Our Inspiration

London, England

Beer has been brewed in England since the time of the Romans in 50 BC. During the Middle Ages, beer was the most common drink and was consumed in areas of northern and eastern Europe. Original English beer, brewed before the 1400’s, did not have hops. The first hopped beers were imported from the Netherlands but English farmers began growing their own hops by the 1420’s.

In the 18th century, as London’s industrial revolution shifted production of goods from hand to machines and transformed the global economy, brewers began developing a new style of beer: The Porter. Like the industrial revolution transformed manufacturing and industry, the porter transformed London beer-making. Before the porter, beers were shipped prior to fermentation and aging. The porter was the first beer that was conditioned and fully-fermented at the brewery before being shipped.

Just like the industrial revolution, these London porter breweries pioneered many critical developments for the beer industry. They were the first breweries to brew beer at a commercialized, large scale and they pioneered the use of large storage vessels and the use of the thermometer and hydrometer.

Around the same time, construction began on the Big Ben clock tower. This tower would be completed in 1859 and would become one of the most famous landmarks of London. Standing over 316 feet tall, Big Ben has become a cultural symbol of the United Kingdom and is an inspirational reminder of the many contributions the first London porter breweries made to our industry.

The Style

London Style Porter

The English Porter is one of the oldest commercial beer styles in existence. The beer was immensely popular in London, particularly with the working class. As the Porter reached its height of popularity in the early 1800’s, global trade began connecting the world like never before. This led to the London Porter becoming the first internationally distributed beer.

Although Europe would eventually shift its focus to Stouts, Porters remained popular in the United States. Our Big Ben Porter is brewed in the style of the first London Porters with mild roast character and hints of chocolate and caramel.