Porter was first brewed in Ireland in 1776 as a reaction to the increasingly large imports of the beer from London. Guinness introduced theirs in 1778, and continued to brew ale as well until 1799.
In Ireland, especially Dublin, the drink was known as "plain porter" or just "plain". This is the drink referred to in the famous refrain of Flann O'Brien's poem "The Workman's Friend": "A pint of plain is your only man."[5] It is also mentioned in the Saw Doctors song "Hay Wrap", where the protagonist claims "I'd kill for a pint of porter". By contrast, extra-strong porter was called Stout Porter and eventually became what is today stout.
The last Guinness Irish Porter was produced in 1974, though a beer named "Plain Porter" is still brewed by the Porterhouse microbrewery in Dublin.
Stout grew into its own recognised style. but there is still much debate today on whether this division is appropriate. Usually the deciding factor in whether a particular ale is a porter or a stout is strength. After the invention of malted barley roasted until black, also known as patent malt, in 1817, to impart a darker colour, which also gives a distinct burnt taste to the beer, Irish brewers dropped the use of brown malt, using patent malt and pale malt only, while English brewers continued using some brown malt, giving a difference in style between English and Irish porters and stouts. Stouts sometimes also use roast barley, unmalted barley roasted black, that can impart a flavour of coffee. |
