Differences between an American Porter & an American Stout

But you've never had stouts that are thicker than porters or porters that are thinner than stouts?

 

People don't sell their children on craigslist to get bourbon barrel porters.

 

Ever try Mayflower Porter? It may make you change your mind.

 

The guy's been a member for only a month, and this is his first post. Way to make him feel welcomed and part of a community for some of you.

 

Welcome to the site. In case you've not realized it yet, there isn't a hard and fast line between Porters and Stouts. The categories are fuzzy and so some breweries release a beer called a Porter which is pretty much like some other brewery's Stout, and vice versa. Generally just go with the flow and if a brewer calls it a Porter, its a Porter. If they call it a Stout its a Stout. Find the ones you enjoy and then continue learning more about beer. Its a fun trip.

 

To put it simply, Porter's are just lighter overall. But not in every case. The Lil' B Imperial Porter from Evil Twin is viscous as a mother f*%$#*. So is the Victory at Sea from Ballast Point. That one is an incredible beer.

 

they are simply a name at this point. Avery released momi hiwa earlier this year, its a porter aged in rumbarrels with coconut. It comes in at 17% abv and pours darker and thicker than engines oil. It was very sweet, not very roasty. But then again uncle jacobs stout is pretty sweet as well and rocks the same abv. I think the lack of roasted barley is what led to momi being called a proter, but most people wouldn't see a difference with it being called a stout. It could go either way. Now I'm rambling to avoid studying...

 

Porters tend to have less bitter roast and be a bit more mild. Stouts typically have bigger amounts of roast and just a are a bit larger in character in general. The American craft beer scene has sort of blurred these lines however and now stouts and porters have become sort of synonymous with each other. There are differences, or used to be anyways, but they're not suuuper different.

 

They are now known as "American storters".

 

Arcadia BA porter and Founders Porter are two of the best stouts I've ever had.

 

Welcome aboard Greg! This is very informative: http://www.beerconnoisseur.com/porter-versus-stout

 

Its a fine line and they are always exceptions when it comes to style guidlines despite what the BJCP may say. As someone mentioned above Avery makes a porter that clocks in at 17% ABV. 17% for any style is not the norm and I'm sure one could argue either way whether its an imperial porter or imperial stout.

When discussing "typical" stouts and porters, porters are typically lighter in body and ABV while stouts are heavier and higher ABV. In general I find the major difference between the two besides body is that stouts tend to have more roastiness compared to most porters. After a quick google search I found that when comparing homebrew clones for SN Stout vs. SN Porter, their stout uses 3 times the amount of black malt than the porter which results in more roasted flavor.

 

Historically it might have been the case that a stout was simply a stronger version of a porter. *shrugs*

A lot of the homebrew recipes have a distinct difference in recipe though. A stout includes roasted barley and a porter does not. Both a stout and a porter can include various other dark malts (chocolate, brown, black, etc), but only a stout has roasted barley.

Flavor, body and color can vary, but often a stout has more roasted flavors from the inclusion of roasted barley, a darker color and a heavier body compared to a porter. Still, depending on the recipe specifics and finishing gravity, you will find examples that contradict this.

In the end, it seems that brewers brew something and call it whatever they want. There are "porters" out there that include roasted barley, so they could have just as easily been called a stout. It doesn't seem to really matter though.

Jeff

 

I have not seen Mayflower in my area I will keep that in mind, though if I do happen to see it. However, Saranac also makes a 4059' Porter that I have had and that one is very good, so I guess I have had a porter I really like. The story goes that 4059 feet is the highest peak in the Adirondacks.

 

This is definitely a tireless debate in the beer community that is yet to result in a universally accepted clear cut answer. I'll paste links to the BJCP descriptions of each (for what they are worth) and leave it at that...

Porter
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style12.php#top

Stout
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style13.php#top

 

Porter Mountain is 4059'. The highest peak is Mt. Marcy at 5343'.

 

This thread is typical of why I love this website. As a Newbie to craft beers I have (I think successfully) educated myself about craft beers and developed my new-found love of this new pleasure. REALLY looking forward to the upcoming holiday season and it's many winter-time offerings in the beer world

 

Drink a Founder's porter, and close your eyes, Its in line with most stouts in that range of ABV.

 

I always say
read this:
http://zythophile.wordpress.com/200...difference-between-porter-and-stout/#more-463

I always say
read this:
http://zythophile.wordpress.com/200...difference-between-porter-and-stout/#more-463

BTW welcome to the site. Ask away. Nothing wrong we ask the same stuff over and over so much, the web site would be dead without it. Still sometimes you have to wear a fire suit to post, or just ignore some posters. lol

 

*except for the thinner mouthfeel.