Cloudwater Nitro Porter vs London Black: Which Should You Drink?

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Cloudwater Nitro Porter

Cloudwater Brew Co

United Kingdom · Porter - English

hopIQ rank #2291

82%

Overall similarity

side by side, across 56 flavour tags

London Black

Anspach & Hobday

United Kingdom · Porter - English

HOPIQ TAKE

Cloudwater Nitro Porter if you want that creamy, pillowy mouthfeel that coats your palate, London Black if you want a drier, more structured porter that lets you taste the roast grain more clearly. Both sit at nearly identical ABV and bitterness, so the real difference is texture versus taste definition. The nitro on Cloudwater genuinely changes the drinking experience—it's not just marketing. London Black plays it straighter, letting the craft brewing shine through restraint rather than technique.

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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick Cloudwater Nitro Porter when…

→You want the novelty and the ritual of nitro—it's genuinely different to drink
→Sessions where texture matters more than complexity
→You're mixing drinks through the evening and need something that won't fatigue your palate

Pick London Black when…

→You want to taste what the brewer actually made without technological assistance
→You prefer dryness and definition over smoothness
→When you're settling into fewer, better drinks rather than many

SIDE BY SIDE

	Cloudwater Nitro Porter	London Black
ABV	4.5%	4.4%
Bitterness	Lightly bitter	Lightly bitter
Colour	Dark	Dark
Style	Porter - English	Porter - English
Origin	United Kingdom	United Kingdom

WHAT IT TASTES OF

10 shared · 4 distinct

Both beers

roastedsmoothcreamysmooth-drinkingmaltydark fruitchocolatecoffeerichtoasty

STRUCTURE — HOW IT'S BUILT

Cloudwater Nitro PorterLondon Black

Bitterness

Body

TASTING NOTES

Cloudwater Nitro Porter

RoastedSmoothSmooth-drinking

The nitro does exactly what it promises: the pour is impossibly dense, almost black velvet in your glass. First sip hits with this creamy sweetness—chocolate, a hint of coffee, but nothing bitter or sharp. It's almost too smooth, actually, which sounds weird to complain about but means the flavor can feel a bit muted. Sits at 4.5% but drinks even lighter, finishing clean without any astringency. Perfect for when you want the *experience* of a proper porter without the weight.

London Black

RoastedCreamyChocolate

London Black has more presence on the tongue immediately—you get roasted grain clarity that the Cloudwater softens away. There's dark chocolate and a subtle tobacco leaf dryness that makes it feel more grown-up, less indulgent. The body is still approachable despite the structure, and the 4.4% sits so comfortably that you can actually taste the brewhouse decisions rather than just technique. It's what happens when restraint is the technique.

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