Otter Head

Brewed by Otter
Style: English Strong Ale
Honiton, England

Serve in English pint, Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

This one had me scratching my head a bit, as when I first poured it, the aroma was not too much in your face but was there with sweet oak hint. A beautiful copper red color with a very small white fully diminishing head on this one. I really enjoyed the flavor however, with an initial sweet nutty caramel start finishing with a fruity sweet taste that was quick and did not linger on the palate. Very little bitterness to this beer and was quite refreshing and relaxing. It had a watery texture with medium body. I really enjoyed the taste of this beer, and it is unfortunate that the aroma really was a bit of a let down. Maybe it was my particular beer, but with a strong prevalent aroma this beer would be up on my list.

UPDATED: FEB 14, 2007 This beer is spot on! It pours a dark ruddy/cloudy copper colour and has a finger and a half or so of head which disippates quickly. Fruity, Appley aroma...This beer is loaded with english Fuggles hops which marries nicely with caramelly, toffee flavored malts. I believe I can taste a hint of complex Maris Otter malts. This brewer knew what he was up to - this beer is extremely well balanced. Overall taste is wonderful in this medium bodied, low to moderately carbonated, smooth, creamy drinking beer. This beer would pair wonderfully with an array of fine foods - or just by itself. Brewed with the spring water drawn from the headsprings of the Otter River, this beer has become a regular in my portfolio.

UPDATED: JAN 3, 2007 Had an Otter Head recently on a trip to London and was very impressed to say the least. Brewed using local spring water from the Otter River. This ruddy colored, smooth, medium bodied beer uses a wonderful toffee flavored malt. It has a real Maris Otter malty taste up front followed by a delightful hoppy bitterness that keeps you coming back for more. I’d love to see more of this one!

UPDATED: FEB 7, 2007 Otter Brewery has created some of England’s most amazing handmade British artisinal Ales indeed! No wonder the entire portfolio of their beers have won awards. Otter Head is a low-foaming English Strong Ale which pours a dark ruddy copperish brown colour with a light creamy, off-white head. Malt is in the foreground with a nice aroma on the nose and a toffee like flavor and spice darkness. Also I recognized quite a bit of hoppiness for its style. There was a slight hint of liquorice. On the palate it is smooth and medium to full-bodied, with a real bite of assertive English hops dominating, over a truly rich, and flavourful fudge-like malt. Leafy, Iron and mineral hoppiness comes crawling in pleasantly again, leaving the finish full of hop tanginess, very clean and bitter. Amazingly smooth for a 5.8% ABV. This award winning beer has proven itself and will remain on my list of regulars indeed.

Fruity, grassy aroma. A touch of grain, oats and loads of English hops in the back of the nose. Medium to full in body with a marvelous lush mouth feel that is just as crisp as it is smooth. Bursting with caramel malt (probably Maris Otter) and juicy fruit, hop bitterness is solid and flexes with a sharpness and toffee flavour. Malt is pretty thick with hints of bread crust and toasted grain. Lots of fruitiness with a wondeful toasty, biscuity, yeasty back.This beer pours a rich copper colour with a cloudy, light brownish highlight. A healthy off white lace wraps the inside of the glass with ample stickiness. Smells of soft caramel and toasted malt biscuit and bread with a dash of buttery toffee. Honey-like toffee and a currant and berry mix for fruitiness. Light twinge of ester alcohol in the nose. Smooth upfront with a light to moderate carbonation. Jam-packed with malt flavours of toasted caramel. Diacetyl is significant yet not to the point of being out of balance. The warming alcohol brings forth fruitiness and esters to round this big profile out. Hints of dark toffee and light berry fruit add to the complexity. Hop bitterness drops a great finishing flavour and oily herbal character. Caramel and grain in the finish with slight tangy hop overtones. Bitterness seems a step up for its style which is fine considering all of the malt flavour to deal with. This is a tremendously killer brew with expressive hop notes, balancing malt, and complex flavours flailing everywhere. A brew I will definitely revisit more than others in its category.