Stout vs Porter? What are the main differences?

[birdley123]

I brew Stouts; I drink Stouts: I love Stouts; however, my buddy tells me that
if I think stouts are good, I should try a good Porter...
I always associate Porters with Port wine; I don't know why maybe the name, but apparently I'm wrong!

What are the main differences between stouts and porters?

thx,

 

[roastquake]

nothing much, some would say absolutely nothing. But it's my perception, from what I've read, that stouts have unmalted roasted barley while porters use black roasted malt. but again, it's all interpretation. Check out the BJCP guidelines for the styles

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style12.php

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style13.php

 

[finsfan]

Interested in knowing the answer as well. great question

 

[ShootsNRoots]

The answer to the question: "What's the difference between a stout and a porter" is that originally a stout was simply a strong version of porter: today the difference is whatever you want it to be.

http://www.beerconnoisseur.com/porter-versus-stout

 

[Zamial]

As far as I know the difference is roasted barley and what you call it. Stouts have RB and porters, many argue, should have none but some recipes have RB in it...

 

[TheZymurgist]

http://www.beerconnoisseur.com/porter-versus-stout

I was just about to post this. Good thing I double checked. That site has the historical background, and states that the lines are blurred today. Personally, I like to stick to the historical background so that there's some definition. My take is that roastiness, color, and opacity increase incrementally from Brown Ale to Porter to Stout.

 

[Beernik]

Porters were the first high quality beer that was really affordable to the working class and became popular with Porters.

Stout became a shortened name for Stout Porters, or stronger Porters.

These days, I think the main difference between Stouts and Porters is marketing. Stouts sell better.

Generally, when I drink a Stout, I expect it to be roastier and darker than I would expect a Porter to be.

 

[stbnj]

At least for me, here at the Patio Brewing Company, I don't use roasted barley in any of my porters. I will use carafa special to get color or debittered black malt in small quanities but never roasted malt. I usually mash my porters a bit lower so they are a tad dryer than my stouts.