Well, isn’t this annoying. I’m trying to get into the website for Arizona’s Mudshark brewery, and I can’t get in. What’s up with that? I entered my date of birth, which let me tell you is plenty long ago enough for me to pass the age check, hit enter-and nothing happens. Mudshark! Your website is broken!

Now, you might wonder why they even check your ID in the first place. I mean, it’s not like you’re going to log in and have a beer poured from the internet, as nice a notion as that might be. However, I shan’t leave you in the dark any longer. It’s simply to prove that the brewery is not marketing to minors. You can, of course, lie about your age. But if you do, that’s on you.

Anyway, this all got started because I enjoyed Mudshark VCP Vanilla Caramel Porter.  Mudshark is a solar-powered brewery from Arizona and does not sell its beer in Georgia. I got a bottle from my old buddy Dale Roberts. VCP has an alcohol content of 5.6% by volume. It sells for $9.99 a six-pack at Total Wine.

From the label:

V.C.P. our Vanilla Caramel Porter is a fan favorite, with an aroma of chocolate, caramel, vanilla and a touch of coffee it is easy to see why. The flavor of this medium-bodied porter is mostly chocolate with hints of coffee, biscuits, caramel and vanilla, with a slight hop bitterness to balance out this malty porter. This is a great beer to drink anytime, anywhere!

Mudshark VCP Vanilla Caramel Porter pours to a jet-black color with a medium tan head and a rich luscious nose of chocolate, caramel and vanilla, in that order. Taking a sip, the beer has a medium body appropriate to a porter with hearty chocolate notes at first quickly followed by sweet caramel and aromatic vanilla. Finishes slightly dry and roasty.

A candy bar in a glass is how I would describe this. I’ll reiterate that it has just the right body for a porter, more so for a flavored one to stand up to the waves of caramel and vanilla. Luscious, and not to be missed.

Home