Porter is a type of very dark, rich beer which is often high in alcohol. Porters are particularly popular in Great Britain and Ireland, where several breweries produce traditional porters such as Guinness Stout. The strength of porter can be intense for people who are not used to it, but this unique and flavorful beer is certainly worth a try. Many pubs carry an assortment of porters on tap, and you can also purchase bottled porter at markets and liquor stores.

The distinction between different types of beers can get confusing, especially in a crowd of beer fanatics. Essentially, a porter is made from malt which has been heavily roasted, imparting a smoky flavor to the finished beer and creating a distinctive dark color. Porter is also allowed to ferment slightly longer, giving it a higher alcohol content, although modern porters are relatively mild in comparison with their ancestors in the 18th and 19th centuries. Porter traditionally has a bitter bite, although some companies make honey porters or other more sweet versions of this beer.

The first written records of porters come from the 1700s, when this robust beer was apparently popular with the porters who carried luggage and goods throughout London. Over time, many breweries took to differentiating their porter by strength and style, leading to labeling like “extra porter,” “double porter,” or “stout porter,” the strongest beer in the porter family. Over time, stout porter came to be colloquially known as “stout.”

A well brewed porter will have a complex flavor with hints of hops, acidity, and a slight bitterness. The head on a porter can be quite frothy and dense, and the beer itself is often so rich that it could almost be drunk like a meal. Dark beer pairs well with foods like a ploughman's lunch, bread and butter, meat pies, and hearty sandwiches on rye, sourdough, or other tangy breads. A porter can also be enjoyed plain, as it has been for hundreds of years.

Different porters can taste wildly different; Irish and British porters, for example, have distinctively different flavors. If you try a porter you don't enjoy, don't give up on this diverse family of beers. You may want to consider going to a pub with a knowledgeable and friendly bar tender who can give you tastes of different porters or make a recommendation based on other beers that you like. Porter is often served at room temperature, allowing the flavor and scent to develop more fully.