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Pilothouse

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Chocolate and coffee with a touch of smoke on the nose, and a caramel sweetness that balances the roasted and smoky malt. Pilothouse is a dark brown porter at 4.4%, brewed with smoked wheat, chocolate and black malt and hopped with Magnum and Opus. It is named for the pilothouse from which Charles Wells steered his ship as a Merchant Navy captain, before he founded his first Bedford brewery.

ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark28
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
chocolatecoffeeroasted
chocolate
coffee
roasted
smoky
caramel
malty
Aroma
The nose opens with prominent roasted chocolate and coffee notes, underscored by a subtle wisp of smoke from the smoked wheat.
also:dark fruit
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,spicy

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Pilothouse

◎ Appearance

Deep brown with an opaque, almost black core when held to light. A dense, tan head forms with moderate retention and fair lacing down the glass. Carbonation is restrained, lending the beer a settled, contemplative presence.

deep brownopaquedense headmoderate lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent roasted chocolate and coffee notes, underscored by a subtle wisp of smoke from the smoked wheat. A touch of caramel sweetness emerges beneath, tempering the darker roasted grain character without dominating. The overall impression is warm and inviting, grounded in malt complexity.

chocolatecoffeesmoked maltcaramel sweetness

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and malty, with roasted chocolate and coffee notes moving across the palate in equal measure. Mid-palate brings caramel sweetness into balance against the smoky, roasted grain character, creating a genteel contrast. Bitterness is measured at 33 IBU, allowing the malt profile to dominate rather than asserting hop character; the finish remains dry without harshness.

chocolate-forwardbalanced sweetnessroasted grainrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The aftertaste is smooth and sustained, trailing roasted malt and a faint smoke character. A gentle dryness closes the swallow without astringency, leaving chocolate and coffee notes to linger softly.

smooth faderoasted malt memorydry close
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
79
Appearance
76
Finish
74
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°C. Too cold mutes the roasted complexity that makes a good porter worth drinking slowly.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink within 6–12 months for best results. Baltic Porters can be aged longer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Pilothouse

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About Porter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Porter?

Porters are dark ales with 4–6.5% ABV and IBU 18–35. Roasted malt brings chocolate, caramel and toffee — medium body with a clean finish.

Finding a similar Porter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same chocolate, coffee, roasted character as Pilothouse will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Porter beers in hopIQ →New to Porter? Read our guide →Browse United Kingdom beers →