Beer Review: Next Door Brewing Company Mutha Pucka

Brewery: Next Door Brewing Company
Beer: Mutha Pucka
Style: American Wild Ale
ABV: 6.7%
Character: Kettle soured, pre boil, with wild yeast and lactobacillus cultured from raw grain, then fermented with our house ale yeast. Pineapple juice added to secondary fermentation and dry hopped with Hallertau Blanc.
Ratings at the time of Review: BA: — | RB: —
Metal Connection: SUICIDAL TENDENCIES – We Call this Mutha Revenge

BeerMetalDude Rating: 4.75/5

Back in 2001, I was the vocalist for the Death Metal band, Putrilage. In that year, we played the Ohio Deathfest, which included some of the sickest bands from that time period, like Vomit Remnants (Japan), Reinfection (Poland), Regurgitation (USA), Cock & Ball Torture (Germany), Exhumed (USA), Aborted (Belgium), Severe Torture (Holland), Lividity (USA), Morgue (France), and so many more. There were members of a new Brutal Death Metal band at that time, Dyscrasia, from Wisconsin in the crowd. After having a conversation with the band’s vocalist, Neil Ruppert, he gave me their 2001 demo cassette, Hundreds of Gaping Wounds. I was floored by the brutality on this cassette, that I went crazy inside the venue giving out many of their demos to all the people I knew there, which included labels, distros, bands, etc.. Why am I telling you all this story? Well, its because Neil and I remained friends through all these years, and are still connected as many of us are, through Facebook. He has developed a love and passion for Craft Beer, so we decided to do a nice little trade. He sent me some killer stuff, including this awesome beer here. So here is Mutha Pucka, you mother fuckers!

The label art is cool on this one. It features a neatly drawn pineapple on a white label. The fruit has a mouth that is open. In my opinion, and I hope I am right, it makes me think that the pineapple is screaming the words “Motha Pucka” in a Samuel L. Jackson voice. I may be wrong though. Oh well, I’ll just imagine that it’s my way.

Using a tulip beer glass, Mutha Pucka poured a clear, bright golden color topped with a white foamy 1/4 of an inch head. The head retention was good as a thin layer atop the beer as it goes down, but it did not leave any lacing.

Did somebody drop pineapple juice in my beer? I pick up pineapple juice aroma right up front blended with a very tart bready sourness. Some hints of lemon, lime, juicy green apples, cream, like pineapple yogurt. The sourness overlays all and sticks around and lingers along with a pineapple juice aroma.

The tart bready sourness is overpowering in the taste up front, and as the flavor settles, the pineapple juice jumps out like a bat outta Hell at ya. Hints of lemon, lime, and green apples. At the tail end and aftertaste, for me I pick up the pineapple yogurt flavor.

The body is medium with a spritzy mouthfeel, complete with light carbonation. The finish was fizzy and juicy, felt like a mildly watered down soda.

Overall, this beer was amazing, and damn near perfect. I would have like a bigger body and mouthfeel to give this one a perfect 5/5, but a 4.75 ain’t too shabby, either. I really want to thank my friend Neil for hooking me up with this beer. I was impressed with this first beer I have ever had from Next Door Brewing Company. I hope that I could get my hands on more of their offerings. Hint, hint, Neil!

Metal Connection: As I really wanted to include a Dyscrasia song on here to help promote Neil’s band here, I ended up writing about his band at the beginning of this review, and featuring a link to one of their songs there. My friendly deed was done! So, for the Metal Connection here I went with a very easy choice. I knew of one song that used the same spelling of the word “Mutha” in it. Here is the song “We Call this Mutha Revenge” from the 1992 full length album, The Art of Rebellion by California’s Thrash Metal/Crossover band, Suicidal Tendencies. Many people love to hate this band, but I have been a fan of S.T. for a very long time, dating back to the early 1990’s. I have seen them live on a few occasions as well. They always put on a good performance. Enjoy this little slice of Metal History.