Otter Creek Vermont Lager - Otter Creek Brewing / Wolaver's

Longstaff

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +26.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Is this the first lager to come out of Vermont? Unless McNiel's did something, I think it is. Hopefully they will set the trend for other VT breweries, because they have set the standard. An excellent easy drinking lager with a clean malty base and no harsh alcohol flavors that usually dominate american made lagers. It had a nice deep golden color and a Cap'n Crunch like cereal aroma. Thicker mouthfeel than your average lager but this doesn't detract from its drinkability - not too sweet, not too fizzy - kind of creamy like the lagers I drank in Munich. Easy to drink a liter at a time - even when it gets warm, it is still just as tasty. Nice, hopefully I'll see it in all the bars in the Killington area this winter.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2003 10:33:05 | More by Longstaff

LPorter33

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased 6 pack from Martignetti's for 5.99

Appearance: Average looking clean golden hue of most lagers

Smell: Very pleasant scent. A flower petal like aroma with a pleasant sourness mixed in with a sweet sugary odor.

Taste: I REALLY like this brew. It feels amazing when it initially hits your mouth. First flavor that hits and dominates is a beautiful sweet, malty honey like flavor but not too sweet as to overwhelm the hops that follow. Sweetness lingers in the aftertaste. Very light and highly drinkable. I could have many of these without complaint.

Overall: A+ one of the better beers I've sampled in a long time. I'm extremely impressed with Otter Creek brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2005 01:28:37 | More by LPorter33

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz brown longneck bottle, twist off cap, back label should have date, but missing.

This german style lager poured a clear, golden color with persistent fine bubbles and creamy, very white foam that lasted and left fine lace on the glass. The smell was very nice and long lasting: biscuity malt and floral hops. The taste was a very good biscuity malt flavor overlaid with floral hops. The hop bitterness did not appear until the finish and the aftertaste. Very nice! The mouthfeel was smooth and creamy with medium body and good carbonation. The aftertaste was hoppy and tangy. This was a very drinkable lager! A very pleasant surprise from Otter Creek.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2003 05:51:30 | More by UncleJimbo

guinness33

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

talk about fresh! bottled on 06.17.03, and it's been sitting in my fridge for at least 10 days now. straight from the brewery to my place...i like it. anyway, pours a healthy golden colour, much lighter than i expected for a lager. the head is nice, but not lasting. strangely, portions of the smell and taste echo the cap'n crunch notion brought forth by the previous reviewer. i wasn't sure what to think when reading that but that's what's apparent here. i wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as i did on a hot summer day, and i think it'll be just as good on a cold winter night. definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2003 19:07:07 | More by guinness33

FenwaySquid

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 oz twist off (?) bottle with bottling date and batch number on the label.

Appearance: Pale golden color, almost entirely transparent except for a small haze. The head faded quickly into a lace.

Aroma: Malty and bready.

Taste: Malts up front, very stong for the color, kind of surprised me to be honest. Some floral hops in the finish. Overall, good stuff.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is pretty much what I expected. The body was strong but not overpowering. The finished lingered a little while.

Overall: This beer is way more complex than the appearance lets on. I for one found it very enjoyable. Kudos to Otter Creek for producing such a fine brew!

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2005 00:31:17 | More by FenwaySquid

silver1audi

Vermont

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I really enjoy this beer. I only drink it when I go to VT to visit family, but usually I bring some of this, along with numerous others, back to New York.

This is probably one of my favorite lagers. I just love the way it tastes. It's very drinkable; you could easily put back a whole 6 pack. I usually compare beers to other brands in the same price range, and I would always buy this over Blue or other macrobrews.

It just has a very non-offensive taste, but plenty of taste there to keep me happy. Overall it's just a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2005 16:04:36 | More by silver1audi

JasonCoop

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a clear yellow/gold with fluffy white head.

smells like tastey malts. bready smelling.

tastes nice and malty. full and buttery. carbonated and crisp tasting at the same time. hops balance it out nicely. it's the best pilsner i've tried so far.

mouthfeel is nice and light, crisp and easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2006 07:25:13 | More by JasonCoop

Todd

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle. Bottled on and batch # on the back label. Pours a very pale golden brew with a touch of haze, moderate carbonation, and a a fizzy foam head that quickly settles to a thin bubble lace. Haze clears up as the beer warms.

Aroma is malty, with bready notes, and sweet colver polen floral hop nose beneath.

Smooth upfront. Surprisingly malty and rich (for the color), with a very unique touch of clover / honey-like sweetness, a wonderful bold toasted malt character with freshly baked bread crust flavors. Herbal, earthy and rind bitter flash, backed by a quick seltzer carbonation, provides a refreshing crispness. Flavors soften into light metallic notes, grain husks, some hop leaf in the feel, and a slight roughening of the palate. More bready notes at the finish with a residual light hop oil character.

A most quaffable and enjoyable lager, packed with interesting and complex flavors. In New England this is a rare treat, so kudos to Otter Creek for brewing a craft lager!

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2004 21:45:19 | More by Todd

nomad

Kansas

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a stunningly clear light gold, clear as any of the water-like macro lagers. Carbonation flying up is light and intermittent, supporting a chunk-shaped but soft-textured head of foam that clung in large bits to the glass. Like see-through gold with a charming white crown.

Smell is a pungent array of Noble-type hops: dried flowers, lemons, grass, and almost vinegar-like wiffs alpha acid astringency. The soft, fluffy pale malt is a nice support behind the hop bouquet.

Taste is the definition of crisp and clear. The pale malt is thin but not characterless, instead acting as agreeable as possible, making way for the sharp hop onslaught. Though not large in flavor, the hops bite with intense lemon and floral zest and then... done. The finish is crisp, fairly clean, and quietly leaving hints of hop oils with vegetal flavors. Thin watery mouthfeel feels a bit like plastic in its slight nature.

Wow. Picked this up on a whim while trying to find something that inexperienced beer drinkers in my family would enjoy at a gathering. Instead I was smacked by one of those style-defining beers - this is what macro lagers should taste like. Destroyed a six-pack in no time despite restraining myself. Back to get another sixer. Damn it's crisp!

Wouldn't buy it more than 4 weeks past the "bottled on" date.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2004 17:22:38 | More by nomad

Reidrover

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ok second offering from the esteemed "Uncle Jimbo"
Comes in the obligatory 12 oz brown bottle..simple label.
Nice appearance for this lager golden yellow with a small but persistant pure white head..nice lacing.
I loved the aroma of this lager..one of the best of its class..nice spicy hoppiness..more than balanced by a a yummy toffee malt aroma..beautiful .
this is a full flavoured malty style lager..no pilsner here..and i love it the full sweetness of the malt is replaced eventually by a nice residual hop bitterness.
Very nice creamy smooth feeling on the tongue.
Very nice drinking lager..thanks UJ great summer beer indeed!

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2003 05:49:44 | More by Reidrover

xgrigorix

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Twelve ounce brown twist off bottle. Bottling date & batch # are curiously absent.

Bright glowing gold in colour, slight chill haze, and one finger of bubbly white foam caps it off.

Fresh bread aroma mixes with a bright herbal hop aroma.

Clean malt flavor, some breadiness, refreshingly sweet. This transforms into a herbal, slightly spicy hop lingering finish.

Just a shade on the light side of medium bodied, with gentle carbonation.

Crisp, clean, refreshing. A refined & sophisticated lager from a New England craft brewer - who would have thought? What's most impressive is this is the first year for this lager. Way to nail it on the first try!

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2003 17:12:34 | More by xgrigorix

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A clean golden body, a burst of carbonation, topped by a healthy, frothy white head. A bit of stretched out lacing. Very classic looking. Some fresh hay in the nose, and a splash of herbal hop spicyness. On the tongue, this is beer is classicly lager clean. Extraordinarily balanced. Refreshing, but with more body than a lawnmover beer. While nothing stands out, that applies to any flaws as well. Could be an exceptional "crossover" beer to serve a mixed bag of party guests. This is what American Lager should be. Exceeded my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2003 03:04:00 | More by RonfromJersey

scootny

New York

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A beautiful gold with a majestic head. Lacing a little less than the head would lead you to expect but decent. Little carbonation visible.

I saw no indication on the bottle that this was a pils but my nose knew immediately. A sweet and lightly buttery malt is the main player. A traditional Czec hop profile follows. Earthy with a light spiciness.

Taste showcases an excellent malt base by the brewer. This flows light a lightly sweet honeybun over the tongue. A breakfast pastry like yeast and bread core. Herbal and earthy hops give good balance with a touch of spiciness in the finish that also squeezes some grapefruit juice out to wet your whistle. Feel is smooth and with a tingly light creaminess. Spot on weight gives it a supple feel as it flow across the mouth.

A great session beer that goes down easy and with pleasure.

Thanks to The Rowan for this one

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2009 21:17:46 | More by scootny

ElGuapo

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A nice golden colored brew topped with a thin head of white foam that will leave you with lace on your glass as it dies down. A very grainy aroma that also possesses some great hop notes. It seems so far like Otter Creek really made a different lager.

Tingly carbonation and a very crisp mouthfeel make it a great summer brew. Well balanced, with a grainy base accompanied by an oh so tasty kick of hops that adds a bit of grassiness. A lighter-bodied beer that is full of flavoir, this is a brew not to miss. Drinkability ranks way up there with the big boys.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2003 12:54:52 | More by ElGuapo

WesWes

New York

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a gold color with a thick frothy white head that fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice malty scent that is a real treat from most lager aromas. It has an almost caramel smell. The taste is good also. It is full of malty flavor with a that dry bitter lager yeast taste. It has a creamy mouthfeel. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a great lager. It is full of flavor and still has all of the styles' characteristics. Otter Creek is putting out some damn good brews lately. This just adds to it's legacy.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2004 23:10:45 | More by WesWes

jwc215

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured light golden with a thin white head that rapidly became a well-retained lacing.
The smell was a bit thin - clean mixture of maltiness and fruity hops.
The taste was creamy malt combined with some fruity hops. It was slightly thicker than I would have expected from the color.
The mouthfeel was quite refreshing - a creamy fruitiness with a touch of graininess.
It was certainly drinkable, especially on a hot day. Another good one (though not necessarily one of my personal favorites) from Otter Creek!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2006 19:42:03 | More by jwc215

wedge

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours clear pale golden color with a white one-finger head. Smell is sweet, biscuity...very aromatic. Taste expands on the scent though a bit more balanced. Lots o' malts, slightly buttery, a slight bit of hops linger behind along with subtle roasted malts. Medium body, creamy...actually fills the mouth well with flavor. Clean, smooth, and quite easy to drink.

Very nice for a lager. Bready malts give it a suprisingly rich flavor and aroma. Certainly a keeper from Otter Creek.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2005 02:34:26 | More by wedge

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

At the OC/Wolaver's promo at Vito's, the brewery rep in attendance was jumping from table to table announcing to everyone that the recipe for this beer was recently revamped, so we shouldn't rule it out. I was impressed by this because (a) it showed that the brewery was admitting that the previous iteration of this beer (which I had had years ago) was terrible, and (b) it showed that the brewery gave a damn and was willing to improve the quality. Therefore I ordered one to give it a fair shake. In short, I was pleasantly surprised.

Into a pilsner glass, it poured golden with two fingers of bright white head that laced fairly well. Healthy carbonation was evident as well. The smell revealed some floral Noble hops qualities, as well as grass and hay. The taste revealed this in abundance as well, then dissolved to malt, and then finished on a very dry note. In fact, the finish was probably the most impressive aspect of the flavor. Very well done. The body was just a touch below medium, with a pronounced carbonation presence. I could certainly see myself sessioning this in the future. Kudos to the brewery for the new recipe.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2009 17:05:46 | More by donniecuffs

cubedbee

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a bright golden tellow with a thin white head that fades away fast, no real retention to speak of. Smell is a nice sweet bready malt, fairly strong. Taste is a nice solid malt, with a definite citrus edge and a crisp grassy hop finish. Simple, but nice. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and rather smooth, a little less carbonated that I expected for a pilsner. Overall this is a really solid simple lager, easy to share with macro drinking friends, definitely has it's times.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2005 17:18:17 | More by cubedbee

Jason

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz brown twist off bottle with bottled on date and batch # on the back label.

Appearance: Nice sticky lacing, fine clarity off of a bright and pale copper hue.

Smell: Very malty, dough aroma up front with mild toasted notes in the back. A clean herbal hop is noticeable as well.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Lots of malt flavour, solid medium body and real smooth. Malt sweetness is up there but the hops creep in right after the juicy wave of malt in the middle goes by. Toasted malt all around the palate. Herbal with a soft bitterness, the hop character lingers far into the finish.

Notes: Solid and tasty, nice to see an other New England lager that shines just as much as the multitude of ales.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2003 03:08:47 | More by Jason

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pale yellow, excellent long lasting head, leaves decent lace on the glass.

Predominately malt aroma, the hop is light but evident. Flavor-wise, I like the hoppiness which wasn't evident in the aroma; very nice balance although slightly on the hoppy side. Very effervesent with a moderate body. The aftertaste is largely hop bite--bitter and dry.

This is a pretty good lager; certainly not as smooth as some, but it is flavorful and complex.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2004 03:56:58 | More by smcolw

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear deep golden. Short cap of white. Decent retention. Decent lacing.
S: Lager sulphur and lightly toasted malt with a hint of floral and grassy hops in the background.
T: Clean, slightly toasty malt. Spicy and grassy hops. Solid bitterness.
M: Firm, medium body with a crisp, fine-bubbled carbonation.
D: A well done, well balanced lager. Refreshing and satisfying. Kind of like a cross between a Dortmunder export and a Czech pils.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2007 23:59:32 | More by NeroFiddled

pezoids

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch #1492. Bottled on 2-25-04. Consumed on 7-30-04.

For being almost 5 months old, this beer has stood up well. Poured a bright and clear yellowish golden color. Small lacing was left on the glass and the beer had a light and sporadic carbonation. The aroma leans towards the sharp, with a sweet graininess and buttery malts. The taste is light and bitter. Very nice. The finish here is clean and crisp and leaves a slight lemony citric sweetness along with a sharp graininess on the tongue. Perfect body of malt for this beer. Overall, a simple beer that has little harshness in the aftertaste, and one that's very easy to enjoy any day of the week.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2004 19:30:14 | More by pezoids

scottum

Vermont

3.88/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a golden amber color with a big bright white head. Nice smooooth body. Hop crisp is there, but a nice balance is held tight. Easy to put down a few of these do to a high drinkability factor. One of the best lagers available in the north east.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2005 23:28:32 | More by scottum

davisdandrew

Quebec (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

this beer is really yummy.
incredibly drinkable with perfect bitterness level. this one is perfect for summer. i hope otter creek comes out with some other lagers, because this one is delicious.
will definetly buy this one and highly recomend it. 6/17/09

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 00:58:20 | More by davisdandrew