Back to Basics Beer Series - Browns, Stouts & Porters

It’s the last week of our Back to Basics blog series here at Legion. This week we’re covering a lot of ground by taking you through the flavor profiles of Browns, Stouts and Porters. Consistent with these styles, this post will finish fairly bitter - see? Satire already; can you tell I don’t want this to end?

We’re tackling multiple beer styles in one post for two reasons: the first is that there aren’t enough weeks in our calendar, and the second is that these styles have a lot of similarities, and learning about them in tandem will help you have a better understanding of the styles individually.

Let’s start first with aspects that each of these three beer styles have in common. Browns, Stouts and Porters all share English heritage - and were especially popular with the working class in London. In fact, Porter beers likely got their name for being the favorite drink of men who carried goods down by the Thames during the industrial revolution, porters.

As someone who has just returned from spending a semester studying (and drinking) in London, I can tell you first hand that the British love their dark beers -- and the Irish do too...

In terms of beer categorization, Browns, Stouts and Porters are known and loved for their dark colors and intense flavor profiles that stem from dark roasted, or, in the case of Stouts and Porters, blackened malts. The high temperatures at which the grains are malted yield dark flavors often associated with coffee, chocolate, dried fruit and nuts.

So, these three styles have similar historical roots and similar flavor profiles. But there are reasons they’ve each earned their own title.

Brown beers, while dark and intense like Stouts and Porters, do not typically have blackened barley malts. Brown beers are often made via the addition of dark roasted specialty malts or other grains that result in the beer’s dark color. The name for this style of beer was coined in London, but Brown ales are commonly brewed today in America and Belgium as well as England.

American brown Ales were invented by colonial homebrewers who were influenced by the traditional English style before the beer style was commercialized and mass-produced. American Browns are medium-strength and hoppy. Some point out similarities between American Brown Ales and American Pales but note that American Browns have more of a malt focus, which -- you’ll remember -- is what ties them back to Stouts and Porters.

When you taste a Brown Ale, you’ll likely come away with nutty, toffee, chocolate, and dark or dried fruit flavors.

One delicious American Brown Ale we’ve brewed here at legion is Maple Canyon. To add to the roasty, nutty aroma of the beer that is followed by notes of chocolate and coffee, we poured in 6 gallons of Vermont Grade A Maple Syrup towards the end of fermentation. This gave Maple Canyon an incredible sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel.

So, we’ve identified what makes Brown Ales a bit different from the rest of the bunch. As far as Stouts and Porters go, the distinction between the two is more unclear.

Stouts were originally called Porter Stouts, and were simply a secondary style of Porter that was stronger, more robust, and stout. Today, there are many different types of stouts: Irish Dry Stouts, American Stouts, British Sweet or “Milk” Stouts and Imperial Stouts to name a few.

One Irish Dry Stout we’ve brewed here at Legion, Slainte (‘slawn-cha’) really embodies the character of a stout. With a black, roasty flavor similar to coffee and a creamy mouthfeel, there’s no mistaking it for anything else. If you’ve never tried Slainte, think Guinness.

So, knowing that a Stout was originally a type of strong Porter, it makes sense that their brewing processes, and resulting flavor profiles, are closely aligned. As dark style, well-hopped beers originating in London, Porters and Stouts often feature malts that have been heavily roasted or even blackened.

The invention and subsequent popularization of Porters and Stouts came in the early 1800’s after a man known as Daniel Wheeler patented a malt drum roaster that allowed for kilning malts to be extremely dark without being burnt. This “black patent malt” led to these two black British styles, as we know them today.

As i’m sure you’ve guessed, we have an awesome Robust Porter on tap here at Legion. Known as Black Hole Sun, this beer is substantial, with potent roasty malt flavors delivered in a crisp package. This beer possesses and amazing balance between dark roast character and warm weather drinkability - hence the name Black Hole Sun.

Covering three beer styles in one short post was not an easy task, but well worth the trouble. Learning about Browns, Stouts and Porters separately would make it hard to see the similarities that exist among the beers. So, next time you’re in the taproom, be sure to ask for a Black Hole Sun.

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