Stouts and Porters
Brenda Francis

For some of us, the sight of a dark, opaque, brew can excite our palate like no other beer. The dense, brooding, roasted grains conjure up tastes of chocolate, coffee, smoke, licorice, balsamic, raisins, toffee, molasses, caramel, and more rich flavors.
     The original recipe for these dark brown brews started in London in the 1700s. This beer was so popular with the porters working in the dockyards that the beer was named after them. Porters were brewed in various styles and eventually the driest was named stout.
     The big difference between stouts and porters is that stouts use more roasted unmalted barley, which gives the brew a grain-like flavor, while porters use more roasted malted barley, which imparts a sweeter, fruitier flavor. Malted barley is a seed that has been partially germinated, making the grains' starches (sugar) available in the brewing process. Unmalted barley adds no starch, but helps create a firm creamy head when the beer is poured and that earthy, grain-like flavor.
     Another difference between stouts and porters is the use of hops. Stout recipes tend to use hops with higher alpha acid content; the higher the alpha acid the more bitter the flavor. Although this is a good way to measure the difference it is not an absolute rule.
     While porter was the original style and stout was a spin-off, stout enjoys the widest variety of recipes. Porter styles include brown porter, robust porter, and Baltic Porter. Stout styles include dry stouts, sweet stouts, oatmeal stouts, foreign extra stouts, American Stouts, and Russian Imperial Stouts.
     Stouts and porters are hearty brews, perfect for cold autumn and winter nights. Their flavors bloom when they are permitted to warm toward room temperature. Less hoppy versions pair well with foods, while bitter versions are a great solo act.