Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter - Otter Creek Brewing / Wolaver's

TexIndy

Texas

1.85/5  rDev -51.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle (other reviews and the beer label claim a bottled on date but I couldn't find any) into a pint glass. It was black with mahogany highlights. Lots of lacing. It had a finger of tan head that slowly settled into a constant foam.

The aroma had a weird, off-putting initial smell that I could never pin down. Past that was chocolate malt and a good smoky flavor. The taste was pretty good but whatever affected the smell was impacting the taste as well. Not enough of a bite to it for me and it had a watery taste which impacted the mouthfeel. I usually love a good porter so maybe this is just a bad sample. Will need to try again.

Overall, unless I got a bad sample, this one is a bit of a mess. Weird smell and taste followed up with watery taste and mouthfeel. Will try again if I can get in a mixed six or single. Otherwise, this may be a one and done.

UPDATE: re-sampled and it was still bad. This time had a horrible bitter taste to it. One and done. Avoid

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2008 02:00:58 | More by TexIndy

schenked

Illinois

2.03/5  rDev -46.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A friend gave me this beer to try out of a six-pack they purchased. I like a good porter, but this was not one. I almost think I got a bad bottle. It poured a very dark brown, not the rich black I would expect. It had not head on it. The mouth feel was thin and watery. There was none of the depth I expect from a porter, just a off-putting sweetness. I could not bring myself to finish it.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2006 18:38:34 | More by schenked

righthereisay

Pennsylvania

2.1/5  rDev -45%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Not a huge fan of porters, I like the Stouts a lot better.

This just wasn't that good. It was recommended at a beer place in Swansboro NC. I was looking at different dark beers, and she recommended it.

I think it is basic. Not too complex. Definitely not 1 I would purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 17:23:28 | More by righthereisay

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

2.3/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Dark brown in appearance. This beer has a strong coffee smell. The mouthfeel is less desirable, leaves a bitter taste, not a desireable result. The coffee takes over with this porter. We here at barley road have had better. Average to best. The taste is very strong with coffee. If you like your porter in this style you will not be disappointed. Overall this is a drinkable beer if you know what you are in for. Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 00:45:51 | More by barleyroad

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - A small two finger head that dissipates in about two minutes. A tiny bit of lacing, almost none though. There is a slight reddidh tint to this dark brew.

S - Molasses and coffee. Moderately strong odor. It isn't particularly amazing.

T - A bit of burnt malt with a touch of elderberries and coffee in the foretaste. The aftertaste is a mild smoky, slightly chemical bitterness.

M - Carbonation is a tiny bit high, but nothing bad. It is a medium viscosity beer and it is about neutral in the refreshment department.

D - This is a pretty mediocre porter around the board. It is lacks anything spectacular or awful, but I can drink it. I wouldn't session it since the bitterness is awkward and a bit unpleasant. It isn't worth drinking more than once since there is nothing to the flavor really. Again it isn't bad, just mediocre.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2006 03:43:00 | More by mrasskicktastic

SpencerT

Ohio

2.58/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

The Stove Pipe Porter poured a dark coffee with a Mocha head. It had good lacing, they nailed the "Porter" look. The scent of campfire comes to mind when you brought it your nose. There were faint herbal scents.
The smoke is up front and finished with a bitter smoke. Muddled flavors. This was aptly named.
The mouth-feel was not bad.
I probably will stay away from this one in the future. The flavors were just overpowered by the smoke.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2008 02:59:15 | More by SpencerT

kelticblood

Massachusetts

2.6/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I bought this Ottercreek Stovepipe Porter as part of a Sampler variety pack.It poured a dark solid black with a nice thick foamy white head.It smelled of hops and had a bitterness to it.I was disappointed with the taste,being it didnt really have any.It lacked in my opinion the smokey taste a Porter usually delivers.It was thick and malty but lacked any real distinctive taste.It had great carbonation,but overall it didnt impress me.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2002 09:44:56 | More by kelticblood

RJUGA03

Illinois

2.6/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A- Poured into a tulip glass. It's body was was almost jet black, but light permiable holding an unremarkable off white thin head with a crazy outter space looing lacing.
S-Roasted chocolate, malt, and coffee were present.
T-On the draw it was somewhat tart flowing into a malty slight hopped flavorless finish.
M-It was very typical for the style...Porterish!
D-Again this was a Beer of the Month and I was intrigued to try it...which lead to my ultimate dissappointment. Despite this beer I will continue to try East Coast beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2009 01:57:28 | More by RJUGA03

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

2.65/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

From notes, single purchased at Woodman's West here in Madison.

Pour is a dark garnet - a little too light and transparent for a good porter - under a finger of khaki foam that fades instantly to a skim.

Nose is mostly burnt coffee grounds and copper with a malty grain undertone.

Taste starts off startlingly metallic but fades into toasty malts and extreme burnt coffee ground bitterness with a Bud Select-esque watery finish.

Mouthfeel is quite thin, again watery, and the carbonation is more soda than beer....biting.

Not an impressive offering from Otter Creek. I enjoy a good porter and this falls short in almost every way.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2006 01:52:09 | More by Golden2wenty1

mattcrill

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark brown with a nice white head. Couldn't smell much at all. Got a whiff of malts and maybe some coffee but nothing that jumps out at you. Pretty bland tasting. I think the carbonation was a little overpowering. I tasted malts and roasted coffee. I guess it tasted like carbonated hazelnut coffee. It was easy drinking so I give it credit for that. Overall, a below average porter. I haven't had much luck with the Otter Creek line.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2004 22:01:48 | More by mattcrill

DoctorDog

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Presentation: 12 oz bottle into a nonic glass.

A- Deep brown with ruby highlights. 1+ finger of light brown head, which fades to a thin, oily cap.

S- Earthy hop note upon pouring that fades quickly. Roasted malts, and a slightly acrid hint of coffee.

T- Some roasty maltiness and stale coffee with a bit of an astringent acrid twang. Otherwise, fairly bland. Not really working.

M- Moderately low carbonation. Quite a bit too light on feel....fairly watery. Definitely detracts.

O- Meh. Looked and smelled ok, but weak body and an insipid flavor profile make this one a failure in my book.

Future outlook: I don't foresee any effort towards getting more of this.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 03:32:08 | More by DoctorDog

Sixpoint

New York

2.73/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer.... hmmmm....

Well, I don't like it. Here's why:

There is little to no head retention.

The smell is very faint...and all I get is a little chocolate malt and roast barley?

Taste is not good. Where's the caramel taste to balance the hops and charcoal burntness? The label proclaims it has plenty of roasted barley? Roasted? This is not a stout. Porters should not be roasted. A porter should be made with black malt... that's why its a porter?

Overall, the beer is not drinkable. There's too much sharpness/acidity from the roasted barley? and hops, and not enough caramel sweetness or finish. An average beer, at best.

P.S.

Quote from my friend:

"This beer tastes like soy sauce!"

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2004 03:58:12 | More by Sixpoint

SaintPeter

Colorado

2.73/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

bottled on 2/19/09

Used an imperial pint glass. Pours a black opaque color with deep garnet where the light penetrates. A fluffy, rootbeer float head with a color the same-tan and creamy. Frothy foam leaves a nice cling and patchwork of lacing on the glass as the head drops after about 2 minutes. Very creamy and full bodied-looking, as I imagine a good porter to be. The creamy head coats the glass as the beer is consumed.

Strong nose of bitter malts and black coffee, maybe some molasses or black licorice. The bitter malt and coffee dominates and anything else that might be in there is muted. One dimensional.

The taste is of dark and burnt black patent malt. An unpleasant bitterness in the taste, like when eating a black malt grain, hints of some hops in there. The burnt coffee and carcinogenic really affects the taste of the beer. Finishes with a residual bitterness in the back of the throat. It definitely gets better as it warms up, the flavors come out and melt a bit more and it becomes a more consumable beverage than it first began as. That's all I want out of a beer: consumability. It may not be a word, but you get the line of thinking.

Some creaminess in the mouth after it has warmed up. Though, it is thin and watered down. Could be more thick and chewier. No beer should be this thin.

The bitterness is just too much, not very consumable at all.

It started off so great but went downhill fast. I would rather have a high scoring taste rather than a high scoring appearance.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 20:31:18 | More by SaintPeter

beveritt

Ohio

2.73/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Presentation: Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into a shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Pours with just shy of two fingers of medium tan head. This Settles slowly to a decent cap of foam, leaving behind fair lacing. Beer is black and opaque.

Smell: Not much here; strong metallic notes.

Taste: Mild roasted barley, but strong metallic flavors.

Mouthfeel: Average carbonation level. Body is okay.

Drinkability: Pretty bland with some off flavors. Not one I would seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2009 22:27:03 | More by beveritt

acarroll413

Massachusetts

2.8/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

poured from a 12 oz bottle into a glass

A- i must just be in love with dark beers, i thought this beer looked great, but i deducted points from it because there was absolutely NO head on this beer, well not a real one anyway. there was this small layer of white film floating above the beer for about 5 seconds after i poured it but that's all

S- roasted, smokey malt. not bad overall, but not as good as some stouts.

T&M- honestly, i still cant taste the difference between this and a stout. i guess my pallate is just not that refined. anyway, not a bad tasting beer, but a little thick and not as carbonated as i would have liked. tasted lots of roasted malt, but honestly i didn't mind it as much as some others (mcarroll10177)

D- maybe it'd be better on tap, but the liklihood of finding that on tap is slim to none and slim just left town. so i probably wont drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2006 02:02:57 | More by acarroll413

MisterDeeds

Massachusetts

2.8/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a deep black with a creamy tan head.

Smells fairly malty and roasted. Some coffee and dark chocolate notes.

Hits up front with sweet malty flavors, and finishes with a dry roasted coffe bitterness.

Slighty thin for what I expected from the style and color. The aftertaste is a bit too bitter for me as well.

Worth a taste, but I don't see myself going for many of these.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 02:50:13 | More by MisterDeeds

changeup45

Florida

2.8/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Black color, medium to thick tan head. Roasted coffee flavor, a bit creamy and nutty with a bitter aftertaste. Lingering bitterness here. Maybe a dash of chocolate in there as well. I haven't sampled a ton of Porters but this seems to be middle of the road.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2008 16:18:53 | More by changeup45

tweeder263

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured out dark but transparent with a nice dark ruby color.Aone finger tan head.Smells of dry coffee.I wish i could say more for the taste but its almost watery,dont get me wrong theres nothing wrong with it,but,it tastes of a watered down bland porter.Dry coffee flavors mostly come through.Tight slightly bitter finish.Mouthfeel,,watery. An ok porter,,theres many others id reach for besides this,,not very impressive.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2005 01:39:10 | More by tweeder263

LilBeerDoctor

New York

2.83/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed on 5/8/08. Bottle. Pours a dark black with a light mocha head that leaves pretty lacing on the glass. Aroma of roast, coffee. Flavor of the same, some chocolate, some alcohol (weird, since this is only 5.4%) also a weird taste I can't quite place. Thin, watery palate. This is ok, I guess. I wouldn't get this again though.
6/4/5/3/13 (3.1/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 21:41:48 | More by LilBeerDoctor

Pabs311

Connecticut

2.83/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

welll this is a beer... dunno bout a porter though. i guess i'm used to big baltic and english porters, this one just didnt stand up to my expectations.

A- very dark brown with a nice thick creamy head. some lacing.

S- very light and mality with some subtle chocolate and coffee, but not nearly as robust and powerful as i would like from a porter.

T- The tatse was disapointing. It had some of that coffee & chocolate but seemed as though they had cut their batch in half with water. very light flavor profile for a porter adn somewhat dissapointing.

M/D- The mouthfeel was very light for a porter. i was dissapointed with this too. i like nice full bodied porters that coat ur palate and stay there for while. This one was there in gone and a flash. very drinkable, i guess itd be good if u wanted to pound back a few porters insetad of ur run of the mill american lagers.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 16:01:11 | More by Pabs311

TAMU99

Virginia

2.88/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Not bad, more stout than porter

A - Black/reddish, pours clear with a think dark tan head that leaves a heavy lace
S - malty, barley with a mild white grape (think wine) bouquet
T - Ric, strong burnt toast with hints of roasted nuts. Very little sweet flavor to balance.
M - Smooth, lingering
D - ok, if you prefer the bitter of stouts over teh sweetness of porters, then maybe this one's for you

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2005 01:58:41 | More by TAMU99

travolta

California

2.9/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle.
Apperance: No head, or head retention. Black in color, but reddish brown in the light.

Nose: Sweet carmel, Coffee, Brandy.

Taste: Sweet at first, toffee, and roasted coffe. i didnt get much flavor out of this one.

Notes: I enjoyed drinking this, but as I said i didnt get much flavor, it was a simple dark beer. i hate that.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2004 03:27:43 | More by travolta

clvand0

Kentucky

2.9/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours a very dark color with an off-white head that quickly dissipates and leaves little lacing on the glass. The aroma is very strong of coffee … and then some coffee. Oh yeah, there's some coffee in the nose, in case I didn't mention it. The flavor is filled with ... umm ... yeah, coffee. Very strong coffee character. Some dark malts are there too, but they are overtaken by the ... coffee. Has a bitter hoppy finish methinks. Not bad, actually if you like coffee. Honestly a decently done beer, but it could use more hop character and some more standard dark malts. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2004 03:17:07 | More by clvand0

mcallister

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a choclatey brown with a lovely inch high tan fluffy head. Very sticky lacing left behind.

Not much on the sone. Some roasted malt, bitter choclate, and coffee hints.

Light watery mouthfeel. Hints of coffee, unsweetened choclate, fennel, roasted choclate malt, and vanilla. A 30 second finish leaves the tongue somewhat dry from the hop texture.

Overall an average porter that I wouldn't drink much of. I choose to move to the next beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2006 21:57:22 | More by mcallister

wac9

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

wow everybody like this beer i dont get it, does nothing for me taste a little hoppy and leaves a bad after taste too bad to each his own i know what i like and dont like. gonna keep trying new beers it pour great , it black o yeah but lacks taste except for the hop in it not for me

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 01:51:41 | More by wac9