Historical precedent for beer styles matters less than common usage, and brewers today are more concerned with creative exploration than slavishly adhering to the way it’s been. But in a world where 15 percent ABV “Imperial Porters” sit on the shelf next to 8 percent “Imperial Stouts,” the dividing line between these two styles is less clear than ever. We asked craft brewers this loaded question and found that the difference between these two beer styles depends a lot on who you ask.
Stylistically speaking, the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) defines the overall impression of a stout as “a very dark, roasty, bitter, creamy ale,” while its overall impression of a porter is “a substantial, malty dark ale with a complex and flavorful roasty character.” But let’s see how that plays out in the craft-brewing world.
A Matter of Geography
“The distinction between the two is a relatively simple one to me: Porter hails from London while stout traces its origins to Ireland,” says Jared Long, head brewer at Altitude Chophouse and Brewery in Laramie, Wyoming. “Porter, as I understand it, came into favor in London once brewers discovered that the darkly colored malts helped to counteract the high mineral content of the local water. I’m guessing the same is true of stout in Ireland.”