Difference Between Stout and Porter

Stout vs Porter

In almost all parts of the world, beer is consumed. It is believed to have been consumed since 9500 BC. Next to water and tea, it is one of the most popular drinks in the world consumed by people of various ages.

There are two types of beer: lager and ale. They differ in the temperature in which they are brewed. Lagers, such as light and pale lager, are brewed at cooler temperatures while ales, such as porter and stout, are brewed at warmer temperatures.

Porter is a beer which has a dark color and is made of brewed dark malts. It was developed in the early 18th century in London and got its name from the street and river porters of London who favored it. It was the first beer to be aged in the brewery unlike other beers which are aged in the pub or by the dealer.

It is made by mixing aged porter with fresh or mild porter which is more time and cost efficient than using aged porter alone. As the years passed, the popularity of strong beer waned, and porter was made milder with less original gravity (OG).

Today there are several varieties of porter which are made in different parts of the world. There are chocolate, vanilla, honey, and bourbon porters. Ireland was the first to make its own porter and as it was exported to other countries such as Russia and Finland, they too developed their own varieties of porter.

A dark beer which is made of roasted malt or barley, hops, water, and yeast is associated with porter; it is called stout. It is used to refer to the strongest porter which has a sweet taste and uses a higher percentage of hops than other types of porter.

The word “stout” came from the Old French word “estout” which meant “proud and strong.” It was first used to refer to a strong, dark beer in the 1670s. It was later used to refer to any beer that has a strong flavor but is more associated with strong-flavored porter and is now being used synonymously with it.

There are several types of stout; dry or Irish stout (very dark and rich), Imperial stout (originally exported to Catherine II of Russia’s court), milk stout (contains lactose which is sweet), oatmeal stout (30 per cent oats), chocolate stout (has dark chocolate flavor), coffee stout (has a bitter coffee flavor), and oyster stout (made by placing oysters in the barrel).

Summary:

1.Porter is a dark-colored beer made of dark malt while stout is also a dark-colored beer made of roasted barley or malt, hops, water, and yeast with a strong flavor.
2.Porter was the first beer to be aged in a brewery while stout is a type of porter.
3.Although stout is associated with porter, it is also used to refer to any type of beer that has a strong flavor.
4.There are several varieties of porter like the Baltic porter, Irish porter, Pennsylvania porter, and robust porter while there are also several varieties of stout like the sweet stout, Imperial stout, and dry stout.

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