Otter Creek 15th Anniversary IPA

Brewed by Otter Creek Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Middlebury, Vermont USA

Wow, this one was disappointing. Cloudy orange with an off-white head. Grapefruity aroma. Flavor is overly sweet, with a vaguely aartificial caramel flavor and a citric hop flavor. As it warma, some medicinal flavors dominate the finish.

22oz. bottle. Orange-red with a thin film of white head. Deep citrus hop aroma with a tinge of medicinal bitterness. Heavy, tart hop flavor up front, some malty sweetness creeps in as it progresses. Muted residual sweetness in the finish with some piney resinousness. Mouthfeel is somewhat thick, slightly dry.

Clear, dull-orange body with low visible carbonation and a fading, buffy white head. Sweet citrus and tropical fruit hop aromas plus lightly toasted, fruity malt. Flavor has a slightly grainy, lightly sweet malt backing fronted by chunky hop characters suggesting tea leaves and wood stems. Some distinctly noticeable alcohol. Medium-high bitterness and somewhat coarse in the finish. Easily palatable, but unexceptional as far as American IPAs go.

Not a big Otter Creek fan, never have been, even since the early days when they were one of the few craft beers available. But I’m off my own norm (and the site norm judging by the other ratings) on this one. Medium orange amber, decent head fades into a small ring. Aroma was toasty with a bit of orange, very inviting. Some really nice malt flavors come through here, toasty and biscuity, plenty of depth. The hops, while there, aren’t particularly assertive, just a pleasant citric note with an emphasis on sweet orange flavors. Smooth, perfectly balanced palate. This wasn’t a hop bomb by any means, and didn’t have what you usually look for in a "modern" IPA, especially from the US. But it was a truly excellent beer to my humble palate.

@ Bukowski’s Dalton St 4/27/06. Ok nose, sweet. Yeasty, nutty. Kinda funky. caramel, citrus. Clean brownish orange color, small head, minor lcaing. Bittersweet flavor. Caramel, grapefruit, honey, nutty. Little of a chemically/dishwater taste. Medium body, creamy smooth mouthfeel, bitter nutty finish. Easy drinkin kind of IPA.

Clear copper coloring, generous off white head. Spicey aroma. Bitter, citrus, pine flavor. Smooth flavor.

Copper color with a diminished light beige head. Aromas of caramel, mild pine, and charcoal. Lots of caramel flavors coming through. Some light grapefruit and pine pitch also late in the swallow. A harsh bitterness in the finish distracts form the other qualities. Seems more like a strong amber than a IPA, but it’s a start.

Bottle. Pretty auburn body with a small off-white head. Nose is hoppy but not too extreme.Lots of caramel and sweet malt notes, some burnt(?) notes, and dried fruits. Taste is fruity and sweet with lots of citrus notes, light grainy notes, spicy hops, and a touch of alcohol. Body is smooth and slick. Mild carbonation feel to this. Finishes with more hop notes, caramel, citrus notes, and light grains. Not too bad.