what's sweeter, porters or stouts?

Question

Which beer is "sweeter"? A porter or a stout? Specifically the Deschute's Brewery Porter or Stout, but they're somewhat local beers, so we're being general here.

Answer 1

Neither. Both are very heavy beers

Answer 2

I thought porter and stout were the same thing.

Here is a link to Deschutes' website where you can read the description of each one.. for example

Black Butte Porter
Dark and distinctive like Black Butte itself, Black Butte Porter uses chocolate and crystal malts, crafting a rich, approachable porter.

Obsidian Stout
Smooth and black, like the volcanic rock, Obsidian Stout is a solid, satisfying beer with a rich roasted-malt flavor.

Answer 3

Porter is normally made with a lower IBU (International Bitterness Unit) level than Stout; therefore Porter is the sweeter of the two brews.
The exception is "Milk Stout" which is realllllly sweet. Mackeson XXX is a good example.

Answer 4

Dry or sweet, flavoured with roasted malt barley, oats or certain sugars, stouts and porters are characterized by darkness in colour and rich roasted malt flavour.
Porter, which received its name from the train Porters who consumed most of this style of beer, is an ale brewed with a special combination of malts to create a heavier flavour, aroma and colour. To complement this heavier flavour, Porters generally have a fuller body and a slightly sweeter taste.

Stouts often use a portion of unmalted roasted barley to develop a dark, slightly astringent, coffee-like character. Stout features a rich, creamy head and is similar to a dark Porter, but is usually less sweet-tasting and more heavily hopped.