porter: nectar of the gods
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 6:33PM in Creative Life 
A September evening. The heat of the day dissipates and instead of leveling out, as it did all summer, it continues falling—and with it goes the light, notably earlier. The crickets are slowing down; one suspects they are about to give up.
What comfort can one find in such circumstances? I recommend a nice glass of Porter.
Porter is an ale style that evolved in the city of London—malty, robust, one might even say powerful, with a thick mouthfeel and a lingering sweetness mixed with a big taste of roasted malts. The alcohol content is relatively low, which makes it the perfect "session beer," a bit of jargon that explains itself upon close examination.
Notice the lacing on the glass—a sure sign of quality. Served at about 55 degrees, it gains character as it warms to room temperature. Porter stands up to a rich meal well; serve it with a steak, a stew, or a plate of cheeses, fresh figs, and a crusty baguette.
If you're like me, you have a bunch of friends who like beer. Call them up. Invite them to drop by. Let the black gold flow.
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Reader Comments (2)
What's your favorite Porter? Made my own beer one summer,
many moons ago. It was some of the best dark beer I'd ever
had, and I wasn't much of a beer drinker back then as I didn't go
for your standard light ales. Will have to give it a go again...
Mary, I used an Irish ale yeast for this one and it was hands down the best I've ever made. Sadly, 'tis all gone now. I am thinking I'll brew some more next month, which should make it available by Valentine's Day.