·Porter
Porter was originally brewed in Britain back in the early 1700's and was known as "entire" because it combined the characteristic of several different beers of the time. Because this beer became popular with porters nearby, they became known by the same name; Porters. The popularity of Porters came at the same time as the industrial revolution. Before this period beer was sold primarily from brewpubs, but now beer began to be sold abroad. Porter and the similar Stout style became known throughout the world especially wherever the British empire was established. Many foreign beers are still patterned after this style. In recent years Porters have begun to make a comeback in their original home turf of London after a period of decline. The decline may have been due to war time restriction on the roasting of malted barley. There are a number of Porters now produced in the United States at microbreweries and brewpubs. Porters are mild to dark brown (may have a red tint) in color. Porters range in flavor from bitter to sweet. The dark color comes from the use of black or roasted malt rather than the roast barley feature of stouts. The roast malt flavor and aroma character should be evident and can vary from an assertively strong (but not stringent) character to suggestively mild. This is a medium-bodied beer. Fruity esters should be evident and in proportional balance with roast malt and hop bitterness character. Hop flavor and aroma may vary from being negligible to medium in character.
Classic Producers
Taddy Porter (Samuel Smith, England), Okocim Porter (Okocim, Poland)
Award Winning American Beers
Great Lakes Brewing, Black Butte Porter (Deschutes), Big Shoulders Porter (Chicago Brewing), Sierra Nevada, Blue Ridge Porter (Fredrick Brewing), Rogue Newporter (Rogue Brewery & Public House), Mountain Valley (Mountain Valley Brewpub), Boah's Dark (Pacific Tap & Grill), Black Jack Porter (Left Hand Brewing)Edmund Fitgerald Porter (Great Lakes Brewing), Point Reyes Porter (Marin Brewing), Tower Dark Porter (Butterfield Brewery), Pleasure Point Brewery (Seabright Brewery), Parley's Porter (Squatters Pub)
Complementary Foods
Venison, Thai beef salad, various BBQ'd meats, bean soup
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.045- 1.060 (11 - 15 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.016 (2 - 4 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 4.0 - 5.2% (5.0 - 6.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (20 - 40) Color SRM (EBC): 20 - 35 (80 + EBC)
·Stout
Includes Irish Dry, Sweet/Milk, Oatmeal and Imperial Stouts which are described below.
Dry Stout
Includes Irsih-style and Foreign-style Stouts.
Irish-style Dry Stout
The big difference between Stouts and Porters is the use of roasted unmalted barley in Stouts rather than the roasted malted barley used in Porters. This often gives the drink a more grainy flavor. Other characteristics include evident hop bitterness and a fruity acidity. The style has been heavily influenced by the king of Stout producers, Guinness. Guinness has been producing Porters and Stouts since the 1700's. Due to the popularity of their Stouts, they dropped Porters from their product line altogether after World War I. The key differentiating factor of Dry Stouts as a style is the heavy hopping. The roots of this tradition probably are related to the need to store the beer for long periods before the time of refrigeration. The high gravity of the stout and the long distribution times required a secondary fermentation in the barrel. To protect the beers from micro-organisms, they were heavily hopped. The hops then acted as a preservative. Today they are part of the styles character. Dry Stouts have an initial malt and caramel flavor profile with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Dry Stouts achieve a dry roasted character through the use of roasted barley. Some slight acidity may be perceived but is not necessary. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. Dry stouts have medium body. Fruity esters are minimal and overshadowed by malt, hop bitterness and roasted barley character. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be very low or not perceived. Head retention and rich character should be part of its visual character.
Classic Producers
Extra Stout (Guinness, Ireland), Beamish (Beamish & Crawford, Ireland), Murphy (Lady's Well Brewery, Ireland)
Award Winning American Beers
Out of Bounds Stout (Avery Brewing), Zonker Stout (Snake River Brewing), 7th Street Stout (Riverside Brewing), Ugly Dog Stout (Dempsey's Sonoma Brewing), Old No. 38 Stout (North Cost Brewing), Ryan's Irish Stout (Jones Street Brewing), Butterfield Brewing, Rainbow Trout Stout (Hubcap Brewing)
Complementary Foods
Oysters, sushi, clams, crab, lobster.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.038- 1.048 (9.5 - 12 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.014 (2 - 3.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.2 - 4.2% (3.8 - 5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (30 - 40)
Color SRM (EBC): 40 + (150 + EBC)
Foreign-style Stout
As with Classic Dry Stouts, Foreign-style Stouts have an initial malt sweetness and caramel flavor with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Some slight acidity is permissible and a medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel is appropriate. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. Their perception of fruity esters are low. Diacetyl should be negligible or not perceived. Head retention is excellent.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.052- 1.072 (13 - 18 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.020 (2 - 3.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 4.8 - 6% (6 - 7.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (30 - 60)
Color SRM (EBC): 40 + (150 + EBC)
Specialty Stout
Includes Sweet and Oatmeal Stouts.
Sweet Stout/Milk Stout/Cream Stout
As brewers in other lands have added sweeteners to their beers to offset the acidity (notably fruit in Belgium beers), English brewers sometimes add sweeteners to Stouts and Porters. The sweeteners commonly used include sugar or milk sugar (lactose). Lactose is unfermentable. This addition adds to the flavors experienced in the brew. Although this style is no longer matured the sugar is added as a primer before bottling. Therefore Sweet Stouts are pasteurized to prevent unwanted additional fermentation. Sweet Stouts have less roasted bitter flavor and more full-bodied mouthful than Dry Stouts. The style can be given more body with milk sugar (lactose) before bottling. Malt sweetness, chocolate and caramel flavor should dominate the flavor profile. Hops should balance the sweetness without contributing apparent flavor or aroma.
European Beers
Farsons (Simonds, Malta), Mackeson, (The Whitbread Beer Company, England)
Award Winning American Beers
Zoser Stout (Oasis Brewing), Sam Adams Cream Stout (Boston Beer Co.) Complementary Foods Fruit cake
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.045- 1.056 (11 - 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.012 - 1.020 (3 - 5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 2.5 - 5% (3 - 6%)
Bitterness (IBU) (15 - 25)
Color SRM (EBC): 40 + (150 + EBC)
Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stouts have a firm, smooth body including a suggestion of nuttiness in their coffee, chocolate and roast flavors. These Stouts came into being during a period when Stouts were viewed and marketed as being nutritious for the body. Oatmeal Stouts typically include oatmeal in their grist, resulting in a pleasant, full flavor and smooth profile that is rich without being grainy. Roasted malt character of caramel and chocolate should be evident, smooth and not bitter. Bitterness is moderate, not high. Hop flavor and aroma is optional but should not overpower the overall balance. This is a medium- to full-bodied beer, with minimal fruity esters.
Classic Producers
Oatmeal Stout (Samuel Smith's, England), Oatmeal Stout (Youngs, England)
Award Winning American Beers
Old Rip Oatmeal Stout (Big Time Brewing), St.-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (McAuslan Brewing, Canada), Seabright Oatmeal Stout (Seabright Brewing), Oatmeal Stout (Goose Island Brewing), Oatmeal Stout (San Diego's Riptide Brewery), Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout (Anderson Valley Brewing), Humbolt Oatmeal Stout( Humbolt Brewing)
Complementary Foods
Chocolate cake or pudding
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.038- 1.056 (9.5 - 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.020 (2 - 5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.0 - 4.8% (3.8 - 6%)
Bitterness (IBU) (20 - 40)
Color SRM (EBC): 20 + (80 + EBC)
Imperial Stout
This style emerged during the great days of Stouts and Porters. High gravities and warm fermentation were utilized to create a beer that would travel. In the late 1700's this style began to be exported to the Baltic Countries where the rich flavors and high alcoholic content suited the native tastes. In the late 1800's a Belgian began trading in beer between London and the Baltic. He made gifts of Stout to Russian hospitals earning him Imperial favor. High import duties later caused him to open a brewery in Estonia producing their beer. Perhaps this history lead to the name Russian Imperial Stout. Dark color to very black., Imperial Stouts typically have alcohol levels exceeding 8%. The extremely rich malty flavor and aroma is balanced with assertive hopping and fruity ester characteristics. Perceived bitterness can be moderate and balanced with malt character to very high in the darker versions. Roasted malt astringency and bitterness can be moderately perceived but should not overwhelm the overall character. Hop aroma can be subtle to overwhelmingly floral.
Classic Producers
Imperial Stout (Samuel Smith's, England), Courage (John Smith's Brewery, England) Award Winning American Beers Grant's Imperial Stout (Yakima Brewing & Malting), Imperial Stout (Conners Brewery, Canada), Imperial Stout ( Pacific Coast Brewing)
Complementary Foods
Russian Rye Bread, caviar, plum puddings, wild game meats, Christmas pudding, chocolate candy
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.075- 1.090 (19 - 22.5 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.020 - 1.030 (4 - 7.5 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 5.5 - 7% (7 - 9%)
Bitterness (IBU) (50 - 80)
Color SRM (EBC): 20 + (80 + EBC)
