Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter vs The Kernel London Porter: Which Should You Drink?

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Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter

Central Waters Brewing Company

United States · Porter

hopIQ rank #501

81%

Overall similarity

side by side, across 56 flavour tags

The Kernel London Porter

The Kernel Brewery

United Kingdom · Porter

HOPIQ TAKE

Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter if you want something approachable and chocolatey, The Kernel London Porter if you want sharper edges and more complexity. Both sit at nearly identical ABV and bitterness, so this is really about flavor direction—one leans comfort, the other leans craft. The Kernel's London roots give it a different yeast character that reads drier and more assertive than Central Waters' rounder, more forgiving take.

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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter when…

→You want comfort and don't need complexity
→You're early in the evening and want something approachable

Pick The Kernel London Porter when…

→You want to taste what a traditional British porter actually tastes like
→You prefer drier finishes over sweet or creamy ones
→You're looking for nuance and fermentation character

SIDE BY SIDE

	Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter	The Kernel London Porter
ABV	5.7%	5.8%
Bitterness	Noticeably bitter	Noticeably bitter
Colour	Dark	Dark
Style	Porter	Porter
Origin	United States	United Kingdom

WHAT IT TASTES OF

9 shared · 4 distinct

Both beers

roastedchocolatedark fruitdrycoffeemaltyrichearthybitter

STRUCTURE — HOW IT'S BUILT

Central Waters Mudpuppy PorterThe Kernel London Porter

Bitterness

Body

TASTING NOTES

Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter

RoastedChocolateDry

Mudpuppy is that porter that doesn't make you work for it. There's real chocolate upfront—like cocoa powder dusted on dark cake—but it stays soft and almost creamy on the finish. The roast is present but never harsh, and at 5.7% it feels lighter than you'd expect for a porter. It's the kind of beer that tastes good on your first sip and your tenth, no surprises.

The Kernel London Porter

ChocolateDark fruitRich

The Kernel's London Porter has more personality and a bit of attitude. You get that classic British malt profile—earthy, slightly burnt toast, a mineral dryness underneath—but it's cut with a subtle fruity yeast note that keeps it from being one-dimensional. There's less chocolate sweetness here; instead you're tasting the grain bill and fermentation character. It's leaner, snappier, more of a thinker's porter.

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