Muddy River Porter - Beer Works

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap and served in a tumbler, the beer is a hazy, muddled, ruby highlighted brown coloring with a thin, low profile, light brown head. Aromas of coffee, butterscotch, and caramel blend very well. Flavors are roasted, with a coffee backbone giving rise to a bittersweet chocolate highlight and creamy characters. Thin, light body that gets sharp with the roasty notes. The aftertaste is dark chocolate and coffee, with a smooth finish leaving hints of flavor on the palate. Decent brew!

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2012 16:08:11 | More by GarthDanielson

clayrock81

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a blackish body w/ a small tan head and some lace streaks down glass. A light malt aroma but I can pick up some chocolate and roasted malts. Taste is the same as this is a rich, smooth, creamy beer w/ some burnt chocolate, roasted and even hints of coffee malts. A little dryer and harsher finish and not as sweet as I like my porters but a good beer nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 11:43:08 | More by clayrock81

Brad007

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had on 3/11/11.

Pours a dark brown, almost black color with no head. Looks right for the style.

There's just a hint of coffee upfront with not much else in the way of aroma.

It's very light in flavor with only a hint of coffee and cocoa. Hmm, I was expecting more.

Interesting texture that feels "muddled" in a way. Hard to pin down.

Feels somewhat bland for the style. It doesn't taste like an award-winning beer to me but then again, it's been 12 years since that time.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2011 00:30:06 | More by Brad007

asabreed

New York

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap from the cask at the location on Brookline near Fenway. Poured into their custom pint glass (though there's probably a name for it I don't know), which is conical-shaped and very cool.

Appearance: Definitely nearly opaque, and it also looks like a nitro Guinness a lot. A thick and dense-looking head sits atop the body, leaving a few drops every half inch down or so with each sip.

Smell: Lighter roasted malts, mild coffee, chocolate. Balanced, but extremely subdued and expected.

Taste: Initial taste of charred malts, chocolate, and mild coffee, but it levels out quickly into a not-so-lingering finish, and the flavors don't last as long as I'd hoped.

Mouthfeel: Feels nitro rather than cask here especially, but it's good and creamy all around.

Drinkability: I'd have this again. It went well with my turkey club, and in that case I was glad it wasn't something super-heavy and possibly over-the-top. It definitely could be a sessionable brew too.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

08-18-2010 23:36:27 | More by asabreed

BruceCoo

New York

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I love Porters and this one had a nice dark beer hardly any tinge at all with a healthy head. Not as bitter as it is sweet with some roasted malt flavor and a hint of caramel and chocolate. Would get it again probably in the colder season. Smooth on the tongue and good on the way down. An average porter in my opinion...

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Canal Street, 112 Canal Street, Boston

08-18-2009 21:14:43 | More by BruceCoo

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Brought this bad-boy home after the Sox game. $18 for a growler -- my ass hurts. Pours a deep brown with a nice thick tan head that dissipates rather quickly. No lace.

Burnt sugar and charred scents, with something yeasty and herbal as well. Unique and pleasant.

A little disappointed. Charred caramel and light coffee tones, wih some herbal biterness, but there is a yeastiness hat shines hru on this that I'm not really digging that much. Likee they spilled a stout in a glass of hefe. Not awful, but not what I'd expect in a porter.

Thinner-side brew with enough body to make this a swisher. Good.

Oveerall, these go down quick, but you can do much better. Not a favorite, but not something I'd trash or drain pour. Worthy of a try, but you might transition to a different pint after one of these.

Serving type: growler
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

07-31-2009 01:42:00 | More by OtherShoe2

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler filled at the Salem brewpub the other day.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" tan head over the clear dark brown (with burgundy highlights) brew. Head is down to a layer of small bubbles, with superb dwelling lace. Aroma seems somewhat simple at just dark malts, but maybe that's not a bad thing. Taste starts with the slightly burnt malt sweetness, then opens the door for some light to moderate hoppiness, and gives a shot of char at the close. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both about where they should be. Another solid offering from Beer Works.

Serving type: growler
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

05-07-2008 21:42:29 | More by ppoitras

madjr80

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this at the Salem Beer Works last night. It was real rich and full of bitter sweet flavor.Had enough head and carbonation. Some hints of coffee and maybe some chocolate that lingered on the palate. It had a great aftertaste. Some thing to look forward to when I go back to Beerworks.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

01-20-2008 15:37:42 | More by madjr80

DrDogbeer

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got on tap at north station beerworks. In their small glass was a deep dark brown/black color with good 1" light tan head. A very nice looking beer and nice pour. A faint coffee smell was followed by a great first sip. The beer tasted of nuts, coffee, maybe some chocolate. good bite, not too malty or overly smooth which I like. Very drinkable, also, so I had another. Would definitely get again.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

01-15-2008 13:42:55 | More by DrDogbeer

edchicma

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Exceptionally creamy head..dark, dark brown with a sticky lace. Smell was very malty wit hsome light hop notes. Taste was sweet, yet with a slight acidic qaulity. Some coffee notes and a slight hop presence.Mouthfeel was slightly chewy. Drinkability wasvery nice, extremely smooth going down..very easy to have another.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

03-19-2006 14:42:33 | More by edchicma

rousee

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice black leathery color with just the tiniest hint of redness and forms a 1 finger cap that holds very well. No lace to speak of though.

Coffee, wood and roasted malt with a slight chocolate hint is what it reminds my nose of. After having a few sips there is also a sugary molasses-like quality in the nose--this characteristic is not real evident on the tastebuds though.

Taste is very woody with roasted malt and the same coffee-chocolate elements that you can smell. There is some earthy quality to the taste too which seems to help make it perfectly suited for the cask. This earthiness may be due to it being on cask. I have a feeling it wouldn't be as noticeable or pleasant if it were just on a CO2 tap.

Mouthfeel is dry and warm--very nice--also seems to be aided by being cask-conditioned.

This baby is extremely smooth and drinkable, especially for this style. I could have several of these-- one after another.

Serving type: cask
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

12-21-2004 03:18:18 | More by rousee

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at the Salem location on tap.

This porter poured a dark brown color with hints of red. There was tan foam that left good lacing down the glass. The smell had chicory, hops, and coffee in the nose. The taste was sweet caramel malt with a strong chicory-like flavor, and hops in the finish. The mouthfeel was a bit chalky with modest carbonation and a slightly bitter, floral hop finish. The drinkability was OK, but this porter was a little over-hopped for my tastes.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

03-09-2003 08:27:13 | More by UncleJimbo

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: On tap.

Appearance: A light tan head on a deep very dark brown ruby hued brew.

Smell: Roasted malt with hints of charcoal and over caramelized sugar.

Taste: Mild acidic twang from the roasted malt and barley, crisp and very smooth with floating flavours of chicory, light charcoal and a drying lingering burnt malt flavour that helps the finish to dry.

Notes: Basically what a porter should taste like ... very flavourful, an all right from the Beer Works.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Boston Beer Works - Fenway, 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston

07-27-1999 00:00:01 | More by BeerAdvocate