BREWING A BALTIC SESSION COFFEE PORTER WITH TITANIC BREWERY
Titanic have built a great, well-deserved reputation for brewing fabulous dark beers. Last year, we were thrilled to welcome head brewer Will from Titanic to Castle Rock, to collaborate on a traditional Victorian porter.
Taking influence from 19th-century recipes and ingredients, the result was a robust porter with a wonderfully bittersweet character.
This time, it was our turn to hit the road and brew something equally special. Last week, we headed up to Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, to Titanic’s impressive brewery nestled in amongst the pottery kilns.
A NEW TWIST ON A CLASSIC STYLE
Where last year’s collab leaned firmly into Victorian tradition, this one was about trying something a bit different.
The result? A session-strength Baltic-style coffee porter.
Baltic porters are traditionally stronger, smooth, and often lager-fermented, but for this beer our respective brewery teams wanted to keep things lighter, more approachable, and effortlessly drinkable – without compromising on depth and flavour.
The malt bill laid down layers of soft chocolate and toasted bread, while a clean fermentation would keep everything crisp and smooth. The final flavour would come from the coffee.
BREW DAY WITH TITANIC
With the recipe decided, it was straight into brew day mode. Working alongside brewers Will and Fazz was an absolute pleasure – a proper meeting of minds, swapping notes on malt selection, roast character, and how best to integrate coffee while keeping the beer balanced and sessionable.
As the mash and boil progressed, the brewhouse filled with aromas of cocoa, toast and freshly ground coffee – the kind of smell that gives you quiet confidence that the end result will be properly tasty.
As ever with collabs, the conversation flowed just as easily – yeast behaviour, classic pubs, changing drinking habits, and the shared challenge of keeping traditional styles relevant in a modern beer landscape.
Jon peering into the mash tun to check progress.
ENTER THE COFFEE: CHARTLEY
The coffee for the brew was supplied by Chartley Coffee – run by good friends of Fazz’s and long-time coffee suppliers to all of Titanic’s pubs and cafés. Rather than using an off-the-shelf roast, they went one better and created a bespoke blend specifically for this beer.
The result was a coffee that complemented the porter perfectly. Designed to bring subtle bitterness and depth, lifting the chocolate and roast notes without tipping the beer into harshness.
And in a brilliant finishing touch, they even put the beer’s pump clip onto the coffee bags themselves – a small detail, but one that perfectly sums up the spirit of the collaboration.
Will and Niamh, from Titanic’s Marketing team with the Chartley coffee.
A PROPER LOCAL LUNCH
No visit to Stoke would be complete without sampling a true local classic, so for lunch we tucked into Staffordshire oatcakes from the long-established Smallthorne Oatcakes.
Jon queueing for his oatcake.
Warm, soft and generously filled, they were just what we needed on a cold, drizzly day – comforting, filling, and rooted firmly in local tradition. A reminder of just how tied food, drink and place really are.
PORTER, PEOPLE AND PROPER COLLABORATION
That’s the joy of collaborations like this. They’re not about chasing trends or ticking boxes – they’re about shared values, mutual respect, and learning from one another.
From Castle Rock and Titanic to Chartley’s, this beer is a true reflection of what happens when passionate people and local producers come together.
THE BEER
The finished beer is shaping up beautifully.
Expect:
It’s a beer that nods to history while fitting perfectly into the present.
TWO BREWERIES, ONE SHARED LOVE OF PORTER
We’re incredibly proud to have brewed with Titanic Brewery once again, and huge thanks go to Will and Fazz for the warm welcome, shared knowledge, and a cracking brew day – as well as to Chartley’s for the bespoke coffee blend, and Smallthorne Oatcakes for fuelling us in proper Staffordshire style.
If last year’s Victorian porter was anything to go by, this one won’t hang around for long – so keep an eye on the bar and make sure you grab a pint while you can!
Here’s to classic styles, strong collaborations, and doing porter properly!
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