Tonight is Fat Tuesday, and I didn’t feel like cooking, so my wife and I went to a local eatery called Beff’s for some good old fashioned pub food. Beff’s also happens to be a proud Irish pub, and they have a pretty good draught selection. Given the occasion, I couldn’t turn down the offering at the top of their list: Magic Hat Mardi Gras 2006 Porter.
This is a nice dark porter with a hint of vanilla. It was served in a Guinness glass (I told you they are an Irish pub) and from the look of it, I thought maybe they’d given me the wrong beer. The head is maybe slightly muddier in color than a Guinness, and there’s not the same storm brewing in the glass compared to a nitrogen tap, but they’re very similar in appearance.
The taste, however, is something to experience. I’ve not had much experience with porters, but this one was very nice. It had a little more malt in it than I was expecting, which gave it a nice little bitterness in the finish. The note of vanilla was pronounced on the first sip, but did not linger too long. The mouthfeel was a bit lighter than a stout, which was nice, but definitely tells you you’re quaffing a dark beer. I’ve been on a lighter beer kick lately (see all my wheat beer reviews), but this one was a great and unexpected find. I highly recommend trying one if you like dark beer and can find it.
One other note about Beff’s–on the way out, I spotted someone drinking a hefe weizen from a Franziskaner weizen glass! I’ll definitely be going back for one of those.
My Rating: 
