Porter and stout both originated in London in the 1700s and they come in many varieties. The porter was the first black beer and the top fermented, very dark brown beer soon became a favourite among the porters that worked at docks and rivers. And that is how this beer style got its name.   
Stout essentially means “strong” and was a later development of the porter. Stout porter became shortened to stout and the rest is history. In the Baltic region we also have our own version of the black beer, a so-called Baltic porter, which is a bottom fermented, very strong black beer. 

Both porter and stout are very malt driven beers. Roasted malt types add chocolate flavours and the dark colour ranging from very dark brown to pitch black. They are big-bodied beers and we like to describe the flavours from the malt with words like coffee, liquorice and smoke.  

Desserts with chocolate, caramel and dark fruits are the ultimate match for an intense, high alcohol black beer with a certain sweetness. Savoury dishes work well with porters and stouts too. A winning combination is pairing your black beer with a Southern style barbecue, ribs, brisket, or a game-based stew.