1721 LONDON PORTER

STYLE

Porter, as a style, originated in London in the 1700s. The original encarnacions served as a way of delivering a source of nutrition to the working classes of the day. Porter very quickly became every brewery’s passion project. For the first time, breweries had a way to take control out of the hands of the pub landlord, selling a product that did not require cellaring or ageing in the drinking house. Porter was, instead, aged at the brewery. It didn’t take long for porter to leave London and travel across Britain and even overseas. As so many breweries over the years have put their own spin on porter, there isn’t really an example that sums up the style. What did come out of all of the dark arts experimentation, however, were two subcategories: ‘Brown Porter’ and ‘Robust Porter’.

1721 Porter is a brown porter. At its heart is the malt that lead to the porter revolution all those years ago: brown malt. Expect a sweet chocolate flavour up-front chased by a delicate smokey taste. The hop character of this beer is uncomplicated, providing an appropriate level of bitterness and just enough of a floral nose to cleanse your palate.

ABV
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IBU
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GRAINS

  • Maris Otter

    Maris Otter is a cultivar of barley typically kilned to a mid-pale degree. Maris Otter was the result of a selective breeding process in England in the 1960s and since then has dominated as a must-have malt choice in the grist of any English style. Using Maris Otter as the base of your beer expect a red-copper hue with nutty and malty tastes.

  • Pale Crystal Malt

    Pale Crystal Malt is different from other malts in that most of the sugar content in the grain is readily available before the mash. This gives crystal malt a distinctly sweet flavour even when eaten on its own, uncooked. No surprise then that adding a pale crystal malt will add an extremely sweet malty character that persists into the finished beer. Pale crystal also adds notes of syrup and light honey.

  • Brown Malt

    Brown Malt is an ancient malt as far as grist choices go. This was traditionally used in high proportions in early porter and brown beers. Brown malt gets its colour from being kilned and roasted over a coal fire. This imparts a subtle and pleasing smoked flavour. The colour imparted by this malt perhaps goes without saying but it can be included in paler beers at lower proportions to avoid getting a brown beer. The overriding flavours given by this malt at low levels are coffee and chocolate.

  • Chocolate Malt

    Chocolate Malt is a deeply coloured malt that does not contribute much sweetness to the beer. It imparts a deep brown/black colour even at low levels. The flavours bestowed by this grain can be considered chocolatey, however the chocolate descriptor refers more to the colour of the malt than its flavour. Expect strong coffee and roast flavour even bordering on pleasantly acidic.

HOPS

  • Northern Brewer

    Northern Brewer (AA 6-10%) originates from the UK and so it well suited to English and European-style ales and lagers. There are also some classic styles in the US that rely on Northern Brewer hops. It is a truly versatile hop. Added early in the boil Northern Brewer will provide a highly bitter base and perhaps a woody taste with little hop aroma. Added later, this hop provides a pleasant piney flavour and aroma with slight minty notes.

  • Fuggles

    Fuggles (AA 4-6%) is a hop so treasured by English brewers that it has travelled the world to lend it’s unmistakable flavour profile to future generations of ‘craft’ hops. Fuggles is not typically used to impart bitterness, however, when added early in the boil it can impart a clean, gentle spiciness. The true power of this hop lies within 20-30 minute boils where fresh-cut grass, fruity and floral flavours dominate. Adding as a dry hop provides an aroma that holds its own against any other hop in the world.