Otter Creek Brewing Company - Stovepipe Porter

Otter Creek's Stovepipe Porter is a traditional, balanced beer that represents the style very well. Expect a bold spicy roastiness and a tinge of smokiness on the nose, followed by light roasted coffee notes and a slightly herbal hop aroma. It is quite nearly black in color, with garnet highlights. The flavor profile has smoky notes throughout, with some deep malt sweetness barely rising to the surface amidst the bitter and roasty notes. Look for notes of chocolate and plum. Good from start to finish, and remarkably balanced between roasty, smoky elements and the dry, bitter, almost ashy finish. Excellent with a hearty stew (as an accompaniment and/or ingredient) or as a complement to mild or dark chocolate.

The Otter Creek Brewing is located in the beautiful little college town of Middlebury, Vermont. They shipped their first keg of beer back in March of 1991, which has us wondering… are the kegs at local college parties filled with Otter Creek brews? And, if so, is it too late to go back to college? Their original brewery was conceived of in 1989 by Lawrence Miller, an avid homebrewer. Four years later, they had outgrown their original site and moved into a state of the art brewery just down the road. Middlebury was chosen as the brewery site as much for its quality of life as for its excellent water obtained from the pristine Otter Creek River (hence their name). Larry knew from extensive travels and studies throughout Europe that good quality water would be critical as he developed his brand of beers, each brewed with a focus on old-world brewing methods. Good water is key to great beer, and these days, good business practices and focus on ecological impact help make a good brewery great. Otter Creek Brewing uses local ingredients and works with local companies whenever possible. They also use recycled cardboard for their 6-pack carriers, recycle their brewhouse water wherever possible, and utilize B20 Biodiesel to heat their brewkettle. And, they even capitalize on the cold-weather climate of Vermont, using a system that takes in cold air outside to offset the brewery’s refrigeration needs. You help Mother Nature, she helps you right back. For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (800) 473-0727 or check out their web site at www.ottercreekbrewing.com.