Otter Creek Pale Ale

Brewed by Otter Creek Brewing
Style: American Pale Ale
Middlebury, Vermont USA

Bottle. Bottled on 01/06/05. Pours a light orange color with thin off-white head. Aroma is of berries, citrus fruit and pretty strongly of hops. Taste is fairly balanced. Some sweet malts lead to a bitter citrusy hoppy finish. A little dry in the finish. Nice average body. Not a bad pale ale but definitely not one of the better ones.

Decanting from the 12 oz. bottle reveals a golden, light amber body with a large off-white head; good lacing. A hefty and bold floral hop aroma also reveals some citrus. The initial smooth malty sweetness gives way to grapefruit and spice in the mid-palate, and is quickly followed by a drying but mild hop finish with a short-lived aftertaste. This is a medium-bodied ale with good carbonation.

(12 oz bottle: Chevy Chase Liquors in Washington, DC) The nose suggests a hoppy, but fairly bready pale ale is coming, but rather, this is a fairly hoppy and moderately bitter pale ale, and only as the beer warms up does a mildly toasty, lightly sweet maltiness emerge in the background. Light to medium bodied, crisp on the palate when cold, more balanced with increased temperature. Golden amber in color, slightly hazy in appearance. Smallish off-white head gradually fades to a ring around the edge of the glass, leaving behind a few strands of lace. Not especially interesting, and is unable to separate itself from the crowd of average pale ales, but this beer certainly seems to improve as it approaches a true cellar temperature.

maybe the hops have subdued in age, but the better half of the aroma seems malty, and filled with nuts and caramel. same for the flavor as well. the citrusness that i apparently should be tasting and sniffing (?) is near hibernation, but it’s very welcome. this brew is pretty good. it’s cremey, smooth, just a bit spicy, also. i suppose the hops are what gives its spice and citrus; there is grapefruit, some flowers. i could have another! wooh! i don’t say this often when it comes to Pale Ales. the only thing i don’t like about this brew is its aftertaste, which seems to fall short, and stale--sort of a dry grapefruit sweetness resides; not bad, though. good stuff!

Orangey Gold, no head. Great orange, citrus hop aroma - the best part of this beer, it turns out. No noticeable malt, and a peppery, spicy hop profile. Ultimately a bit watery, which is acceptable (to me, anyway) for this type of beer. Not bad session ale.

Pours a clear golden color with a thin white head. Aroma and flavor of grapefruit, floral hops and caramel. Full body, creamy texture, soft carbonation. Good pale ale, nice fresh hops.

Clear, bright, peachy color, good, 1/2" froth atop, fluffy, creamy. Aroma: ah! Piney, hoppy, citic, grapefruity a bit, ...let’s sniff again, ...ah!!! That’s what I want in a pale ale, especially a dry-hopped PA, big, vibrant, fresh hops! One more time....Mmmm!!! Yeah! Taste: Great, big hop blitz on the tongue, nicely fruity, but drying out, to be sure, awash in peach, tangerine, apricot, buzzing with hops. Medium bodied, tasty texture, long, happy finish. Mmmm! Fruits, and hops, and everything, just never quit here, really give it their all, all the way! Feels juicier and even more flavorful as we continue the drink. Ah!. I have to say it again, regretful of repeating myself, but I’m rather delighted at finding a note-perfect PA here from this little Vermont concern. Good job, Otter Creek

Definite cascade hops are in the aroma, and the beer pours a light and clear copper. This beer is a bit too thin bodied, but the initial hops are tasty and pleasantly bitter with light piney fruitiness. There’s not much more than the hops however...This is a good beer, but its not so great for the style.