Porter, Stout, and Barley Wine
Porters, Stouts and Barley Wines derive their appearance, aromas and flavours mainly through the torrified malts used in such beers. In contrast to Pale Ales which are light in colour, these styles exhibit much darker shades, ranging from light brown for some barley wines, to deep petrol black for imperial stouts.
Porter
The Porter has its historical origin around 300 years ago in London. The style slowly lost its popularity and regained it in the 70s through the start of the craft beer movement. From this style emerged later on substyles such as the American Porter which is more intense in aromas and flavours, or the Baltic Porter.
Stouts
The Irish Stout emerged through the quest of the Irish to capitalise on the success of the Porter. It differentiated itself through the use of darker malts which led to more flavour and body in the beer. Nowadays, there are many varieties of Stouts, ranging from the Sweet Stout, Oatmeal Stout, to the very sought after Imperial Stout.
Imperial Stout
The pinnacle of these styles is represented by the Imperial Stout. In contrast to many other styles, this beer is not a thirst quencher. Instead, it is enjoyed over a long period of time taking small sips, similar to how one would drink a good whisky. These beers are very intense in flavour, usually exhibit a thicker consistency and a very dark color. They are taste concentrates, where one discovers layers upon layers of flavours.
Barley Wine
Barley Wines emerged in the late 19th century in England. These beers have an ABV close to wine and often exhibit low to moderate carbonation.
Dark Ales nowadays
Brewers are very creative, and the craft beer community is always on the lookout for something new. This led to many brewers reinventing the style, and using sometimes surprising ingredients and methods to push these beers to the next level.
Adjuncts
Brewers are not limited by fixed rules such as wine produces, and the culture is pretty keen on experimenting. This leads some brewers to use atypical ingredients in their beers. Adjuncts include other sources of fermentable sugars besides malt. These can take the form of unmalted oats or wheat, to the use of fruits or even chocolate. The spectrum for creativity is endless.
Barrel Aged
Some breweries barrel age some portions of their stouts in used Whisky, Bourbon, Cognac or other barrels. This typically adds another layer of complexity to the taste. These beers are typically more expensive because they are pretty limited as the barrel aging process takes time, and the number of barrels a brewery has is typically small.
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