Otter Creek is a new brewery to Houston, but I've been trying a lot of their beers lately. Some have been good, others just OK. However, being on the look out for hoppy beers and having heard tales of Otter Creeks DIPA I was ecstatic to see it on the shelves of my local Spec's. Let's check the stat's shall we? 4 different hop varietals: Bravo, Apollo, Amarillo, and Simcoe. 11% ABV. 135 IBU's. Let me repeat 135 IBU's. Now this isn't measured so I'll take it with a grain of salt, but still, DFH 120 min IPA is 120 IBU's. If you've read this blog you know I love hops, but can I take this? I aim to find out.
The Beer: It pours a copper orange with a thick dense whipped creamy white head. I can smell the hops even before I lean my nose over the class. It hits me in waves, singeing my nose with its fumes. Its resiny, oranges, piney, marmalade. The mouthfeel is thick, great carbonation, its like chewing a mouthfeel of hop flowers. After the initial sip I have to take a deep breath to clear my senses from the attack of hops. The attack to my tastebuds thankfully broken up by the strong levels of carbonation. My senses cleared I go back to the glass for more, taking a smaller sip this time. Its resiny, over the top so, but I start to make out hints of orange marmalade, apricots, citrus peel, white pepper. Its sticky in the mouth. There is no malt balance here. This beer doesn't need stinking balance, I feel it saying loudly. My tongue is shocked into submission, not able to take any more, but I can't help myself and once again reach for the glass sipping this nectar. Yes its intense, yes its over the top, yes there is no balance, but somehow, for some reason it works. Maybe not masterfully, but it is an experience to be sure. This gets a B from me. Here's what the folks at BA had to say.
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