Otter Creek Winter Red Ale - Otter Creek Brewing / Wolaver's

Brad007

Vermont

4.22/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This has been in my fridge for a while. Took a while to get around to it!

Pours a brick red color with a nice head into my glass. There's even a smidgen of lacing!

Lots of hops with a hint of citrus to them. Kind of an unusual choice for a seasonal. Regardless, the aroma is good enough.

Bursting with flavor, especially that of chewy, bready malt and hops with a mild citrus bite. Liquid bread, indeed.

Lingering bready malt and citrus hops make up the mouthfeel. Nothing out of the ordinary.

A simple, tasty amber ale for the winter months. Good for when you don't want a bucketful of hops (and no, this isn't and act of "homerism" because this beer is quite fucking tasty regardless of the brewery!)

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 15:45:24 | More by Brad007

PBoegel

New York

4.1/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Radiant amber with nice cream white lace on the glass.

Nice notes of pine sap with orange, granola and brown sugar.

Really well balanced nice deep bready malt with a kick of citrus and pineapple. Solid bitter in the finish makes for wanting more sips.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth, lightly sweet finish.

Another outstanding new beer from a vastly underrated brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 21:29:04 | More by PBoegel

BigPlay1824

New York

4.03/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a pint glass

A: pours a deep amber color that is very clear with a finger of light tan and slight amber colored head that is creamy and lingers just shortly, leaves a ton of lacing
S: some sort of spice that i really cant place, slight pine and cinnamon, definitely what i would expect for the style
T: nice taste for the style, great depth and spice notes, really complex and nice
M: medium carbonation tingle, leaves a bit of a spice note on the palate, smooth, silky
O: a nice representation of the style, really nice spice notes, drinks really nicely

Serving type: growler

01-15-2012 16:52:40 | More by BigPlay1824

leftde18

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Clear, attractive brick red, with a nice off white head that left some decent lacing. Definitely calls you to drink it.

S- Pine is most prominent, but its not in the sweet sappy sense. The combination of malt and hops balance to produce a very earthy pine smell.

T- As if New Belgium added a bunch more hops to Fat Tire, the result I think is better balanced, and more drinkable.

M- Smooth and enjoyable. It has a nice presence to it. You really know its there, but you also notice its light. Something I could easily session.

Overall, I just got in from skiing, and I can say there are few beers I would rather be drinking. I have found Vermont's winter ales just call to you after being out in the cold all day, this brew satisfies the apres-malt craving the best. This intangible really makes it an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 19:38:06 | More by leftde18

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a lovely reddish copper thats deep in color. An off white tall foamy cap leaving plenty of lacing. Very clear with good carbonation.
Aroma finds a nice balance of fragrant hops and sweet malts with some low diacetyl. Taste is rich malts maybe some biscuits with hops being well restrained and balanced. This medium weight ale has a semi-dry finish with a bit of bitterness.
Very good and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 15:49:32 | More by micromaniac129

cyclonece09

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a very deep dark red (label does not lie) wit a small brown head that leaves some lacing down the glass. Smells of roasted malt and some nice citrus hop notes, very inviting. Tastes of some caramel malt with citrus hops, nice combination. Carbonation seems right for its light/medium body and goes down without any ill effects. Overall, a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 02:35:09 | More by cyclonece09

Kendo

New York

3.93/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured from the bottle into a Sam Simth's nonic-type pint glass. Body is clear reddish-brown with a small off-white head. No visible carbonation at all, which is a little odd. Leaves behind some lace.

S: Caramel malt, toffee and an earthy hoppiness.

T: Pretty much follows the nose: caramel malt up front, with some brown sugar and toffee sweetness as well, then finishing with hop bitterness. Hops seem to be of the piney/citrusy type (lemony more than grapefruity). Fairly clean finish, though at times rather than "dry" I'm thinking "juicy" - probably a reaction to the lemony hop flavor.

M: Despite a lack of visual carbonation, it's there on the feel, and fairly sharp and active; it could've been a bit finer or softer for my preference. Bodyweight is about medium.

O: Solid stuff. A slightly hoppy amber/red that's nicely balanced, and with a good heartiness to it.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 02:28:57 | More by Kendo

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 1/18/12

Appearance: Reddish brown - dark, burnt orange when held to the light - small head, but some nice lacing

Smell: Surprisingly hoppy, yet mild - some light citrus - caramel malts, cooked malts, some toffee

Taste: Caramel malts, with cooked malts - definitely a red ale, with a nice, grainy bread, dry malt profile - some sweetness, some toffee - nicely bitter, dry hops - some orange - good balance

Mouthfeel: Medium body, nicely smooth, nicely dry

Overall: An unexpectedly interesting red ale

I had this in the back of my fridge for a few weeks, assuming that it would be pretty boring. Instead, I just drank a beer that I would actually recommend. It's a solid offering from Otter Creek.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 06:16:15 | More by angrybabboon

musicforairports

New York

3.88/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz into a tulip.

Ruby in color, darker than red. Very translucent. Head leaves some nice lacing.

Smells of earthy hops and mid-color crystal malt.

Flavor is basic, but fine. A malty base with caramel flavor, good dose of earthy, grassy hops. Minor citrus profile. Not as sweet as some red ales. A decent, slightly hoppy red ale.

Medium mouthfeel. Adequately carbonated.

Like most of Otter Creek's offerings, this is a fine beer, with neither any outright flaws nor anything to make it particularly worth seeking out. But I enjoyed drinking it, and I would drink it again, for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 04:22:26 | More by musicforairports

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a deep clean amber in color, 2 fingers of foamy head stayed throughout the pour causing great amounts of lacing. smells of bitter herbal hops, grass, caramel. the flavor is really nice on this one.. starts off with a slight spicy grassy/herbal bitterness, followed by a delicious sweet malt backbone and finishes off with a bready yeast flavor. medium body, moderate carbonation, creamy on the lips.

an excellent amber ale. nicely balanced with the grassy hops. glad i got this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 22:22:33 | More by facundoCNB

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the bottle: "Flavorful & richly malted, this generously hopped red ale is our new winter offering. Brewed to be the perfect companion for a long New England winter."

Call this Christmas in July. I am simply trying to reduce some of the back inventory before I buy any more beer.

My pour created two fingers of rocky, tawny head with excellent retention. As it slowly fell, lots of lacing was being created in its wake. Color was just as advertised - a deep coppery red with NE-quality clarity. I once had a g/f whose thick, coarse hair was exactly this shade. Nose was ... "richly malted" ... who's zoomin' who here? It smelled like the middle of a pine forest! Not that I have a problem with that, but where's the malt? Mouthfeel was full, almost creamy and the taste was definitely pine hops on the tongue. The finish was still plenty hoppy, in fact, my eyes watered at one point, but the malt only made a cameo appearance after the swallow. This is the way I like beers in this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 10:00:06 | More by woodychandler

Pjev11

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle into a pint glass. Pours nicely, with a serious red tint and a finger of off white head that doesn't stick around long, but leaves pretty lacing the whole way down.

Faint malt and hops smell.

Taste is smooth, medium carbonation. Again, malt and hops, but faint.

Overall a solid beer for the winter. Not a must-have amazing offering, but certainly something to pick up and give a shot.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 01:33:48 | More by Pjev11

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.74/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

In a pint glass:

A: dark amber colored body with a slight creamy looking one finger head, moderate sliding lacing

S: sweet caramel malts, small amounts of apples, cherries and honey with some light hops

T: bitter as the hops come in front of the malts and previously mentioned flavors

M: light to medium, sessionable, sweet watery aftertaste, bitter finish

O: this is good for the style and good for me

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 16:37:08 | More by kangarooAdam59

HopsYeast

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a-nice dark amber with a slight reddish hue. creamy half finger head with medium amount of lacing.
s-sweet smelling with a touch of caramel malts. smell small amounts apples or cherries and wild flower honey. and a subtle hops scent.
t-initial hops flavor fads buts is present throughout. there is a maltiness to it. there is some spiciness to it as well. there is even a sour cherry and grape flavor towards the end. very drinkable nice flavor with gentle notes of each flavor characteristic.
m-again, very nice. highly drinkable. doesnt weigh you down like many other winter beers. the body is less dense than most winters but flavor makes up for the lite body.
o-im glad otter creek took their black ipa and made it year round and introduced this as their winter beer instead. this is a nice addition to the otter creek family.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 19:21:40 | More by HopsYeast

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours a deep clear ruby, with a tight foamy finger of off-white head. This maintains a creamy looking ½ finger, which leaves back a frothy cascade of lacing. Nice look. The aroma smells citric and herbal, with a light underlying toastiness and sweet toffee notes. I’m also picking up some very light butter character, which is working well with the malts and those citric hops. This has a nice fresh pop to it.

The taste has a leafy and citric bite to it that is set against a solid backbone of buttered toast and sweet caramel, while this finishes dry with some lingering pith. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp on the tongue, with a smooth creaminess that rides along the back and keep this easy moving in the mouth.

This was nice. A solid Red Ale with a fresh earthy greenness and a malt presence that added a good amount of flavor to this. I could see myself coming back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 18:07:54 | More by Kegatron

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice fizzy 1 finger head that fades at a med pace, with decent lacing, over reddish copper caramel colored beer.

Nose is quite sweet, sweet malts, a candy sweetness with brown sugar, reddish candy syrup, toasty red malts, copper reddish malts, hint maple like candy, and molasses, light bready juicy fruit like malt syrups, and hint of floral hops.

Taste starts semi sweet, but a bit more malty, reddish copper malts, a bit more candy syrup flavors, reddish candy, copper malts, toasty, light bready, pale malt flavors, hint of fruit, a bit of earthy floral hops with a light bitterness, and a bit grassy, hint of maple candy and molasses like flavors. Finish is still a bit sweet, a bit mode kick of bitterness, dries a bit but still little syrupy like sweet, light earthy grassy hops, slight caramel flavors.

Mouth is med to slightly lighter bodied, decent carb.

Overall lighter but not bad, decent overall, decent malts, a bit too syrupy, hops blend fairly well but almost starts to get astringent on the finish and a bit meh.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 00:29:40 | More by jlindros

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.68/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a FFF shaped glass.

A: Looks like a red, liquid crystal formation, with a huge mildly off-white head (on the reddish side) that clung to the glass like Spider-Man.

S: I got a tinge of hoppy red velvet cake batter, but not much else. Very understated.

T: More explosive in the flavor department that I was expecting, with the hops winning out over the malts slightly. FYI: The taste is TOTALLY different that nose, and much better IMO.

M: The carbonation was generous without going overboard, and the lacing on the glass was somewhat ridiculous (just like a good Otter Creek beer should be).

O: I like some things about it and didn't like other things. At the end of the day though, this was a decent drinker

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 03:37:42 | More by Chaney

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a clear copper color with a creamy, off white head...the head stood about two fingers and only receded to one finger...it stayed creamy the entire time and lasted the duration of drinking...great lacing

S - This red ale does have a nice hoppy aroma to it...floral and citrus hops come out...a strong toasted malt backbone is present...sweet caramel

T - The hops are there at the beginning for a brief minute...they have a floral taste to them and also provide some sweetness...the malts dominate the middle...they are toasted nicely and give off butter and caramel flavors...the hops make a come back at the end to form a bitterness...it can't shine completely through because the caramel balances it out

M - Medium bodied...creamy yet crisp...bittersweet finish

O - I had higher expectations for this one, but I was left with just a normal Red Ale...hoppy, yes, but the malts don't work well with the hop flavors that are present

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 20:29:59 | More by thain709

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.63/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle stamped 3130103111. Sampled on December 25, 2011. It pours and handsome looking deep amber-red with a beige head that lingers throughout. On the nose there is a pleasant sweetness followed immediately by a pungent hop bitterness. The body is about medium. The taste is creamy sweet for a moment and then it is quickly overtaken by the bitter hops that leave a slightly dry mouth.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 18:42:33 | More by puboflyons

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Reviewed alongside Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale.

A: Clear amber with two-finger, off-white, foamy head that lasted more than a few minutes. Nice lacing.

S: Sweet caramel malt. Fruit.

T: Moderate sweetness and solid bitterness. Bready malt flavor. Bitterness dominates the finish.

M: Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Smooth.

O: Santa's Private Reserve was a bit too bitter for my taste. It didn't seem well-balanced with the malt characteristics. Other than that, these winter red ales were very similar, but I preferred this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 02:56:01 | More by SolipsismalCat

schoolboy

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Overal, this is a good value. You have here a nice dark, bitter beer. It looks very nice in the glass, with lots of lacing and a pretty dark color.

The aftertaste is bitter too, and good. Overall, this is a well made beer that is interesting, not terribly complex, but bitter and satisfying. I may seek this out again, especially at this low price.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 02:43:18 | More by schoolboy

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Cloudy brownish/reddish body, thick tan head. Almost no light shines through.

S- Malty smell with caramel malt coming through along with a hint of a hop presence.

T- Caramel malt body with a dash of hops at the end of the taste. Pretty standard amber malt taste.

M- Pretty smooth with good body.

O- A pretty average amber. Would like to try this one a little fresher and would give it another go.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 01:12:51 | More by stephenjmoore

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz into a pint glass.

Reddish coppery hue with a half an inch of head. Great webby lacing.

Rich toasted caramel malts. Wonderful English hop character with some floral qualities and a bit of grapefruit. Chalky yeast showing with a few juicy fruit essences intermingling. Very crisp aroma. Very nice.

Interesting bitter floral hops in the forefront. Slight metallic finish. The bitterness isn't everlasting. Nice balance with the malt; follows the nose with caramel and crystal malts. Very toasty and mild-flavored. A little soapy or sudsy mouthfeel. Tastes crisp, feels crisp--almost scrubby. Medium-bodied. Not as creamy as I would have liked, but makes for good mouth-whooshing.

A pretty solid red ale, and a nice change of pace for the holiday season. Would drink again--pretty happy I get to partake of this six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 03:45:33 | More by thecheapies

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark amber color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is on the hoppy side. Taste is hops up front, malts kicking in at the finish. Well balanced. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is an easy drinking and pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 17:44:59 | More by tone77

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle. Pours a brownish red color with a quarter inch of head. Some lacing. Aromas is bready and earthy. Some sweet malts. Taste is malty and earthy. A bit tangy. Hints of floral hops. Pretty light in the mouthfeel department. An alright beer to find in the Winter Mix 12. I wouldn't look to buy this seasonal on its own. I know the Black IPA started as the winter seasonal and moved to year round. That wont be necessary for this one. Overall, this beer is adequate.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 13:26:41 | More by PicoPapa