Walrus + Carpenter MCA and Pretzel Bread Pudding

I finally made it to Westport to Rothbard Ale and Larder. Every Friday, all summer, my brother’s band Cotton Gin and the Swamp Yankees play in the alley, and it’s an awesome scene. The restaurant is the basement level of a beautiful old building in downtown Westport. I hung out in the alley, had some beer in a big mug and ate a delicious dessert. I’m definitely gonna have to do this again. The owner Joe is the same dude who rocks the awesome Black Rock BBQ joint Walrus and Carpenter, and both places are way above average.

The Beer: MCA, which stands for Mosaic Citra Ale and a fun nod to Beastie Boy fans. It is a table beer hopped with Mosaic and Citra hops. It’s light and mildly tart with a subtle bitter hop profile that’s super pleasant and totally crush-able. Hanging on a July evening, it was the perfect beer for a warm air outdoor live music experience. I’m psyched to see what kinds of beers come from Walrus, it sounds like they are going to be brewing up some more unique beers to serve along side their already rocking food.

The Cookie: At this point, we are totally fine widening our cookie category to awesome desserts and this Pretzel Bread Pudding certainly fits that bill. It came pipping hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The menu simply stated, “Pretzel Bread Pudding: Caramel, vanilla ice cream.” It was executed superbly.

I think texture is something that is often overlooked, but when used for effect can really elevate a dessert. The center of the bread pudding was soft, doughy, and rich. While the topping had a wonderful crunch of crispy bread. I think the caramel added some crunch too, but it was hard to tell, but I didn’t care.

The vanilla ice cream, the caramel sauce, and the delicious pudding was a fun combination of familiar flavors while remaining fresh and interesting.

The Pairing: The beer has a light crispness and mild funky finish that paired well with the vanilla and caramel swirling flavor in the bread pudding. I think this beer has some legs for another pairing too. It has such a nice crush-able balance that it is super versatile. I guess I’m going to have to come back and try something different next time.

Check out CGSY at Rothbard any Friday this summer, and be on the look out for a Walrus and Carpenter pairing in the near future. Cheers!