What’s the difference between a stout and porter beer? I have been asked many times.

Here’s the technical definition: Porters were a dark beer enjoyed by London river porters. Stouts were a stronger porter, or stout porter. Fast forward a couple hundred years later, through the many rises and falls of dark beer popularity, and the names are now acceptably interchangeable with no text book definitions other than dark beer. You can find that answer all over the place.

What you wont find anywhere but here is the Suit’s answer. He is the stout fan of Crooked 3 and over the years has come to his own conclusion.

[This is a worldwide Crooked 3 exclusive.]

Put simply, stouts are more thick and flavorful while porters are lighter and more watery tasting. This is a good rule of thumb that proves true most of the time. You want a dark beer to sip and enjoy – have a stout. You want a dark beer that is easier to drink – have a porter. So while the original definitions of the two words are viewed as no longer valid, in the real world they still seem to be true.

A great place to experience this is at BJ’s where they brew both – so you have minimal variables. Get tasters of the Tatonka Stout and the PM Porter. The stout tastes dark, thick and creamy. The porter also tastes dark but watery.

There’s also a few other interesting trends. Porters tend to get flavored. You can readily find smoked, coffee, vanilla, pecan and other varieties. Possibly their lighter flavor makes them easier to alter. Stouts tend to just grow stronger with imperial variations.

So that’s my answer. While technically there is no difference, in the real world there are definite trends.