Darks, Stouts & Porters

ABOUT DARK, STOUT, PORTER BEER

There’s something about a glass of dark beer on a gloomy day that has an almost magical ability to elevate one’s mood. Smooth, rich and comforting, dark beers can sometimes feel like a meal in and of themselves. The unmistakable colour of dark beers comes from the roasting of barley during malting–a process that bears many similarities to roasting coffee. Barley is roasted in a kiln, where both the temperature and duration influence the colour and flavour of the grain. Aside from hops, a range of additional ingredients (referred to as adjuncts in the brewing industry) are also frequently added to dark beers to enhance their flavour or texture. These ingredients can include lactose (‘milk’ stouts), oats, fruit and/or confectionary foods (especially in the case of ‘dessert’ or ‘breakfast’ stouts) and–though somewhat polarising to some–even seafood!

Typically, dark beers soar in popularity in the colder months of the year, but for those of you who drink it all year round… we tip our hats to you!