What's the difference between porter and stout?
Porter is the cool Grandpa of dark beers, born around 300 years ago. Pales, Goldens, Ambers, Reds, Browns all have their time in the sun, but Ales, Lagers and Porters are the Mt Rushmore founding forefathers of beer, gluten free beer – and craft beer as we know it today.
Stout is Porter’s offspring and it’s what it says it is on the tin; it’s stout (strong in colour, robust in flavour and often punchy in alcohol volume). Of course, there are variations, nuances, funky ingredients and flavours in all styles – as demonstrated by our exclusive GABS Porter, Almilkilla – but the base stout style was born from Grandpa Porter.
What’s the difference in profile between a Porter and a stout?
Porters are generally more balanced and sweeter, with less roasty flavours and they don’t have to be black or even very dark. The basic brewing process is exactly the same before any adjuncts are thrown in the mix.
What is GABS? And which gluten free beer did TWØBAYS brew?
We had a lot of fun brewing Almilkilla, our 2022 entry for the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS Festival). It was an almond milk Porter, infused with vanilla – lactose free and vegan, and it was delicious!
“We added heaps of vanilla to bring the milky texture through and to lay down another dimension that suited the milk Porter genre," said head brewer Kristian Martin.
“Almond meal went into the mash to create a milky wort in the kettle where we added toasted almonds for extra roasty flavours. Naturally, being a gluten free porter it has a lighter mouthfeel, but we tried to give it as much substance as we could. It’s all about brewing styles of beer for people who otherwise can’t experience them. Not many people who lead a plant-based lifestyle will have had the pleasure of safely enjoying a milk porter – even fewer who live a gluten free lifestyle.”
What about No Doubt Stout?
We brought our gold medal-winning No Doubt back last month and, although we're running low on cans at the brewery, there is plenty out in fridges across Australia. Don't worry, we're brewing more soon!
In style, this is closest to a Sweet Stout (without the lactose usually found in a Sweet Stout – hence the experimentation with Almilkilla!) The original inspiration for No Doubt came from a Dry Irish Stout which is usually nitro charged – so we put it on Nitro at our Taproom!
“No Doubt Stout might be strictly closer to the Sweet Stout sub-style, but it was inspired by the Dry Irish Style genre,” says Kristian.
“Part of the original reason we can’t call it a Dry Irish Stout is that it wasn’t Nitro-charged, like Guinness is. Now, drinkers will have the full effect – and I’m pretty excited about it. Brewing gluten free isn’t just about sharing different styles, flavours and aromas with those who avoid barley, wheat and rye; it’s about sharing beer experiences, like drinking stout on Nitro.”
Pouring on Nitro also slightly changes the flavour and aroma, enhancing the deep, roasty chocolate, caramel and coffee notes.
“Both No Doubt Stout and Almilkilla were really fun beers,” says Founder Richard Jeffares.
“It may not be summer beer drinking season, but one of the best things about winter in Victoria is putting the fire on and settling into creamy, flavoursome porters and stouts. Visitors to our taproom this winter can have the full experience with No Doubt Stout on Nitro and Almilkilla.”
“Being born in Ireland, I have a certain affinity for Guinness (even though I moved here well before I was legally allowed to drink). So it’s really cool to be able to pour a stout on Nitro, just like they do with Guinness back in the Emerald Isle. It’s even cooler to do it with an award-winning gluten free beer so that all those who can’t just walk into a pub and get a Guinness – or any other stout – get to see what all the fuss is about.”