While early fall isn’t exactly cold, it’s only a matter of time before the days begin to grow shorter and the nights start getting cooler. That’s why autumn is such a great time to get into dark beers. Specifically, stouts and porters. But while both beers are dark in color and rich and robust in flavor, what exactly is the difference between the two beer styles? Both originated in England in the 1700s and are known for their chocolate, smooth, creamy flavor profiles. But they are subtly different.
Porters are made with malted barley and stouts are usually brewed with unmalted roasted barley. This is why porters are often sweet and creamier, with a ton of chocolate and dried fruit flavors. The stout, on the other hand, is often drier with a ton of roasted barley flavor along with chocolate, coffee, and other flavors. While stouts can be quite decadent, porters are usually overall lighter, thus making them a great choice for early fall drinking. Keep reading to find out what the best porter beers are to enjoy this autumn.
The best classic porters for fall
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the differences between stouts and porters, it’s time to find some to drink this fall. Lucky for you, there are countless award-winning options available. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite sweet, malty, well-balanced porters. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Anchor Porter
What didn’t Anchor help establish when it comes to American craft beer? Wanting to make a European-style beer when there were fewer than 100 breweries in America, Fritz Maytag settled on the English porter. Still made just how it first was in 1972, Anchor Porter presents much less roast characteristics than a modern porter and is highlighted by a dark fruitiness. It goes great with sweets, as seen above.
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
For a brewery now pushing out some of the finest mass-produced IPAs in the country, it can be odd to remember that Black Butte (along with Mirror Pond Pale Ale) is how the Oregon company, now over 30 years old, built its name. Chocolately, light-bodied, and less roasty than some of its contemporaries (and certainly fruitier), these characteristics are what made Black Butte Porter an approachable flagship beer.
Founders Porter
Founders is known for some of its big dark beers full of bold flavors, like KBS and Breakfast Stout, but it is beers like Founders Porter that helped build the Grand Rapids brewery into what it is today. Renowned for most of its other beers, few beers provide such a clear stylistic example as this porter, which is full of chocolate and coffee and balanced by a nice hop bitterness. A word to the wise: Founders Porter is far more robust than the first two on the list.
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Named after the famed ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1975, Edmund Fitzgerald is one of the fantastic beers made by Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Company and is without a doubt a classic American porter. Edmund Fitzgerald is, in terms of roast malt level, the most intense of our four porters on offer. The beer is sharp and nutty, but with a bit more bitterness than even Founders. Still, it’s incredibly smooth and drinkable. It’s an annual tradition for many to crack one on the November 10 anniversary of the ship’s sinking while listening to Gordon Lightfoot’s song about the fateful journey.
Bottom line
If you usually head right to stouts when the leaves start falling in autumn, you’re missing out on a more appropriate beer style. Porters, with their lighter body and balanced, sweet, flavor palate, are perfectly suited for fall weather. You know, when the season doesn’t know whether it’s still summer or heading headfirst into winter.
