benchmark of the style. Produced by the legendary English brewery Samuel Smith's, it is a classic Porter with notes of cappuccino, milk chocolate, and caramel. Round body, smooth and persistent finish.
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How to taste a Porter
- Temperature: 10–12°C to bring out chocolate and coffee aromas
- Glass: tulip or classic pint to concentrate aromas
- First sip: let the beer cover the entire tongue to catch the roasted and sweet aftertastes
Food pairings
- Chocolate desserts and creamy sweets
- Roasted and braised meats
- Aged cheeses
- Hazelnuts and dried fruit
- Dishes with rich and umami sauces
More on the dark beer cluster
- Complete guide to Stout — all styles: Dry, Imperial, Oatmeal, Pastry
- Coffee Porter — the coffee variant
