Zywicki Portor Beer: Hops Or No Hops?

Porter is a style of beer that was first brewed in London, England, in the 18th century. It is characterised by its brown to black colour, medium body, and a robust flavour that often includes notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. Porter beers are typically brewed with a combination of malted barley, dark malts, and hops, with English hops such as East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, and Willamette being popular choices. While the exact recipe for Zywiec Porter beer may not be publicly available, it can be assumed that it contains hops as they are a fundamental ingredient in the brewing process and are typically used in porter beers.

Porter is a style of beer first brewed in London, England, in the 18th century

Porter was developed from brown beer, which was already being produced in London in the early 18th century. It was delivered to publicans to age and blend to their customers' tastes. Before 1700, London brewers sent out their beer very young, with any ageing into stale styles performed by the publican or a dealer. Porter was one of the first beer styles to be aged at the brewery and dispatched ready to drink.

The innovation of porter is attributed to Ralph Harwood, a brewer at the Bell Brewhouse in Shoreditch. The first delivery of porter was claimed to be to The Blue Last pub in Shoreditch. Harwood's beer was a blend of several beers, or "threads", served in a single glass. It was called "entire butt", bundling the flavours of several beers into a single, labour-saving ale.

Porter was one of the first industrial beers and was originally brewed in giant vats. It was first mentioned in 1721 and became common in print by the 1760s. By the end of the 18th century, it had become big business, with 24 chief porter brewers in London producing over 1,176,000 barrels between them.

The large London porter breweries pioneered many technological advances, such as the use of the thermometer and the hydrometer. The first porters were brewed from 100% brown malt, but brewers soon noticed that brown malt only produced about two-thirds as much fermentable material as pale malt. When the malt tax was increased during the Napoleonic Wars, brewers had an incentive to use less malt. Their solution was to use a proportion of pale malt and add colouring to obtain the expected hue.

Porter was a strong beer by modern standards, with an original gravity (OG) of 1.071 and 6.6% alcohol by volume (ABV). However, increased taxation during the Napoleonic Wars pushed its gravity down to around 1.055. The popularity of the style prompted brewers to produce porters in a wide variety of strengths, from Single Stout Porter to Imperial Stout Porter.

The popularity of porter was significant. It became the first beer style to be brewed around the world, with production commencing in Ireland, North America, Sweden, and Russia by the end of the 18th century. The history of stout and porter are intertwined, with the name "stout" originally referring to strong porters, later shortened to just "stout".

The name stout, used for a dark beer, came about because strong porters were marketed as stout porter

The name "stout", used for a dark beer, came about because strong porters were marketed as "stout porter", later shortened to just "stout". The history of stout and porter are intertwined, with the first known use of the word "stout" for beer in a document dated 1677 in the Egerton Manuscripts, referring to its strength. Porters were brewed to a variety of strengths, with the stronger beers called "stout porters".

Porter originated in London, England, in the early 18th century. The beer became popular in the city, especially with porters (hence its name). It had a strong flavour, lasted longer than other beers, was significantly cheaper, and was not easily affected by heat. Within a few decades, porter breweries in London had grown "beyond any previously known scale".

The first porter was brewed by Ralph Harwood, a brewer at the Bell Brewhouse in Shoreditch, and delivered to The Blue Last pub in Shoreditch. It was a single beer that was supposed to match the flavour of a mixture of three or even four beers, which were commonly served in individual pots. He called it Entire Butt, but it soon became known as porter, due to its popularity with the manual labourers of London's markets.

As the popularity of porter grew, brewers began to produce porters in a wide variety of strengths. These started with Single Stout Porter, followed by Double Stout Porter, Triple Stout Porter, and Imperial Stout Porter. As the 19th century progressed, the porter suffix was gradually dropped.

The terms stout and porter are used by different breweries almost interchangeably to describe dark beers, and they have more in common than in distinction.

Porters were the first beers to be widely mass-produced and exported

Porter is a style of beer first brewed in London, England, in the early 18th century. It was the first beer style to be brewed around the world, with production commencing in Ireland, North America, Sweden, and Russia by the end of the 18th century.

The innovation of porter beer is attributed to Ralph Harwood, a brewer at the Bell Brewhouse in Shoreditch, London. The first delivery of porter was made to The Blue Last pub in Shoreditch. The name "porter" is believed to have originated from its popularity with porters—strongmen for hire who carried loads of goods on their backs.

Porter was one of the first beer styles to be aged at the brewery and dispatched ready to drink. It was also a style that could be made on a large scale, and London porter brewers such as Whitbread, Truman, Parsons, and Thrale achieved economies of scale and financial success.

According to beer historian Martyn Cornell, London-brewed Porter was the first beer to be widely exported. It reached Ireland by the 1730s, North America and the Baltic lands by the 1740s, Northern Europe by the 1760s, and India around the same time.

The large London porter breweries pioneered many technological advances, such as the use of the thermometer and the hydrometer. These tools allowed brewers to accurately measure the yield of malt and adjust the alcohol content of their beers.

The popularity of porter started to decline in the 19th century with the rise of pale ales and India pale ales. By the 1920s, most porters had become weak and thin, and the style was considered a beer for old men. The last porter was produced in London in 1941.

However, porter has seen a revival in recent decades, especially in North America, where it has become a respectable craft beer style. Dozens of breweries in Britain are now making porter, and the style continues to evolve with new variations such as pumpkin, honey, vanilla, plum, and chocolate porters.

Porters were the first beers to be aged at the brewery before dispatch

Porter is a style of beer first brewed in London, England, in the early 18th century. It was the first beer style to be brewed and exported worldwide, with production commencing in Ireland, North America, Sweden, and Russia by the end of the 18th century.

Before the development of porter, London brewers sent out their beer very young, and any ageing was performed by the publican or a dealer. Porter was one of the first beer styles to be aged at the brewery and dispatched ready to drink immediately. This innovation, along with its suitability for large-scale production, brought financial success to London porter brewers such as Whitbread, Truman, Parsons, and Thrale.

The key to the success of porter was the malt used. Ralph Harwood, a brewer at the Bell Brewhouse in Shoreditch, created a single beer that matched the flavour of a mixture of separate beers, which was commonly served in pubs. This new porter was made entirely from brown malt, produced in Ware, Hertfordshire, and shipped to London. The brown malt gave the beer its characteristic flavour, and its long ageing process added to its appeal.

The first porters were strong beers by modern standards, with an alcohol content of around 6.6%. Over time, taxation and ingredient costs led to changes in the brewing process, and the use of brown malt declined in favour of pale malt. However, London porter brewers continued to age their beer in large vats for up to 18 months before delivery to pubs, and this ageing process was found to improve the flavour.

The popularity of porter began to wane in the 19th century, with the rise of pale ales and a shift away from long beer storage. Porter was increasingly sold "mild", with less ageing, and its alcohol content decreased. By the early 20th century, porter had largely disappeared, replaced by stout as the preferred dark beer style.

American porters are generally stronger, more bitter, darker, and dryer than their English counterparts

Porter is a style of beer that was first brewed in London, England, in the early 18th century. Over time, the style evolved and spread to other parts of the world, including North America. Today, American porters differ from their English counterparts in several ways and are generally stronger, more bitter, darker, and dryer.

The key difference between American and English porters lies in their flavour profiles and ingredients. American porters tend to have a more robust and pronounced flavour, with higher levels of bitterness. This is achieved through the use of different types of hops and a higher proportion of dark grains, such as chocolate and black patent malts. The base grain for American porters is typically pale malt, which makes up about 70% to 90% of the grain bill. In comparison, English porters are known for their softer, sweeter, and more caramelly flavours, with lower alcohol content.

Another distinguishing factor is the colour. American porters tend to be darker, ranging from dark brown to almost black, with ruby and mahogany highlights. On the other hand, English porters are usually light brown to dark brown and often exhibit ruby highlights when held up to the light.

In terms of body and texture, American porters typically have a medium to medium-full body and moderately low to moderately high carbonation. This contributes to a slightly drier mouthfeel compared to English porters, which are known for their smooth and creamy texture.

The history of American porters is relatively recent, dating back only about 40 years. The style was reintroduced during the craft beer revolution, with the first post-prohibition porter brewed by Fitz Matag and the Anchor Brewing Company in 1972. However, the roots of the porter style go back much further, with the original English porters emerging in the 1700s.

Overall, while American and English porters share a common heritage, they have diverged over time, resulting in distinct flavour profiles, appearances, and sensory experiences. American porters have embraced the robust and bitter characteristics, while English porters tend to showcase softer, sweeter, and more subtle flavours.

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