tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942512975777823366.post6203989987793200035..comments2023-03-27T06:29:44.176-07:00Comments on Beer on the Brain: Now that's a Stout Porter!RyanSimatichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08267774991959124283noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942512975777823366.post-33460902194958009512007-10-15T11:17:00.000-07:002007-10-15T11:17:00.000-07:00From the linked article from Michael Jackson on be...From the linked article from Michael Jackson on beerhunter.com:<BR/><BR/><I>It has been argued that sharp increases in the prices of malt encouraged brewers to use less, offsetting the impact on flavour by kilning it more highly and adding more hops.</I><BR/><BR/>It seems it was slightly more complex than just a sharp increase in price, but that cheaper production may have indeed been a development factor.<BR/><BR/>According to allaboutbeer.com:<BR/><BR/><I>The fabrication of coke from coal in 18th century Britain allowed maltsters to develop a high-heat dried pale malt that had no off-flavors as were common from wood-fired kilns. Taxes on coal, however, made production of this malt more expensive than the brown malt used for porters and stouts. As a result, the lighter colored "pale" ale that was produced from it was more expensive to make, and thus higher in price.</I><BR/><BR/>The consistency of these these new pale ales made them ideal for export, which would have reduced the supply in the domestic market. Additionally coke was taxed, which made the production of the pale ales more expensive. Low demand and a preference for export would have for an expensive beer. Thus, the brown malt used in porters would have been ideal for making a working man's brew.<BR/><BR/>Additionally, economics played a role in the formation of Irish Stouts specifically.<BR/><BR/>Again from allaboutbeer.com:<BR/><BR/><I>Taxes–or the avoidance of them–also helped create Irish-style stout. In his book, Classic Stout and Porter, Roger Protz notes that Arthur Guinness II developed his famous recipe by using non-taxed unmalted roasted barley in the place of black malt in his porters to reduce their cost. The bitterness of the roasted barley set his brews apart from those of his competitors in England and Scotland. It was instrumental in making Guinness Foreign Extra Porter Stout, a stronger version that became popular in the colonies. Guinness Double Stout came to dominate the London market. Here again taxes were a factor. As Protz notes:<BR/><BR/>Guinness…priced Double Stout midway between those of London porter and Burton pale ale, which led to complaints from the English brewers about the tax-dodging activities of their Irish competitors. (page 51)</I><BR/><BR/>So to answer your question shortly, yes there is some credibility to that. Taxes and increased cost of production seemed to have made porters and stouts a popular alternative, and Guinness seem to have taken advantage of untaxed, unmalted roasted barley to undercut other British competitors, which in turn developed the family of porter and stouts further.RyanSimatichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08267774991959124283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942512975777823366.post-10105966901808470392007-10-15T10:47:00.000-07:002007-10-15T10:47:00.000-07:00I drank too many Porters, now I am Stout.I drank too many Porters, now I am Stout.kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09843396291821870836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1942512975777823366.post-2655969956149532162007-10-15T10:31:00.000-07:002007-10-15T10:31:00.000-07:00Great little article :)I remember hearing that por...Great little article :)<BR/><BR/>I remember hearing that porters/stouts came about from the use of burnt malts, because they were cheaper. Any credibility to that?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10486758433219713763noreply@blogger.com