Cambridge Calling

London Porter Porter originated in London in 1722 and gained popularity through the 1830s where it was common in working class pubs. As brewing techniques and technologies improved and pale beers became popular, the production of Porter began declining until the last original Porter brewery in London shut its doors in the 1930s. With this beer we pay homage to the working class heroes of the industrial revolution as well as the Clash City Rockers of the next century. Cambridge Calling replicates the Brown Porters common to this era. They differ from the Robust American porter represented by our Charles River Porter, as they offer a softer, toastier malt profile without the aggressive roast in Robust Porter expressions. [wpex more+"Read more" less="Read less"] It is brewed with British malts Maris Otter pale malt, Amber, Brown, Pale Chocolate, and Flaked Barley from Thomas Fawcett & Sons. The combination of these malts gives a very distinct flavor of cracker, toasted bread crust, light chocolate, and coffee. The beer pours with a moderate off white head and is deep brown in color with hints of ruby and garnet. For hops we used only Fuggles, a classic UK varietal known for its earthy spiciness and fruitiness. Fermentation was carried out by our house ale yeast, whose roots come from the original Whitbread Brewery – the largest brewery in the world in the 1780s. Perhaps the greatest challenge in replicating a classic beer style is in achieving the proper water chemistry. The majority of Porter breweries were located along the River Thames, which sits atop limestone and has salt water intrusion from the ocean. This combination worked perfectly as the minerals found in salt water help reinforce malt character, while limestone prevents the beer from becoming too acidic due to the darker malts. You may notice a slight mineral character in the finish of this beer as brewing salts, much like table salt, are used to enhance the already existing characteristics in the beer. Pint $5.50 Pitcher $18 Tower $30[/wpex]

Original Gravity
1.052

Final Gravity
1.017

Alcohol by Volume
4.6%