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San Francisco Porter

Brouwerij De Ranke
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🌍 Belgium · Porter · One of 97 Porters in hopIQ

San Francisco Porter joined the De Ranke range in 2024 as a nod to the American porter tradition of California. It is brewed in the steam-beer manner: a bottom-fermenting yeast carries out the main fermentation, and a top-fermenting yeast takes over for the refermentation in the bottle. The result is black-brown and dry at 5.5 percent. Roasted malt, bitter chocolate, coffee and a touch of dried fruit shape the aroma. The palate balances roast and caramel against a pronounced hop bitterness that lingers long into a very dry finish.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark28
See all Porter alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Substantial body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Off-dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Moderate bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Porter.
Hop character
hoppy
Malt character
roasted
chocolate
coffee
caramel
malty
Distinctive notes
dark fruit

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for San Francisco Porter

◎ Appearance

Deep black-brown colour with excellent opacity and modest clarity typical of the style. A dense, tan foam head forms quickly and clings persistently to the glass with fine Schaumkleiden, indicating good protein and carbonation retention. The body appears full and viscous, suggesting underlying malt structure.

black-browndense foamexcellent retention

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with roasted malt character—burnt grain, cocoa, and coffee notes dominate without harshness. Underneath, bitter chocolate and a subtle dried-fruit character emerge, likely from the dual-yeast fermentation creating complexity. Hop bitterness is restrained on the nose, allowing the roast and confectionery notes to shine.

roasted maltbitter chocolatecoffeedried fruit

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth, with caramel sweetness balancing a pronounced roast backbone. The mid-palate reveals the dual-yeast character: a dry fermentation profile amplifies hop bitterness, which builds steadily across the palate. Roast and chocolate provide counterpoint, but do not overwhelm the crisp, drying bitterness that defines the finish.

roast, caramel balancepronounced hop bitternessdry fermentation

◑ Finish

The finish is very dry and persistent, with lingering bitterness that extends well past the swallow. A subtle astringency from roasted malt and residual hop compounds leaves the mouth clean and inviting of another sip.

drylingering bitterness
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
79
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
75
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of San Francisco Porter

Serve at 10–13°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

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

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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.

Food Pairing

What to eat with San Francisco Porter

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 roasted, bitter, dry character as San Francisco Porter will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Porters in hopIQ

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