Beer Review: Mudpuppy Porter

Reviewing the Mudpuppy Porter by Central Waters Brewing Company.
Score: 86

Drinking a six month old bottle in a Sam Adams glass.

Appearance: The beer is a deep, deep brown and blood red color that is mostly opaque, though some highlights of light permeate through the body when held up to light. Pouts two fizzy fingers of head that settle into a frothy half-finger of foam. 3/5

Smell: Sweet caramel, and a little bit of cocoa powder. Slight coffee grounds smell. A little toasted bread aroma as well. 3.5/5

Taste: Burnt dark chocolate and burnt grain flavor with some hints of coffee and very slight hoppiness. The beer skips the mid-palate and goes straight from flavor to finish. It's almost as though all the flavor is stuck on the back of the roof of my mouth, which was an interesting sensation. A bit malty, but not too sweet. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, surprisingly light carbonation given the fizzy head from the pour. Very dry finish. 3.5/5

Overall: A very good porter overall. Flavors are very traditional, and it is well-brewed. Does not stand out, but does not disappoint either. Certainly worth trying, though there are many more tantalizing porters worth buying out there.

Recommendation: I would recommend this one to try as a single bottle, and it's certainly a porter that the casual beer drinker can enjoy, but Mudpuppy Porter is not worth purchasing a six pack of unless there's no better options at your disposal. A solid offering by Central Waters, Wisconsin's best brewery in my opinion, nonetheless.

Pairings: Considering that I am currently drinking this in combination with a cold-cut pastrami sandwich with spicy brown mustard on oatmeal bread, I'd have to recommend that. The slight saltiness of the meat and spiciness of the mustard are blending well with the slight maltiness and darker flavors of the beer.

Cost: $8.99 for a six pack.