Porters are more than just, “that other dark beer”. Over the past decade or so craft beer consumers have sprinted down a dark, windy, roasty, path of the stout. From barrel-aged to fruited to breakfast variations to those infused with lactose and cake, stouts have become a darling of modern American craft brewers. But along the way we’ve forgotten that porters are kind of like the OG dark beer! Originating during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century in London, porters take their name from the London working class that first enjoyed them: boatmen, punters, and porters. After dominating England during the 1700s, the style lost popularity in the early 20th century and faded away until being semi-revived as a style during the rise of craft beer