Wolaver's India Pale Ale - Otter Creek Brewing / Wolaver's

metter98

New York

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy yellowish amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin off white head that died down and left lacing.
S: There are light aromas of citrus hops and caramel malts in the nose.
T: The overall taste is quite malty, slightly sweet and only has a mild amount of bitterness. There are flavors of caramel, citrus and pine.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: Considering its strength, this beer is rather easy to drink because the alcohol is hidden from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 22:53:09 | More by metter98

ramseye4

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A=3.0 pours a thin golden color, minimal head, great lacing
S=Citric hops, lots of grapefruit, some faint biscuit 3.5
T=3.5-Biscuit malt, bitter hops, citrus and grapefruit
M=4.0-medium bodied, good bitterness, high carbonation
d=4.5- simple taste and medium body make this very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 00:27:33 | More by ramseye4

tchenery

Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nice bright orange malt color. Some visible carbonation but most importantly a thin layer of head is apparent and rimming the glass.

It smells very upfront with pale malts. It has that faint raisin/fruit smell from the malts, but then you can smell the pungent hops on the end and on the second smell.

It's bitter up front but then follows with a weird tin can taste. I'm not too fond of that. It may be the malts, but I'm not sure. The bitterness leads to a drying sensation and it actually ends up being somewhat refreshing.

Mouthfeel is crisp and bubbly, I like that a lot. It comes across as a bit watery, but I would be totally ok with this beer in the summertime.

Drinkability is ok. It would have been higher except for that weird tinny taste that isn't going away.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 23:31:32 | More by tchenery

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.35/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Copper, almost brown. Medium head, below average retention. Aroma was farmy and caramel.

Caramel and a decent amont of hopping. The malt structure is too much though for this. It clouds the hops, weighs on the mouthfeel, grows into the heavy woody feel. Too bad how it finishes, it starts out with a little promise.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 20:39:48 | More by Beerandraiderfan

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.23/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle dated 07-23-2009. Probably past it's prime, but what the hell.

Poured into a 10oz. Cigar City snifter.

Appearance: A loose, sticky, white head sits atop a hazy, honey-colored body. Gentle streams of carbonation can be seen rising within. Head quickly decays to a thin crown, but it drags a ton of web-like lacing. A vigorous swirl resurrects the original head, at least for a bit.

Smell: Lemon, lime, toasted grains, and somewhat grassy hops. I think I even get a bit of green apple. Fairly tart, lightly sweet. Not a whole lot going on, and what is there isn't that special.

Taste: Caramel and sweet malt start things off. Lemon and lime follow, and then earthy hops come through for a lingering bitter finish. Tastes pretty leafy; I almost wanna say minty. Alcohol peaks through just a bit at the end of each sip. I prefer IPAs with brighter flavor profiles, but this one works.

Mouthfeel: Very malty, moderately carbonated, and a bit heavier than I'd like. Nice mouth-coating. Nice lingering aftertaste. I prefer lighter bodied, hoppier (west coast) IPAs, but I understand that's not what they're going for. I dig.

Drinkability: This IPA was just alright. The heavier body and dulled flavor profile definitely hurt the beer's drinkability, but I still had no problem finishing it.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2010 05:00:31 | More by ThreeWiseMen

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a cloudy orange/amber colour with very little head and no noticeable carbonation.

S - The nose is sweet caramel malts with a very faint citrus hop nose in the background. Not a typical IPA nose.

T - The palate is very malty - sweet with a caramel flavour to it. The hops are almost non-existent here. I would never guess that this is an IPA in a blind tasting.

M - Light to medium in body with a perfect amount of carbonation.

D - This is a very enjoyable beer. Very different for an IPA - I would like more hops and less malt, but still a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 20:17:12 | More by TheSevenDuffs

donteatpoop

Ohio

3.33/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Went on an IPA spending spree, bought a bunch of different bottles, this was among them. First thing I've had from the brewery.

An orange amber color with what hardly any head, and what little there is clings to the rim of the glass in a thin ring.

Sweet citrus, floral hops, and some dry earth malt tones.

The mouth picks up a dry bitterness behind the sweet-citrus hops.

Body is a bit thin and the bitterness lingers.

Meh.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 05:51:05 | More by donteatpoop

Andreji

Colombia

3.95/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Decent organic alternative I found whilst having lunch @ a Pain Quotidien in the upper west side.

pour is hazy reddish with a thin, compact white-to-tan head (i'm wondering if atmospheric pressure has anything to do with these small heads), light lacing.

Notes of roast malty caramel at first, somewhat yeasty, hops hardly perceivable.

Taste has a yeasty mouldy feel to it throughout, in spite of a dominant red ale maltiness it holds. very light bitter finish, more of an aftertaste than an actual finishing edge. medium bodied, rather refreshing than filling. well-carbonated, nice brunchy blend.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 23:08:34 | More by Andreji

shoude

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass

bright amber color with a foamy head that sticks to the glass, great smell of, well good beer, good hop notes that are well balanced with a slight citrus taste, well rounded mouth feel that doesn't coat your tongue

quite a drinkable beer, I enjoyed this more than a brighter, more hoppy IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 23:01:21 | More by shoude

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter on 11/28/09

A - Medium amber/burnt orange. Fairly cloudy. ¼ inch head settles to a layer almost instantly. Minimal retention. Thin but ok lacing.

S - Smooth yet subtle aroma. Mostly earthy hops; a few floral undertones. Not much citrus here. Almost a candy-like sweetness with some toasted malts.

T - Very similar to the nose - earthy hop bitterness & grit. Floral notes with just a tad of over-ripe grapefruit & orange. Toasted maltiness & hints of sweet bread are mixed in, but not overly dominant.

M - Medium bodied with appropriate carbonation. Some residual bitterness lingers on the back end.

D - Not particularly great but not bad by any means. Decent drinkability; fairly solid throughout.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2010 21:03:17 | More by Ryan011235

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on date of 7/23/09

Pours a hazy light orange color with a finger of white head. Little bit of lacing and even less retension. Slight malty sweet aroma coming through the citrus hops in the nose. Taste is bitter upfront and has a nice lingering bitterness in the finish that clings to the tongue. Thin bodied and low carb but still enjoyable. Not much of a wow factor but a soild example for the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 21:02:14 | More by stakem

jsh420

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours clear golden with a 1+ fonger head that fades and left no lacing

smell - has a great deal of sweet carmel malt along with some fruity citrus hops(just not enough)

taste was ok - more of a balanced ipa - reminds me alot of hopdevil - carmel malts with some spicey hops - i dont get any citrus that i picked up in the nose

mouthfeel is nice and light/medium with plenty of carbonation - that makes me want to take another zip

drinkability is good - while i am not blown away with the flavors - there is something that made me drink this one pretty fast

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 03:05:28 | More by jsh420

argock

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass. Freshness date on label. 6-pack purchased at Whole Foods Market (Charlottesville, VA) for $7.99.

A: Amber-gold hue with healthy 1-2 finger off-white rocky head with decent retention and nice lacing.

S: Floral and grapefruit hops notes are most prominent with pale malt sweetness

T: Flavor is more on par with an APA+ with pale malt sweetness even with floral, orange, grapefruit, and spicy herbal hops.

M: Thin for the style with low carbonation and sweet aftertaste.

D: Lackluster for the style as this would fit into the APA category.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2009 03:47:32 | More by argock

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep copper color with a slight white head. The aroma is of citrus hops and some piney hops along with a sweet malt smell. The taste has a sweet caramel backbone with a nice citrus and pine hop bite, however, the bite fades quickly. The mouthfeel is of moderate carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer, but not one of the best ipa's that you will ever have. Nothing to stand out about it, but nothing to make you dislike it either.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2009 00:31:32 | More by goblue3509

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.8/5  rDev +7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pleasant US IPA standard on the balanced and paler side.

Presentation: Draft at a Spanish Restaurant somewhere in Maryland. Generic tap presentation, ironic if you consider it is sitting to the other handful of flashy tap markers, and this unassuming offering is with a difference one of the best two beers in this locale. Menu offers no description beyond the label IPA. Served in a pint shaker glass.

A - Inviting clean and light amber color with a shy touch of foam (This pint has been served almost filled up to the rim ...) Strong and rich lacing.

S - Soft floral aroma around a hoppy resin and a malty sweetness.

T - Nicely balanced hop flavors with a gentle and persistent final bitter bite within a present malty base.

M - Smooth and medium bodied with good but not overwhelming carbonation

D - Nicely drinkable but it is far sturdier than what a first pint would suggest.

Notes: Always a pleasure to find this craft brews sneaking into less savvy tap selections. A nice IPA that with a smooth and apparent lighter early taste is great to share with friends starting to approach the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2009 23:03:48 | More by Daniellobo

jbhuxley

South Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear and amber in color with 1" of creamy white head.

Smells grainy and earthy, with some sweet toffee tones.

No pine or citrus, slightly floral. There is taste I cannot discern, it's almost chocolaty but not quite. I wish I could describe it better.

It's not watery but not thick. Slightly creamy.

While this is easy drinking and pleasing, it is not outstanding. I don't really consider this an IPA. There is not bitterness. If I had to guess without seeing the bottle I would say I was drinking an APA.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2009 01:24:18 | More by jbhuxley

ralree

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Nice gold color, great frothy head, wonderful lacing.

S: Caramel, nice hops, brown sugar.

T: Great hoppy flavor with background of brown sugar, caramel, and some great-tasting grapefruit. Bitter hop flavor lasts well after swallowing.

M: A little light-bodied for the style, but still good. A little astringent, which is good for this style. Carbonation about right.

D: Drinks great - will definitely be getting again. Not too filling or too rich.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 02:44:43 | More by ralree

drcarver

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Average sized off-white head with a fair amount of lacing. A light amber color.

S - Heavy pine resin aroma with a bit of citrus

T - Moderately bitter throughout. Average finish length. Alcohol burn present in the background.

P - Medium=full bodied with a watery texture. Lively carbonation and a lightly astringent feel.

D - If you take it slow it's pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2009 19:23:50 | More by drcarver

degerbah

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Huge head explosion meant that I had to take a minute off before pouring the rest into my glass. This beer has a huge fruit aroma. Once the head died down there was lots of spidery remanants along the top of the glass.

The taste is a very hoppy with substantial grapefruit overtones. Lots of fruity overtones. This is a very refreshing beer on a warm day, I could drink these all day long. I'm not sure if I prefer this to SN Torpedo or Commodore Perry, still excellent.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2009 22:37:51 | More by degerbah

CHickman

New York

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured a copper color with a tiny head; nice aroma of hops. Crisp carbonation with nice malt and hop combo, but not extremely hoppy; somewhat of a metal taste mixed with the hops flavor, but overall a pretty good beer. Went down easy and is quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2009 02:39:55 | More by CHickman

GreenCard

Oregon

3.7/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: coppery brown, slight haze, nice layer of spongey off-white foam with good head retention

Aroma: bready malt undercurrent with grapefruity/floral hop scent; delicate

Flavor: biscuity/cookie malt backbone with caramel; smooth citrusy hop flavor with a balanced bitterness to dry it out perfectly; finishes semi-dry with a fairly clean aftertaste

Mouthfeel: medium-light body, gentle carbonation, crisp

Other comments: A modest, well-balanced IPA with fantastic drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2009 02:18:06 | More by GreenCard

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a pale copper hue with a large off white head, nice retention going on. Aroma has some muted pine cone with a spice citrus note, but overall has a sour twang with earthy hops almost tobacco notes. Flavors have sugary pale malts with a burst of light alcohol, hops have citrus rind and pine cone tip bitterness. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied carbonation is prett lively, nice dry aftertaste. Drinkability is solid but definitely my least fave out of the 3 I tried from the sampler compared to the pale and the brown ales.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2009 19:57:31 | More by WVbeergeek

BuffaloTapHugger

New York

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a deep orange color with some head achieved. Lacing is minimal.

S: Peppery, earthy tones (soil). Light pine molds the two together to make a unique blend of aromatics.

T: The hops want to come out and party, but the curfew sends them home far too early. Little spice on the initial intake, is the star of this beer. The malt character plays very well with the hops that are present.

M: Medium bodied, perfect carbonation. The spice on the withdraw makes it. Mediocre hop involvement.

D: Very much so. This is a nice touch on the American IPA style. The organic factor gives you something to thing about while sipping. Recommended to those "green" IPA fans around the nation. I might drink again, but will most likely opt out for more punch. Still not too shabby.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2009 07:30:20 | More by BuffaloTapHugger

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of pale hops, caramelized malts and some citrus.

T: The taste starts out malty with sweet flavors of caramel and citrus, then is quickly followed by a bitter hops bite. Although, it remains pretty balanced, the hops bites tones down as you continue to drink it. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, decent representation of style, it's not one of the better IPA's that I've had but it's still a decent beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 00:21:13 | More by TheManiacalOne

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Of the many IPAs I've had this one is definitely lower tier I must say. Has a high ABV but.. where are the hops? Both in aroma and taste, you don't get too much... very malty. I also found this beer a bit watery. I mean don't get me wrong, it's a good tasting beer.. just there's a lot of other craft beers that taste much better. The whole organic thing is phooey to me, I don't believe that makes anything taste better, but look to Otter Creek or Long Trail for better Vermont offerings.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 23:32:36 | More by marlinsfan4