Porter

The Porter is one of the most historic beers in the world. It was born in London in the early 18th century and quickly became the favorite beer of port workers (porters), hence its name. It was one of the great commercial successes of the brewing Industrial Revolution, the first style brewed on a large scale, and the Stout later derived from it. Today it is experiencing a renaissance thanks to the craft movement that brews it with care in its English, American, and modern versions.

In the glass, it shows a very dark brown to black color with ruby highlights, a creamy, off-white head with good retention. On the nose, it develops aromas of chocolate, mild coffee, cocoa, licorice, nuts, caramel, and a background of toasted bread. The American version adds citrus or resinous notes from the hops. On the palate, it has a medium body, with well-balanced malty sweetness, moderate bitterness from the roast and hops (25-50 IBU depending on the school), moderate carbonation, and a dry finish reminiscent of coffee. The alcohol content is between 4% and 6.5%.

It is brewed with base pale malts, chocolate malts, brown malts, and occasionally a small proportion of roasted barley, traditional English hops (Fuggle, Goldings) or American hops (Cascade, Centennial) depending on the style, and ale yeasts that provide light fruity esters.

It is a very gastronomic beer: it pairs with stewed meats, ribs, burgers, aged cheeses, chocolate, coffee, or vanilla desserts. It is served between 8°C and 12°C in a nonic pint or tulip glass. An excellent gateway to the world of dark beers for those who do not want to start with a more intense Stout.