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How To Brew English Porter: Rich Heritage of British Brewing

English porter in Britain is simply known as “Porter.” The use of the term “English porter” is used to differentiate between other porters in the BJCP guidelines.

The history of beer can sometimes be intriguing,, confounding, and funny; often at the same time. The confusion starts when beer geeks like myself try to dive into the history of a particular style.

Oftentimes what we think are historical facts is nothing more than just rumors. These rumors get passed on for so long; they become less conjecture and more fact. As is the case when diving into the history of the English porter.

Blending the Three

Porters have been around since the early to mid 1700s. There has been a common belief that Porter was first introduced by a brewer by the name of Ralph Harwood.

It is said that he crafted a blend of beers known as “three-threads.” This was a beer blended from equal parts of mild (or young) brown ale, stale (or aged) brown ale, and twopenny (or pale ale).

Another Possible Story

There are some stories out there that say the “three-threads” story could also refer to the combining of the three waters during brewing. Many early brewers would use one grain bill to create three different strength beers.

The first batch would be a strong beer, then a second beer would have less available sugars, but enough to make an average strengthened beer. Finally, the third beer would be what was considered a “small” beer.

Competition Forces Change

Yet another possible genesis of this incredible style was the improvement of what was known in London as brown ales. With competition forming heavily from brewers of pale ales, this new style grew quickly in this now growing city.

What’s in a Name?

No matter the style’s origin, porters were enjoyed by the London working class. This working class included porters, who hauled goods around the busy city. The porter was and still is a solid beer style enjoyed by many beer drinkers.

Style Profile for English Porter

Appearance

An English porter is brown in color with hints of mahogany when hitting the light just right. Clarity of this beer should be good.

Aroma

Malt character is strong here. Mild roast character with some very low chocolate notes. It may have some grainy, bready, and caramel notes as well. Hop aroma should be low,

Mouthfeel

The mouthfeel is light to medium and not nearly as heavy as a Baltic or Robust porter.

Taste

The flavor of this beer will match the nose on it. The malt character is the main attraction. Roast, chocolate, toast, and caramel can be pretty complex but should not overtake the flavor of the malt.

A heavy hand with the black malt must be avoided when deciding on the recipe. Too much of the black malt will lead to a burnt, acrid character that is off-putting. Hop character is subtle if at all noticeable.

Food Pairing

English porters pair wonderfully with smoked, roasted or grilled meats. It also pairs well with barbecue, wings, braised dishes, and chili. Don’t be afraid to use a little beer as some braising liquid or incorporated with chili or even as a marinade.

Gruyere cheese is a good pairing if you are interested in some beer with your charcuterie board. A nice English porter would also pair well with dessert as well, especially if peanut butter and chocolate cookies or brownies are served.

Tips for Brewing your own English Porter

Grain

An English base malt should be used to make sure this beer is uniquely English. Maris Otter or English pale malt is the way to go. Brown malt is also a historical necessity when making up a recipe.

Traditionally, brown malt would make up the bulk of the grain bill. Roasted malt, chocolate malt, or black malt or a combination of the three can make up the last part of the grist.

Historically, dark sugar was an extensive part of the recipes for English porters. The sugar was cooked down during the boil, often darkening the color of the beer.

Hops

Traditional British hops are a good choice. Hops such as Fuggles, Northern Brewer, Goldings, Challenger, and Northdown are a few to choose from for this style. There is very little hop flavor and aroma in an English porter.

Bittering hops at 60 minutes will be where you start. If you are interested in adding a little flavor, a small hop addition at the 20-15 minute mark before flameout of some German noble hops such as Hallertau or Saaz.

Yeast

A British yeast with moderate attenuation and low to moderate esters is what you are looking for with this style.

Wyeast 1998 London ESB, and 1028 London Ale and White Labs WLP002 English Ale are both good choices. Safale S-04 or Danstar Winsor are the dry yeast choices.

English Porter By the Numbers

  • Color Range: 20 – 30 SRM
  • Original Gravity: 1.040 – 1.052 OG
  • Final Gravity: 1.008 – 1.014 FG
  • IBU Range: 18 – 35
  • ABV Range: 4.0 – 5.4%

English Porter Recipe

Grain

  • 72% 6 lbs Maris Otter Malt
  • 10% 1 lb Brown Malt
  • 10% 1 lb Crystal 45
  • 5% 8 oz Chocolate Malt
  • 3% 4 oz Crystal 80

Hops

  • 1.5 oz East Kent Goldings – Boil 60 min
  • .5 oz East Kent Goldings – Boil 10 min

Yeast

  • 1.0 pkg Wyeast London Ale 1028

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is an English Porter?

An English porter, simply known as “Porter” in Britain, is a beer style that differentiates from other porters based on the BJCP guidelines.

It has a rich history and has been around since the early to mid-1700s. The term “English porter” is used to distinguish it from other types of porters.

How did the English Porter originate?

There are various theories about the origin of the English porter. One popular belief is that it was introduced by a brewer named Ralph Harwood, who crafted a blend of beers known as “three-threads.”

This blend consisted of equal parts of mild brown ale, stale brown ale, and twopenny pale ale. Another theory suggests that the term “three-threads” could refer to the combination of three waters used during brewing.

What are the characteristics of an English Porter?

An English porter is brown in color with hints of mahogany. It has a strong malt character with mild roast notes, some chocolate undertones, and possible grainy, bready, and caramel notes.

The mouthfeel is light to medium, and the taste matches its aroma, with malt being the main attraction. It’s essential to avoid too much black malt as it can lead to a burnt taste.

How can one brew an English Porter?

To brew an English porter, one should use an English base malt like Maris Otter or English pale malt. Brown malt is historically significant for this porter recipe.

The grain bill can also include roasted malt, chocolate malt, or black malt.

Traditional British hops like Fuggles, Northern Brewer, Goldings, Challenger, and Northdown are recommended. The yeast used should be British with moderate attenuation, like Wyeast 1998 London ESB or 1028 London Ale.

What is the difference between an English Porter and other Porters?

The term “English Porter” is primarily used to differentiate this beer from other porters in the BJCP guidelines.

While the porter is a popular beer style enjoyed by many, the English porter has specific characteristics in terms of appearance, aroma, mouthfeel, and taste that set it apart from other types of porters, such as Baltic or Robust porters.

“Black Mamba” Blackberry Porter Recipe [Bonus]

Black Mamba Blackberry Porter Beer Recipe

Stats

  • O.G: 1.066
  • F.G: 1.018
  • Abv: 6% (Base Beer)
  • Efficiency: 75%
  • IBU: 19.8

Grain Bill

  • 7.5 lbs English Pale Malt
  • 3.75 lbs Caramel 60L
  • 1lb Chocolate Malt

Hops

  • 1oz East Kent Goldings @ 60min
  • 1oz Fuggles @ 5min

Yeast

  • London Ale III (Wyeast #1318)

Fruit

  • Blackberry Puree (I used 3lbs fresh blackberries and pureed them)
  • 8oz Light Candi Sugar (This gives a little extra body as fruit can ferment dry)
  • Blackberry Essence (You can find this in the wine section)

Process

  1. Crush grain and Mash at 152F for 60 minutes, then sparge.
  2. Boil 60 minutes, adding hops as above.
  3. Chill to 68F and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68F.
  4. Ferment to FG, or until yeast is dormant.

Secondary

  1. Heat blackberry puree to sanitize and melt candi sugar into the puree.
  2. Transfer porter to secondary and add blackberry puree.
  3. The fruit/sugar combination will get that yeast back to going full fury.
  4. Allow to sit in secondary until fermentation stops again.

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