A porous carbon characterized by a volumetric pore size distribution having two peaks, a first of said peaks being between 0.5 and 1.0 nm and a second of said peaks being between 1.0 and 5.0 nm. The porous carbon may have a volumetric capacitance in an organic electrolyte of at least 40 F/cm.sup.3, an average pore diameter between about 2 nm and about 30 nm, a surface area of at least 900 m.sup.2/g, and/or a density of at least 0.4 g/cm.sup.3. A method for making such a carbon includes a) curing a mixture comprising a carbohydrate, a dehydrating component, and a nonmetallic cationic pore-forming agent and b) carbonizing the cured carbon under conditions effective to provide a porous carbon having a surface area between about 100 m.sup.2/g and about 3000 m.sup.2/g. The the dehydrating component and nonmetallic cationic component may comprise two moieties of one compound.