Epochal The Fixed Stars

The Fixed Stars is a 6.2% Glasgow Light Porter. It’s based on the work of (arguably) Scotland’s top 19th Century porter brewer, James Steel. At the time Steel was working, London porter was characterised by large additions of brown malt. Steel, being a man of strong opinions, thought brown malt was “a mere waste of grain” and advocated using lots of amber malt instead, which has a more mellow roasted character. 

Another distinctive element of his approach is that, whilst a blend of 1/3 aged beer, 2/3 young had been the classic for aged porters, he preferred to use around 90% fully attenuated, funky mature beer with only enough fresh beer to bring (high) carbonation.