Porter is a dark beer originally from London and is made from brown malted barley. The name was first recorded in the 18th century.
At ForBeerLovers we will tell you everything you need to know about Porter, one of the most popular and widely consumed beers in the world.
Characteristics of Porter
Porter is a strong tasting beer that is served cold, characterized by high fermentation using brown malted barley. It is usually a dry beer.
Here are some of the characteristics of Porter beer:
Aroma
It has a medium-strong aroma of dark malt and a slightly burnt character
Graduation
Its alcohol content is between 4.5 and 5.5%.
Appearance
The Porter has adark and brown appearance with slightly reddish reflections. They usually have a fairly dense layer of foam.
An intense flavour, where malt and hops stand out
What to eat with
Porter beer is ideal for accompanying smoked or roasted dishes, so it goes perfectly with cuts of meat, sausages or meat products with a lot of fat such as bacon or bacon.
Ingredients of the Porter
This type of beer has ingredients like the ones below. Take note!
Malt
- 5 Kg Malt Pale Ale
- 700g Crystal Malt
- 150g Chocolate Malt
- 150g Black Malt
- 300g Wheat malt
Oats
- 300g Oat Flakes
Hops
- 36g EK Goldings Hops 60 minutes boiling time
- 10g EK Goldings Hops 30 minutes boiling time
Yeast
- 11.5g (1 sachet) Fermentis Yeast S-04
How it is made
Do you want to make Porter beer at home? You should know that, by following the all-grain method, you can make a high-quality beer yourself. To do so, follow these steps:
- Macera. Macerate 2.5 litres per kg of malt at 67ºC (16.5 litres of water) for 60 minutes. Add water to bring the ratio to 3 litres per kg of malt (3.3 litres of water) at 72ºC for 30 minutes. If you prefer, do a simple maceration at 67ºC (16.5 litres of water) for 90 minutes. Recirculate the must until it comes out clean and wash with about 15 litres of water at 76-78ºC.
- Boil. We have about 26 liters of must that we will take to boil during 60 minutes adding the hops
- Fermentation. Add the hydrated Fermentis S-04 yeast packet and keep for 8 days at 20ºC or until fermentation is complete. Optional transfer to secondary and leave for 7 days at 12ºC.
- Bottling. Carbonate at 2.5 volumes of CO2. Or add 7g/l of cane sugar. Keep for 7 days at 20ºC and then condition for 4 weeks at 10ºC
Here's a video so you can learn how to make Lager at home:
https://youtu.be/DFukTBBWY6c?t=3
History of Porter Beer
Porter has its origins in 1722 and is brewed by Ralph Harwood, a London brewer. He brewed a mixture of three different types of beer: Brown Ale, Pale Ale and Stale. He originally called this blend "Entire".
It soon became popular with the workers and eventually acquired the name of Porter (as it was very popular with the Porters who worked in the markets)
Types of Porter
Currently, there are different types of Porter depending on the practice carried out during its manufacture. Here is the most common.
Baltic Porter
Baltic Porter is a black beer that has its origins in the 19th century, in the Baltic region.
In the 18th century the imperial stout was exported from Great Britain and was popular in the Baltic Sea countries and was recreated with local ingredients and brewing traditions. This is where the Baltic Porter was born
Porter's top 3 brands
We conclude this article by talking about Porter's most outstanding brands of the moment. Although there is a wide variety of options, here we are going to leave you with a list of the 3 best ones you have to try, yes or yes!
- Founder. This is an American brand that makes a wide variety of beers. Their drinks are popular in the U.S. and some can also be found around the world from exports
- Funky Buddha. This U.S. brewery makes a variety of carriers in a different flavor mix than you would expect.
- Fullers: Has been ranked as the best porter in the world and has been included in the best beer lists in the world for years
