Stout is undoubtedly a descendant of porter, a beer first created during the British Industrial Revolution in 1722. During this Industrial Revolution, the taxation of beers in England was not based on the actual beer, but rather the ingredients used. Coal was heavily taxed since the government was worried about the health effects of burning coal in cities, therefore the darker brown malts, which were cured with wood, were used more frequently than the paler malts cured with coal. [2] Since the cheaper dark beer catered to the industrial workers, such as porters, the beer was named "porter".
By 1762, with the invention of the saccharometer (a device used to measure the amount of sugar in a solution) along with Daniel Wheeler's roasting machine, much darker malts were being created. [2,6] These new malts changed the color of beer from brown to black and had coffee-like aspects to them. Beer made from the stronger, darker malts were known as "extra stout porters" and were eventually just known as "stouts". [2] This style of beer is similar to the American-style stout, while the history of the other stout styles are slightly different, but still based off of the original.
Irish-style dry stout uses similar malts, but tended to be drier in taste due to the use of barley. [7] Milk stouts, also known as sweet stouts, were named for the lactose that is added in the production process to combat the roasted malt and bitter flavors with a slight sweetness. The addition of lactose to beer was first done in 1669, but was obviously not used in stout-like beers until much later. [2] Oatmeal stouts were created when there was a low availability for regular malts. Typically oats aren't used in the brewing process because they tend to become gummy and sticky, but in small amounts they can add an oily taste to a beer that balances out the roasted malt and bitterness. [7]
Lastly, imperial stout got its name when English brewers tried to win over Catherine the Great, the Czar of Russia, when she visited England in the 1800's. [7] When visiting Catherine the Great liked the stout beer she had so much she requested the British brewers to send some back to Russia. However, the beer spoiled on the way there, so the brewers created "imperial stout", which was much higher in alcohol content, in order to combat spoilage. [7]
By 1762, with the invention of the saccharometer (a device used to measure the amount of sugar in a solution) along with Daniel Wheeler's roasting machine, much darker malts were being created. [2,6] These new malts changed the color of beer from brown to black and had coffee-like aspects to them. Beer made from the stronger, darker malts were known as "extra stout porters" and were eventually just known as "stouts". [2] This style of beer is similar to the American-style stout, while the history of the other stout styles are slightly different, but still based off of the original.
Irish-style dry stout uses similar malts, but tended to be drier in taste due to the use of barley. [7] Milk stouts, also known as sweet stouts, were named for the lactose that is added in the production process to combat the roasted malt and bitter flavors with a slight sweetness. The addition of lactose to beer was first done in 1669, but was obviously not used in stout-like beers until much later. [2] Oatmeal stouts were created when there was a low availability for regular malts. Typically oats aren't used in the brewing process because they tend to become gummy and sticky, but in small amounts they can add an oily taste to a beer that balances out the roasted malt and bitterness. [7]
Lastly, imperial stout got its name when English brewers tried to win over Catherine the Great, the Czar of Russia, when she visited England in the 1800's. [7] When visiting Catherine the Great liked the stout beer she had so much she requested the British brewers to send some back to Russia. However, the beer spoiled on the way there, so the brewers created "imperial stout", which was much higher in alcohol content, in order to combat spoilage. [7]