Profile by Ken Carman
I have enjoyed many Otter Creek brews and this is only a slight exception. Excellent it is, but it could be just a bit more complex roasty grain-wise. It’s a mild distraction from an obviously well crafted: quite roasty, coffee-like quaff’. The hops don’t really pop out at ya, but hey… not exactly expected with all this dark grain. I just think the grain bill could have had less black patent-like sense and more of the various darker grains. Plus the body seems to suffer a tad, once again “for the style.” Needs more dextrinous malt, perhaps? I am amazed this is 10%. You would never know. The aroma is the same: coffee and not much else. Pitch black: I would probably be critical if it was almost anything but… tis a fine offering from an excellent brewer. I just think they played it just a little too safe with the grain bill, at least as presented by the final product. I suggest Old Rasputin by North Coast might give you a bit of a great comparison when it comes to “what should have been.”