Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus

Brewed by Otter Creek Brewing
Style: Barley Wine
Middlebury, Vermont USA

On tap at Churchkey, Washington DC. Pours a transparent, caramel, orange amber with a thin, creamy, lacing white head. Aroma is nice, sweet, hops, pine, bready, slightly spicy. I thought the flavor was outstanding, it starts with the oak, buttery, vanilla, woody, then the grapes kick in, sweet, fruity, white grape, tropical fruits. The hops kick in at the end, grapefruit, a little pine. Finish is sticky and slightly bitter. I thought this worked really well.

Draft. Small beige head atop hazy copper body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, grapefruit, orange, raisin, some strawberry. Taste is moderately sweet, caramel, grapefruit, raisin, some orange, strawberry. Low carbonation, sticky medium-full body.

Sampled from a 22 oz brown bottle this beer poured an orange-amber color with a large orange-cream colored head. The aroma was fruity hops, light grape and a touch of vanilla. The flavor was bitter, tart and sour with notes of caramel, grape, vanilla, fruity hops and a touch of honey. Thick, full and overwhelmingly sweet. Interesting.

Bottle shared with Axilla at Ron’s. Poured amber brown in color with a thin ring of bubbles that quickly diminished. Aroma was lightly floral and fruity notes of grapes and honey. Mouthfeel was a little peppery, but had little to no carbonation. No champagne yeast present. Tastes of grapes, honey, with some alcohol burn in the finish.

This starts with a bit of oak, and a touch of yeast. Pours a clear ruby red, with a big fluffy white head. Slick mouthfeel, with a bit of alcohol burn present. The primary flavors are notes of sweetness, a touch of vanilla, and yeasty esters. Interesting, but I don’t think I’ll be going after this one again.

Bomber. Pours a deep ruby orange with a one-finger bubbly white head. Aromas of Belgian yeast, chardonnay, bubble gum, and sour grape juice; the smell is reminiscent of a Dubbel. Creamy, oily mouthfeel. Yeasty, sour, biting hops present initially, bitter and astringent in the middle, and ending with a sour alcohol and warming hop presence. Dry finish. Sweet, nearly cloying, and almost medicinal at times. I don’t get any oak here, although there is some dirt/earth present in the finish. I would not have guessed this is a barleywine, it has neither the aromas nor the flavors of a typical beer of the style. This is pretty different, there’s a lot going on here.

Copper red with a cm of white head and decent lacing. Aroma of ginger and grape. Taste is grainy, grapey, alcoholic, astringent, and just this side of poisonous. Astringency lasts well after the finish, with a shot of juice. Really not too far off from one of those brutally fusel high gravity Eurolagers. $8/22oz

Bottle/22 - Poured a orangish red amber in color with a thick half inch head that settled to a thick quarter inch covering over the beer. Some decent lacing on the glass. Aroma is medium hoppy with bready yeast, slight citrus and some spiciness. Flavor is yeasty with plenty of fruity esters and an undercurrent of hoppiness. Grapes are evident, which add a medium sweetness accompanied by some honey and brown sugar or molasses. Spices are hard to place... might be some cloves and/or some cinnamon. Flavor is *really* complex with lots going on. Alcohol, in spite of its ABV, is not that evident. One of the more complex and interesting beers I have had in a while. This was really good!