Catching Up.

It's been busy around here lately and while I've enjoyed a number of good brews, I haven't had much chance to reflect on them. I'll get something up here very sonon.

In the meantime, here's a picture of a beer.


Otto's Jolly Rodger Imperial Stout

Yarrrr!

Experimenting with Beer and Tripod

This is a Stoudt's glass filled with Otto's Double D IPA, fresh out of the growler.

Review: Otto's Winter Warmer

Having not done a review in forever, I'll follow a format put forth by Brian and Adam at the Brew Lounge.

Otto's Winter Warmer
Our seasonal festive celebratory ale. This year we made it with lots of cranberries and a touch of nutmeg. Smooth and fruity with a warming finish.
Formerly at 9.5% and brewed with "100 lbs of tart cherries, honey, oatmeal, and a touch of cinnamon". (Not sure if this is accurate for this year, their website isn't listing this one yet.
ABV: varies, somewhere around 7.8 - 8.5%

Poured from a growler picked up by Nate.

Pour is a dark reddish brown, with a quick rising off white head that fades quickly to a ring of foam. Rather translucent in the glass, rapid rising bubbles as well.

Smells sweet and of faint spices, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Taste is a gingery, graham cracker, followed by the sweet sugar and spice of cinnamon and brown sugar. Nice level of spicing, not too much to be overpowering. Nice balance for a spiced beer.

Very drinkable even at this ABV, I'm on my third glass and feeling quite warm. Definitely a good choice for a winter warmer.

Others' reviews: Rate Beer, Beer Advocate

Skipping the Session

Despite pre-posting, getting prepared and buying a special new release, I blew off the Session. It seems they had a good turnout, I doubt I'll be missed.

Why no dubbels for me? Well, I think I had a good excuse. Traveling up to State College by way of I-99 took me past Marzoni's and Otto's and I could not resist the call of the growler fill.

I ended up bringing home a growler of Marzoni's Weizenbock and Otto's Maibock, and since I believe one of the suggested themes of this round was bocks (and will probably follow in turn, so I may have jumped the gun) I'll just pass it off as some sort of conscientious objection. Opportunity knocked and I had to answer.

So Friday was a bock night. I've only opened the Maibock thus far and my thoughts are as follows:

Poured from a growler into a pilsner glass. I got this growler Thursday, opened it last night and am reviewing the beer today, Saturday afternoon. Otto's website says this one comes in at 6.4%

Pour is still well carbonated, an easy tilt leaves a fluffy creamy head capping a clear and rusty body, with curtains of lace above the foam.

Smell is of floral and grassy hops along with malty sweetness, though not much aroma unless forced. Whiffs of alcohol, too.

Taste is bready and sweet, like a blend of grains, honey and nuts, almost cereal-like. There's a good hop bitterness as well, present mostly in the finish, a spicy flavor the washes the tongue as you swallow. As it warms, more fruitiness comes through and the hoppiness drops back to more of a grassy flavor.

Mouthfeel is lighter than medium bodied with a nice crispness and some mellow carbonation. Notable, but not overpowering warming and alcohol.

Drinkability is good, this is a beer intended to welcome the warmth of spring and though my timing was off and I'm sipping it on an April day all of 33 degrees F, its a nice balance of warming and drinkability.