Otter Creek Otter’s Dubbel

Brewed by Otter Creek Brewing
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Middlebury, Vermont USA

Bottle. Aroma is strong vinegar and sour fruit. Deep brown body, very small head. Flavor sways heavily to the sour side, not sure if pleasantly or not, but seems to become more palatable with additional sips. Certainly a nonconformist to expectations of a Dubbel.

Bomber, shared with Dave. Pours dark brown with magenta undertones. Aroma is softly chocolaty, but has some odd notes of molding wood and old laundry. Flavor maintains similar “off” notes that play up sour notes that do not gel with the sweet, caramelly tones of a dubbel. I am confused, and disappointed in Otter Creek’s effort.

Pours a hazy mahogany with a frothy, spotty-lacing off-white head. Aroma of tart cherries and lightly sweet biscuity caramel malt. Body starts fairly full and finely carbonated with a light toasty malty sweetness, some doughty yeasty notes and a tart light fruity balance toward the finish. I was expecting something a little sweeter calling this a dubbel, but the tartness is right on target for a Flanders red ale.

22oz bomber bottle. Opaque blackish-brown color, maybe a hint of stained-glass red. The aroma is surprisingly light, a touch of Oud Bruin sweetness. The taste is similar, with a pleasant tartness. Lots of dark, pungent fruit taste. Malty and sticky sweet, very easy to drink, really does remind me of Belgium. Not "true" to style, but certainly enjoyable.

Strong tangy yeast aroma. Lightly cloudy amber color with a medium lasting white head. Very tart in the beginning. Fading in the finish but not too much hints of it last to the end.

Poured a nice looking dark brown with little to no head. Aroma was sour funk and not in a good way. Flavor was also very sour and funky, like flat coke and vinegar. Made it about three sips in before it went down the drain.

(22oz bottle) Medium beige head atop cloudy, dark red-brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, raisin, sourness, some cinnamon. Taste is medium sweet, sour, caramel, some raisin, cinnamon. Medium body, light stickiness. Not sure the cause of the sourness, but it strong, and has no business being in this beer.

Color is too dark for a typical dubbel, and very little head on the beer, even after a vigorous pour. Smell reminds me more of a mild sour ale than a dubbel, a little citrus and a bit of cocoa and prune. Bland, insipid flavor, and much too sour. Hardly any carbonation to speak of and a little cloyingly sweet residue on the finish. Not good.