Butte Creek Organic Ale

Formerly brewed at Butte Creek Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Chico, California USA

Date: 04/13/2002
Mode: Bottle
Source: Whole Foods Market, DC

Dark amber, frothy fine beige head, light hop aroma, bitter carmel malt flavor, long bitter finish, well balanced, a touch of sweetness, lots of earthy hop flavor, very simular to the ipa

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Score: **4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Hazy light amber colour. Aroma of autolysis and burnt electrical wire. Taste is bland, toasty, fairly clean. Still, a pretty dull brew.

Orangish yellow body with a smallish white head. Aroma is sweet, somewhat fruity (apricot?), mildly hoppy. Flavor is more hoppy, with some malt balance, grassy, and slightly watery. Weak dry aftertaste. Definitely missing something.

This beer rocks. The commercial description suffices, so I won’t elaborate. Butte Creek is a great little brewery. Friendly folks abound. My tour was after hours and provided by the brewery’s accountant. A great guy. The organic theme is interesting. The water used isn’t flourinated and even the pesticides used within the brewery are certified organic. Beat that!!! Oh, did I mention that they brew very very good beers?

Sweet aroma, with a nice full feel to it, but any flavor seems to be masked by a soapy texture and an unwelcome bitterness. As someone who enjoys bitter and dry beers, this one is the wrong kind of bitter. Tastes like a skunky beer left out in the sun.

Very light amber. Smallish off white head. Slightly earthy malt with a hint of citrus and mint. No date on tyhis bottle, but this had beter be ancient. I do not remember tasting a worse beer. Sour acrid grain, I just watch "Strange Brew" the other day and it reminds ne to check the bottle for a mouse. No, no mouse. This one does not age well. One last sip for analysis. A mixture of pickle juice, malt vinager, and rotten mouse. I don't know how to check for freshness on this one, but unless I pick it up at the brewery I will never touch this again. This would be only the third beer that I have not finished in my life! All three believed to be freshness related.

Lightly hazy amber color with sticky head and lacing. The aroma is moderately hoppy with lots of caramel malt nose. The hops are musky and the malts sweet. The flavor is well balanced and this is actually a pretty tasty amber. Finishes wet and quenching, slightly dry as well, medium-bodied. I don't know how you can tell from organic or not, but I know this is a good beer.

Pours hazy dark straw with big off-white head. Hopcit and fruit aromas. Tastes hoppy, with some sour fruit and a metallic element as it warms. Decent, but not great.