The month of January is perfect for black beers. We already told you on our Instagram account that the friends of @garagarbeers had created the #JanuaryOil campaign to celebrate and celebrate this appetizing style for the coldest days.
We want to contribute our grain of sand and for this we are telling you everything we know about some of the most important stout styles. Today we are going to talk about the American Porter .
This style of dark beer originates from the United States. It is characterized by its roasted malt and chocolate flavor, but it also has hop notes that give it a fruity touch and greater bitterness than traditional Porter. The alcohol in an American Porter is usually in the 4-6% range.
The recipe that rescued the craft beer movement
The American Porter is a stronger version of the Porter of English origin. Historical versions exist, particularly on the US East Coast, some of which are still in production such as the Pre-Prohibition Porters . It's a fairly broad style, open to the brewer's interpretation, which has given rise to all kinds of curiosities, such as the Mangalitsa Pig Porter from Right Brain Brewery in Michigan, which includes smoked pork bones in the brew.
But it was the craft brewing world that recovered and gave its place of honor to this style of beer. The craft beer movement, also known as the " craft beer movement ", is a movement that emerged in the United States in the 1970s. It is characterized by the production of craft beers, brewed in small quantities and with high-quality ingredients, in place of beers brewed in large quantities with low quality ingredients.
Craft brewers focus on experimenting with flavors and techniques, and are often more innovative and creative than traditional breweries. They often use local and organic ingredients, and seek to differentiate themselves from traditional industrial beers by creating beers with unique and complex flavors.
What does an American Porter taste like?
It is not easy to create a closed list, since as we explained above, the recipe will depend a lot on the tastes of the creator brewer.
But we can define some general features of its sensory profile. To begin with, its color can be quite variable, from medium to very dark brown, often with ruby or garnet highlights. Being a dark beer, it can also be opaque. Its foam is creamy, a coffee with milk color and with good retention.
In the aroma, the typical notes of dark malts stand out, often with a slight burnt character. You can also find hints of grain, bread, toffee, caramel, chocolate and coffee. Hop aroma intensity can range from low to high, usually with a resinous, earthy, or floral character. What we will not find will be fruit esters.
Malt flavors are moderately strong, with slightly characteristic characteristics. The bitterness is medium to medium-high and presents a certain dryness in the finish. The dark malt and hop flavors are well balanced, presenting a certain resinous flavor in the dry-hopped versions.
The body ranges from medium to medium-full. Carbonation can range from moderately low to moderately high. Stronger versions may have a slight alcohol warmth.
Ingredients made in the USA
One of the hallmarks of the American Porter style will be the origin of the ingredients. The malt used will be primarily dark malt, often including Black malt and Chocolate malt. But both for the hops and for the high fermentation yeast, priority will be given to raw materials of American origin. For hops, American varieties such as Cascade, Centennial and Chinook will be chosen, which give it a fruitier flavor and greater bitterness.
Higher carbonation is also characteristic, which will give it a fresher mouthfeel than traditional Porters.
The American Porter is a full-bodied beer with an intense flavor, which is recommended to be paired with strong and smoked dishes, such as red meats, game dishes, and cured cheeses. It is also a good option to pair with chocolate desserts and cakes.