Otter Creek Brewing Company - Pale Ale

Brewed with ample pale malts and a huge dose of Cascade hops, Otter Creeks Pale Ale is a filtered golden amber colored ale. Immediately note a big, almost exotic raw hop character in the nose which dominates any malt undertones. We found the body to be much more balanced than the nose would indicate, offering both a sweet maltiness balanced nicely with a slightly citrusy, floral hop character. Note a slightly sweet, dry, clean finish. Overall, a great interpretation of a style that has a very broad definition.

The Otter Creek Brewing Company’s founder, Lawrence Miller, was recently named young entrepreneur-of-the-year in Vermont for his efforts turning the brewery into one of the more successful in the state. Otter Creek is located just down the road from Middlebury College in the quaint New England township of Middlebury, Vermont.

Miller said his interest in brewing bloomed while he was an undergraduate at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he became a keenly curious home brewer. Upon graduating from college, he traveled to Europe where he learned as much as he could about brewing techniques. While traveling the Continent, he made long stops in Germany and Belgium, visiting breweries, studying beer styles and concentrating on old-world brewing methods.

Upon his return to America it was clear that he had to pursue his passion for brewing beer. In 1989, Miller moved to Middlebury, a beautiful college town known for its pristine natural waters -- and just right for the making of craft beer. He bought the best domestic malt and hops available and cultured his own top-fermented yeast. After purchasing equipment from an old brewery in Portland, Larry was ready to brew. The first of his unfiltered draught ales rolled onto distribution trucks in March 1991. In that first year, the brewery made a total of just 200 barrels of beer. Soon he was ready to expand the fledgling brewery. He hired a small staff and bought a new fermenter and filter, doubling his beer production. Seasonal ales were introduced during the summer of 1991, including the first of this month’s featured beers, the Pale Ale.

In September 1995, Miller completed the construction of a new brewery. The 15,000-square-foot facility is located on 10 acres just down the street from Otter Creek’s original location. The new brewery, which includes a custom-designed 40-barrel brew house, will allow the brewery to ship beer to neighboring states.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (802) 388-0727 or check out their web site at www.ottercreekbrewing.com.