When I first got into beer in the late 90s, Porter was my go to style. Most brewpubs had one on, and it was generally a pretty safe, enjoyable offering.
Fast forward to the last few years, where every time I see “English Porter” on the menu I know it is going to be a completely crap example of the style. Baltic Porters have maintained well, a different creature of course.
Do you think this is because brewers have shifted to different yeasts that are inappropriate for the style? Or perhaps simple recipe failure, not being used to using UK malts?
As far as I know, a good Porter is hard to find in the UK too, though a lot more classic examples exist.
I went through this too but more with browns than porters. When I do see porters now, a lot of them tend to be coffee porters. But I like those so… I guess it doesn’t hit me as hard as it does you.
Still not seeing a lot of great (or even average) browns though.
I do not remember seeing an “English” porter at a U.S. brewpub for a while. Though, when I see porter, still pretty rare, I always get it. Straight porters (no adjuncts) seem to be hard to mess up nowadays but difficult to find.
Very much I agree, and not just about a good old fashioned English porter. But just in general the classic english styles. When’s the last time anyone has seen an ESB? And yea the brown ale/mild too. Hell just about any simple classic beer style is long gone in favor of ridiculous flavors.
Yeah, I mean you moved to Florida. In philadelphia today I drank a mediocre bitter and a banana mild ale (banana barely to be tasted), but generally the English styles are getting love with Forest & Main cranking out milds and some other traditional styles.
I see a lot of Milds these days, and unlike the first few years in the US, these are a little closer to true to style now, no complaints there. ESB not so much. Can’t even buy Fuller’s ESB at a store anymore.
ESBs still show up here and there at brewpubs and hipster breweries. I’d say I see more ESBs than amber ales (not that I miss that style). Similar with milds. But there was a drought on this style for a while .
I don’t really see Porters much at brewpubs these days and when I do, they tend to be some sort of spinoff like, brewed with graham crackers and marshmallow or something.
That said, I was very happy to pick up a sixer of Tallgrass Zombie Monkey Robust Porter at a local bottle shop last night, it’s been years since I have had that stuff.
Agreed with the other posts that a lot of the more drinkable malt-focused styles are largely gone around here in favor of the current glut of haze & sours. One exception to that is the Emperial Biscuit, which I have started to see more of on the KS side lately. I love that beer.
So many of the classic imported British ales here in KC have been disappearing steadily for years now. A few Samuel Smiths is about all there is nowadays.
