Back in Black — How London’s Contemporary Brewers Are Reclaiming the City’s Porter Traditions

At its peak, Porter spanned the globe, much as Lager does today. Everywhere people drank it, they recognized London as its source. City and beer were synonymous. Yet Porter too sank beneath the gray Thames mud—or nearly did. Its popularity waned throughout the late-19th and early-20th centuries as older drinkers died out and younger ones chose other beers. Brewers sought to bolster their falling profits and reduced Porter in both strength and price. By the end, Porter had become a weak imitation of its former self—and the brewing of dark beers, in particular Stouts, had moved internationally and was no longer considered London’s calling card.