Baltika Breweries Baltika 6 Porter

Porter Varietals

Porter either ushered in a period of changing consumer tastes and inclinations in early 1700s England, or was a result of it. The astringent harshness of brown and black malts in young, "mild" (freshly brewed) beer and the sour and staleness of aged beer – both of which had effectively been the only choices for millennia – gave way to a more balanced, middle ground of flavor.

Porter manufacture in England peaked between the mid-1700s and the mid-1800s, but began to fall in the 1870s and had practically halted by the early 1940s. Porter has had a huge impact on brewing and the types of beer enjoyed in many countries throughout the Old and New Worlds, despite being on the point of extinction. In fact, porter was the forerunner of the stout style. Porter's popularity was enormous, and by the end of the 18th century, it had become the first beer style to be brewed all over the world, with production beginning in Ireland, North America, Sweden, and Russia.

Stout and porter have a long history together. The term "stout" was coined to describe a black beer after powerful porters were marketed as "stout porters," which was ultimately abbreviated to just stout. Guinness Extra Stout was once known as "Extra Superior Porter" before being renamed "Extra Stout" in 1840. Different brewers now use the terms virtually interchangeably to describe black beers, and the two styles have more similarities than differences.

Porter is deserving of your attention, whether you've never tried a beer with a rich, dark roasty taste or you've skipped through many sorts of Porter in favor of the world's enormous Imperial Stouts. Traditional English porters, as well as its derivatives Baltic Porter and American Porter, are excellent starting points.