The Hobbit - Chapter 01 - An Unexpected Party

[Child of the 7th Age]

Dragging this up again.....

I have a question that I hope someone can answer as it's not the kind of thing that you can "google". I'm curious about Bilbo's "porter" that he served to some of the dwarves.

I had never even heard of porter before and have no idea what it takes like. Is it something like Guiness stout? Do people still drink this at the pubs? And what brands are there, in case I decide I want to try this? Is there something about porter that would make it especially appealing to dwarves?


When I looked it up online, the best I could come up with is this:

porter: (English) London style brew that became practically extinct, but is making a comeback. Originally made to satisfy the demand for a 50/50 mix of ale and stout, porter's dark brown hue comes from roasting the barley before the brewing process begins. A lighter-bodied companion to the stout, it possesses a less pronounced hop flavor than ale, and is a heavier brew than most, with just a hint of sweetness.