Otter Creek Hop Session Ale

The newest offering from Otter Creek, Hop Session, was released earlier in the summer and was just bottled for the first time a couple of weeks ago. The name represents exactly what it is, a sessionable beer that is relatively low in alcohol, bitterness, and body but retains all the big hop character you might expect from a West coast pale ale or American IPA.

Alcohol Content: 4.25%
IBU:
Malts:
Hops: Apollo, Chinook, Centennial, Cascade, Citra

Price: $9/ 6-pack
Medium: Pint glass

Aroma: "Wet" vegetal hops similar to floral aromas after a heavy rainfall. Can also be described as slightly grassy - I related this to my backyard hops that give a similar freshness before harvest. Citra hops lend pineapple aromas while cascade adds grapefruit - sort of "muddied" with all the different hops. Malts lend a light sweetness with a touch of toasted bread. This is a great example of a beer with lots of floral hop character but remains delicate.
Appearance: Deep golden in color and very hazy. High turbidity is most likely due to dry hopping or late kettle additions. Head formation is pure white with great retention. Carbonation is not visible in the body but is clearly represented in the bubbly head and helps bring out hop aromas. Lacing is dense and is clearly marked with rings around the glass measured by each sip. Beautiful.
Flavor: Just as the aroma suggests, it starts out with a smooth and delicate malty sweetness that transforms into a prominent floral hop character of various fruits and citrus. The flavors blend together through each stage of the tasting, making it more difficult to pick out individual hops. Some grassiness which can be appropriate in light amounts and is definable by dry-hopping rates. Sweetness is cleaned up in the finish by hop flavors and bitterness. Fermentation is clean and allows the focus to be on the fruitiness in the hops. Reminds me of fresh backyard hops like in the aroma. A touch of caramel sweetness becomes more apparent in subsequent tastes.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, refreshing, not too bitter, and relatively light in body. Alcohol undoubtedly plays a huge role in the balance of final beer; this one remains carefully hop focused and I did not pick up on any alcohol presence. Bittering from hops could be cleaner.
Overall Impression: Very appropriate for a "session beer". I could easily drink multiple Hop Sessions in one evening without feeling harsh affects of high alcohols or wearing down my palate. The hop sensations remained the same during my second glass while the lower bitterness and lighter body allowed for easy-drinking. I'm excited to see what other breweries are doing to achieve similar results in bigger flavored beers without all the excise alcohol that was becoming a tradition in the American crafted IPA.

Otter Creek Oktoberfest

A bavarian autumn classic beer style formerly known as Marzen, this example of Oktoberfest is true to style and is becoming one of my favorites. I had the honors of talking to the brewer who formulated the recipe at Otter Creek. His previous work experience was at Ramstein Brewery in New Jersey, which specializes in lagers. I have also been told that this is the first year that a traditional German lager yeast strain was used. I enjoy one every day after work, and I know you should too.

Alcohol Content: 4.8%
IBU: 32
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Caramel 60, Pilsner, Vienna
Hops: Apollo, Hallertau

Price: $3.50/ 12oz; 4.50/ 16oz; 5.00/ 20oz @ the brewery taproom
Medium: 16oz draught - pint glass

Aroma: Munich, caramel, and Vienna malts all attribute to a pleasantly sweet graininess similar to warm toast or bread. I almost thought it was due to yeast character but the malts provide great depth characteristic of the toasted malts. I found this batch to have a little bit of diacetyl in both aroma and flavor. After waiting a week for the new keg to come on tap, I was transformed. Hop character is mildly light and spicy or noble. I'm unsure of sulfur notes but there is definitely something to the water profile or yeast that is picked up in the aroma, taste, and mouthfeel.
Appearance: Thick, frothy off-white head piled up about 1-inch high and spilling over the rim before serving. Deep golden amber hue. Layers of foam are easily observable as they linger with each gulp of beer.
Flavor: Malty but not necessarily as sweet as the nose suggest. This confirms the maltiness of the beer and determines the main body and focus of the style. Toasted malt, notes of biscuit, and good attenuation keeps the sweetness down while having a big flavor impact. Hop flavors are spicy while the bitterness is assertive and plays with the malt character. Finish is crisp and semi-dry and the aftertaste remains malty but not sweet. Diacetyl is confirmed amongst several employees from the brewery.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium body, and fully fermented/ good attenuation without a cloying finish. Malt is the focus in both flavor and body while bitterness provides the support. 32 IBU is a bit high for the style, which is relatively noticeable to traditional Oktoberfest, however the extra bitterness is clean and complementing.
Overall Impression: Delicious, crisp, refreshing, and sessionable. I sampled it with beer pretzels made fresh from the brewery. Salt in the pretzel pairs well with the malts in the beer and makes for a fuller experience. Considered the perfect brew for an autumn evening. Enjoy with traditional German foods for an easy pairing, or go for something spicy and fulfilling like mexican food.

Otter Creek Otter Summer

I came home the other night after a long day of work and tirelessly sampling, only to find my roommate Dave had a few Otter Summers sitting in the fridge. He indulged me to one as a nice finish to the night. Although I was full on food and beer, I was still able to gulp down this crisp and refreshing summer session ale.

Alcohol Content: 4.25%

IBU: 22
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Red Wheat

Hops: Cascade, Willamette

Price: $8/ 6-pack

Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a shaker pint glass

Aroma: Grainy/ Bready. Wheat malt character is pronounced and really shines through in the beer. Dry vegetal matter with an earthy undertone. Hops also reminiscent of delicate floral and spicy notes. Reminds me of spent mash grains sitting out after a long brew day.

Appearance: Nice, thick white fluffy head condensed more than an inch high. Retention not quite as big but still an even coat across the surface. Quite clear & bright gold/ yellow in color. Slow, steady bubbling. Good presentation.

Flavor: Moderately strong grainy wheat character. Moderate malty sweetness remains on the palate with a semi-crisp/ light dry finish. Hop flavors a bit strong with earthy and floral notes. Probably an American decendent of English hop varietals (noted before looking up the beer profile). No distinct fruity esters, appropriate for style. Aftertaste remains balanced, not favoring a dry finish but enough hop bitterness to clean up the malty sweetness. Tinny/ coin-like off-flavor possibly confused with or accentuated by the hop character.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation moderately high with a light body, creating a very approachable/ palatable beer. No sings of alcohol or warming sensations. Clean fermentation character. Crisp finish and very refreshing. I'm still working on detecting certain water profiles, especially for the lighter styles of beer.

Overall Impression: There was something about the hop profile that is a little deterring, but I couldn’t quite figure it out until looking it up on the website to get an idea of the profile. Cascade hops are not as forward nor lend any particular character associated with it. Willamette is another interesting variety of hops that lend an earthy or dry vegetal matter - personally not a favorite of mine. Pair with lighter dishes such as seafood or salads, particularly with lemon or citrus character that will go nicely with the beer and maybe bring out some of the Cascade hops.

Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout

I met up with some of the Otter Creek team at the Brews In Bloom fundraising event a couple of weeks ago and walked home with a growler full of this aged, unreleased beauty. Mike Gerhart was telling me about how it was aging in a dusty, scaring looking corner of the brewery one would not expect to find such a wonderful product (I think for three years). Unfortunately I won't be able to get this again but I sure enjoyed reading over my notes :).

Alcohol Content: ?
IBU: ?
Malts: Carafa, ?
Hops: ?

Price: Gifted
Medium: Small Snifter Glass

Aroma: Predominantly bitter chocolate notes with rich, smooth, and very complex alcohol aromas giving a pleasant warmth to the nose. A slightly roasted grain profile becomes more apparent as the beers warms. Vanilla notes in the background. No hops. Flawless.
Appearance: No visible carbonation (expected), so I quickly changed to a straight pour to agitate the beer for better head formation. Its mocha/ tan head fizzes up and quickly returns back into the beer, leaving behind a wet or oily lace. Opaque or black in color with a blend of dark red/ garnet around the top and bottom edges (in a well lit room).
Flavor: Bitter chocolate and rich, roasted overtones move across the palate together. Semi-sweet maltiness is quickly overrun by the bittering hops. Perhaps some additional bitterness from the malts but I can hardly detect this. Sweet and spicy alcohol flavors come across as pleasant in the aftertaste. Alcohol outlasts the bitterness from hops (no hop flavors). I also get hints of marshmallow, hazelnut, and vanilla. No off-flavors - delightful!
Mouthfeel: Moderately heavy in body with not much viscosity. Its slick, oily mouthfeel may have contributed to a small loss of body in the aging process. Alcohol warmth approaches a hot finish and aftertaste - I perceived it as alcohol sweetness. Very low carbonation and served warm. No astringency.
Overall Impression: All of the flavor components do a great job of blending together as they move across the palate or different levels of the tasting experience. A Russian Imperial Stout easily overpowers most main dishes. I sampled it in combination with an amazing Lake Champlain dark chocolate truffle. The two matched up in strength of flavor and really blended together. Aged cheese or smoked gouda will also work well.

Michelada - Otter Creek Spring Bock, Tequila, Lime, & Hot Sauce (Mixed Drink)

Michelada, or the Beery Bloody Mary, was the strongest mixed drink I sampled last friday at the Otter Creek/ Wolaver's tasting event at Red Square. The bartender served this one on the hotter side, which didn't aid to the overall pleasantness. By far the strongest mixed drink I sampled out of the four. However, I finished the night with the Black Velvet, an oatmeal stout & sparkling wine combo that cleansed the palate well.

Price: $7.00/ Full; $3.50/ Half

Medium: I went with the half, served in a clear plastic party cup

To recreate this beverage on your own, fill glass with 3/4 Bock beer with approximately a quarter to half shot of tequila, a squeeze or pinch of lime juice, and hot sauce to taste. Serve over ice.

Aroma: Lime and warm alcohol hits the nose with lots of harshness (or pleasantness if you prefer these cocktails). The addition of hot sauce was very noticeably warm. Its presented much more of a tequila or mixed bar drink than a beer as no malts or hops can even be detected. Lime garnish didn't add much but squeezing it into the drink adds a lighter, pleasant character than the alcohol itself.

Appearance: No head, probably being cleared up by the alcohol, lime, and hot sauce additions. Definitely bloody-mary like in color and clarity (or haziness). Salt lines the rim for each encountering sip. A frothy white lace surrounds the glass, giving it a very chilled appearance (and served on ice). Two straws, although I don't recommend drinking from a straw.

Flavor/ Mouthfeel: Strong alcohol bite dominated by the tequila more than the Spring Bock. Actually, the beer was almost completely masked and became harder to pick out as the session progressed. The bartender must have over poured the hot sauce because this was a long lasting impression on the back and roof of the mouth. Lingering sweetness and hotness from the alcohol also. Almost no carbonation or head per the intention of a mixed drink.

Overall Impression: To sum it up, this cocktail finds a way to combine saltiness from the salted rim, sweetness from the beer and tequila, sourness from the lime, and spiciness from the hot sauce. It really hits all parts of the mouth for a satiating experience. I would have liked to see the tequila harshness dialed down and more beer expression. The hot sauce interfered too much as well. I'm glad I saved an oatmeal stout and sparkling wine combo for last because it will surely rid the palate of these impressions.

"Spring Shandy" - Otter Creek Spring Bock, St. Germain, & Lemonade (Mixed Drink)

The second of four mixed beer cocktails sampled last friday at the Otter Creek/ Wolaver's pouring event at Red Square. This one was a little bit more of a step up in alcohol content from the Beerini (Wolaver's Wildfire Wheat, Peaches, Raspberries) yet maintained the spirit of spring. Otter Creek Spring Bock is 6.2% ABV while the St. Germain adds more complexity and alcohol content to this concoction.

Price: $3.50/ Half; %7.00/ Full
Medium: This time I went with the half which was served in a clear plastic party cup

To recreate this on your own, mix any Bock style of beer with approximately a half shot of St. Germain (40 proof) and freshly squeezed lemonade to taste.

Aroma: Strong presence of lemons with an overly citric, tart/ sour character. The St. Germain and underlying style of beer (Bock) adds a warm, grainy, and fruity character. A mint leaf garnish adds very little to the aroma depending on how close your nose is to it. Malt and hops are almost impossible to detect.
Appearance: Almost no head after adding the St. Germain and lemonade. The higher alcohol most likely destroys the head first while lemonade adds nothing. Although the base beer is fairly clear, the lemonade creates a cloudy and thick appearance. A thin white lacing is maintained around the rim of the glass and stays wet from the alcohol content. Color is of deep golden to tangerine-like. Garnished with a mint leaf.
Flavor: Some malt sweetness is dominated by the sweet and sour contributions from lemons/ lemonade. The mint leaf adds very little and is presented almost as a hop character. Bitterness moderately supports the overall experience since the adjuncts are more present than anything else. St. Germain was the most present out of all, with a touch of fruitiness from elderberry but mostly in the alcohol warmth.
Mouthfeel: Slight alcohol warmth starts and finishes while mostly gaining momentum and having the most profound effect in the aftertaste. This one was more flat than the Bock by itself, which adds to the overall presentation of a mixed cocktail. Some cloying to the sweetness and alcohol, esepecially in the aftertaste. The texture or body is leaning towards a fuller experience and coats the mouth leaving a sour puckering effect. Dryness adds to the puckering. Alcohol and sourness lingers even after taking a few sips of water to try and cleanse the palate.
Overall Impression: A pretty straight forward mixed drink that will alert you into expecting something a bit stronger while providing enough sweetness and sourness from the lemonade to keep it refreshing. Not as pleasant as the previous Beerini I sampled (see Wolaver's; Beerini). This was more of a sweet/ strong mixed bar shot you may have ordered without knowing what's in it.

Otter Creek Twentieth Anniversary Ale

The Twentieth Anniversary Ale is a celebration of Otter Creek's Copper Ale, a Northern German-style Altbier. It uses four times the amount of malts and hops as the Copper Ale, giving it a very complex profile while amping up the alcohol content. It falls under a Specialty Ale category - German's refer to it as Sticke Alt or "secret" brew. It could also be a Barley Wine. Cellar this one for years to come and malt complexities should become even more pronounced (if you can resist temptation).

Alcohol Content: 12%
IBU: 55
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Carapils, Caramel 20 & 60, Carafa III
Hops: Chinook, Tettnang, Hallertau

Price: $12.00 for a 4-pack
Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a stemmed water glass (a snifter, tulip, or goblet will also suffice).

Aroma: Noticeable strong toffee & caramel notes appear first with some underlying sweet honey & molasses-like aromas. Hop profile is hard to say for sure but I think there are some subtle peppery notes. Overall it has a very warm nose with a dominating solvent-like aroma from higher fusel alcohols.
Appearance: A small tan head was slow to form and then faded away after about 10 seconds. Appears to have strong champagne-like carbonation from large bubbles forming around the glass - this dissipates to a still/ flat looking wine. Chill haze? (although never fully disappears during the session). Color is of sepia to dark amber/ approaching brown.
Flavor: At first some caramel/ toffee and butterscotch notes with a slightly "chewy" molasses-like backbone character (definitely complex). Bitterness is hard to define but nonetheless complements the malt profile pretty well. Perhaps a spicy and peppery noble hop character best describes the mid pallet. Finish is very alcoholic and warm feeling. Absolutely no drying in the aftertaste; instead some mouth-watering effects. Perhaps more malt balanced although the perceived bitterness is masked by the hot alcoholic-like effect. Fusel alcohols? - it gave me a bit of a hangover after only two.
Mouthfeel: Contrary to appearance, the carbonation feels moderately low. Mouth-warming effect from higher alcohols. Slightly chewy and rather thick body. Bubbles disappear and the beer becomes slightly flat during the session.
Overall Impression: Not quite sure how this fits with the style nor how it compares to competing styles. I suggest drinking this in moderation - split the four pack on a nice occasion or for a reason to celebrate. I enjoyed some cheese during the second glass which paired very nicely. Very complex and should be kept for the beer connoisseur.

Otter Creek Winter Red Ale

Otter Creek Winter Red Ale is an American Amber Ale under section 10B of the BJCP style guidelines. This winter seasonal should not be confused with an Irish Red Ale. Although it's brewed with the appropriate malts to achieve a reddish hue, it is backed by an ample amount of hops to create a mild aroma and bitterness. Introduced in September of 2011, the Winter Red is Otter Creek's newest member to their product line.

Alcohol Content: 5.5%
International Bitterness Units (IBU): 45
Malts: 2-Row, CaraRed, Caramel 80L, Wheat & Roasted Barley
Hops: Nugget, Centennial, Calypso

Medium: 12oz bottle purchased and poured into a standard pint glass
Price: $13.00 for a 12-pack Otter Creek sampler

Aroma: This beer is dominated by a strong citrusy aroma with hints of pear or sour apple. Also, there is a nice subtle earthy/ herbal quality to add to its complexity. Overly fruity character with some sweet caramel malt aromas surfacing after about 20-30 seconds.
Appearance: A nice amber red with some haziness (maybe due to dry hopping). Large beautifully flowing bubbles suggest a moderately high carbonated beverage accompanied by a nice white-ish/ tan head. Great retention.
Flavor: A sweet, toasted caramel maltiness predominates this beer through the finish. However, there is also a nice citrusy bitterness with hints of sour apple. Some drying and lingering bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Contains slightly warm alcoholic features with some creaminess. A medium body that is rather smooth.
Overall Impression: Evenly balanced with some favor towards the citrusy hop flavors. Although a good beer to drink on the coldest of winter nights, I was not overly impressed with its appropriateness to the style.

Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter

The Stovepipe Porter is Otter Creek's American interpretation of a Robust Porter under section 12B of the BJCP style guidelines. Introduced in April of 1997, this moderately low alcohol beer is well-hopped and full of dark roasted malt. This richly flavored beer is one of the brewery's year round offerings along with Copper Ale and Black IPA. I feel this beer may also fall under a Brown Porter style as well.

Alcohol Content: 4.4%
International Bitterness Units (IBU): 28
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Caramel 60L, Chocolate, Carapils & Roasted Barley
Hops: Nugget, Cascade & Willamette

Medium: 12oz bottle purchased and poured into a standard pint glass
Price: $13.00 for a 12-pack Otter Creek Sampler

Aroma: This beer is dominated by a rich chocolate-like aroma with roasted and smokey attributes which creates for a low hop profile. I was rather disappointed when I could not capture any aroma from the Cascade hop and its inherent citrus qualities.
Appearance: Mostly black in appearance with ruby notes. When held up to the light, this beer shows brilliant clarity. Moderately low carbonation with a dark tan/ brown head lingering around the rim.
Flavor: Contains strong malt characteristics with noticeably burnt and smokey flavors. The perceived bitterness is quite strong and contains spicy notes as well as some drying. As I continued to sip I noticed there to be increasing harshness, especially in the aftertaste. Initially I would say this beer is more dominated by its malt character but the bittering qualities suggests a fairly balanced beer.
Mouthfeel: Definitely some astringency with some harshness and drying. It's lacking body and feels rather thin for the style. I also found some warmth usually common in higher alcohol beers which was misleading as well.
Overall Impression: I was not impressed - I found it enticing to drink more quickly because of the lingering harsh aftertaste that left me thirsty to rid these perceptions. Starts off great but finishes unpleasant. A good food pairing for this beer would be a nice Lake Champlain Dark Chocolate.

Otter Creek Black IPA

Introduced in October of 2010, Otter Creek Black India Pale Ale is an unfiltered Black IPA that packs a large amount of malt flavors accompanied by a bold hop bitterness and citrus aroma. The style of Ale is characteristically dark in appearance while retaining the large amount of hop bitterness and aroma consistent with IPA's. This style was also pioneered by Greg Noonan (founder of Vermont Pub & Brewery) in the early 1990's and is not yet recognized by the BJCP.

Alcohol Content: 6.0%

International Bitterness Units (IBU): 60

Malts: 2-Row, Caramel 60L, Carafa III

Hops: Apollo, Centennial, Citra

Medium: 12oz bottle purchased and poured into a standard pint glass

Price: $13.00 for a 12-pack Otter Creek Sampler

Aroma: Upon pouring, a plethora of hops release a grapefruit or orange-like citrus aroma. After about 15-20 seconds, the citrus aroma is slowly overcome by a pleasant toffee and roasted aroma similar to stouts.  Reminiscent of Ales' and IPA's that use the fairly common Cascade hop (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for example); however, it's less floral. The aroma of this beer undergoes quite an amazing evolution with some spicy notes

Appearance: Black/ extremely dark. Unfiltered so it is probably very cloudy, despite its color making it difficult to tell. Embraces a great off-white layer of foam around the rim of the glass that only slowly dissipates after many minutes. I can see very small bubbles around the edges but again, it difficult to determine the visual carbonation.

Flavor: Minimal astringency. Hops assume the dominant role in the overall flavor profile, but thats not to undermine the sweet caramel and slightly roasted flavors that linger from start to finish. Also, there are definitely some toffee-like flavor contributions from dark caramel malts. There is a slightly spicy and robust bitterness that leaves a "resiny" aftertaste with some dryness.
Mouthfeel: This full-bodied beer has a thick mouthfeel with a distinct creaminess and an astringent aftertaste perceived as a slickness on the tongue. Moderate carbonation.

Overall Impression: One of my new favorite styles and gaining in popularity amongst home brewers, this beer is a great "gateway" beer for the hophead looking to bridge the gap between full-bodied dark beers and IPA's. I do recall it being more hop driven (and better) during its introduction back in October of 2010. Definitely an amazing experience for any beer lover looking to relax after a delicious meal.

Otter Creek Copper Ale

Otter Creek Copper Ale is a German-style Altbier under section 7A of the BJCP style guidelines. Introduced by the brewery in March of 1991, this medium bodied amber ale is characterized by a well balanced blend of malty notes and mild bitterness.

Alcohol Content: 5.0%

International Bitterness Units (IBU): 32

Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Caramel 20 & 60, Carapils, and Roasted Barley

Hops: Nugget, Hallertau, & Tettnang

Medium: 12oz bottle purchased and poured into a standard pint glass
Price: $13.00 for a 12-pack Otter Creek Sampler

Aroma: Subtle hop aroma masked more by its malty sweet tones. The aroma initially reminds me of a german lager, maybe due to the use of Munich malts.
Appearance: The overall appearance was a dazzling dark amber with some copper undertones. It was impressively clear with steady bubbling that was consistent with moderate to low carbonation. Consisted of an off-white foam that had an excellent head retention until the very last drop.
Flavor: It was initially sweet with a subtle bitterness; but, after the second and third sips I noticed the release of more of its bitter potential that lingered on the pallet. Some noble hop flavors were present. Definitely some sweetness from the caramel malts, but its flavor profile fits more consistently with the use of Munich malts that contribute to its toasted character.
Mouthfeel: Moderate to heavy carbonation coincides with a medium body wavering more towards the heavy side. The rich malty textures are followed by a warming sensation that goes down very smooth.
Overall Impression: This is an excellent beer that is extremely well balanced. However, I would particularly like to see it be a little less resemblant of a german lager and more of an ale, but hey.. its a hybrid.