Otter Creek A Winters Ale

Formerly brewed at Otter Creek Brewing
Style: Scottish Ale
Middlebury, Vermont USA

Smells and tastes like a homebrew. I think me and my brewingbuddies have made better ones than this one.

Chestnut brown. Sourish nose, medium bosied, medium sweetness. Crystal malt and toffee flavours. Rather low bitterness. I probably got an off sample, i remember it as being better a few years ago.

Somewhat of a bland malty sweetness, but compensated by bittering hops. Nice looking, but average tasting.

Dark amber color, almost no head. Average flavor, slightly bitter finish

Middle of the road beer with mild flavor.

Dark chestnut; nose has oranges, some slight band-aid, plums, wood, munich malts; more dark malts in the palate - hints of wood, dark rye bread crust, and earthy maltiness. A little light on the palate for the style (like a lot of more famous ales in this style, like Belhaven Wee Heavy) for my liking. Finish gets quite sweet and sticky, with more smoke emerging.

Not terrible but certainly geared not to offend. It shows in the mild character (for a winter ale). Light spice on the nose.

This is a beer that definitely promises more than it delivers; gorgeous port-like appearance with a nice head, lovely smoky/wine-like aroma; but the flavor is a bit of a letdown, rather weak and thin if nicely malty and slightly alcoholic tasting. A bit too bitter going down, I thought; still, the best beer I’ve had so far from this overrated local brewer.