WILK Friday BeerBuzz–22 June 2012 Otter Creek Copper Ale, Black IPA & Wolavers IPA w/Mike Gerhart

WILKFridayBerbuzz8A few weeks ago we featured Long Trail brewing and some of their great Vermont brews….so we decided to go one better.  Todays show featured not one, not two but THREE great Vermont brews. 

Coming to us from Middlebury Vermont, Otter Creek Brewing just celebrated their 20th anniversary last year.  Relatively new to our markets, Otter Creek is a really underrated brewery and one we have been looking forward to featuring on the Friday BeerBuzz.  As a bonus Otter Creek also shares resources and facilities with Wolavers Organic Ales so today we featured BOTH!
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Brewmaster Mike Gerhart came to Otter Creek from Dogfish Head so his background is solid and his new brews at Otter Creek have proven that.  Mike also is brewmaster for Wolavers so he was the perfect guest to help us sample today.

We first sampled Otter Creek Copper Ale.  First off, the new packaging design looks great.  Otter Creek just invested close to $1 Million on quality & energy efficiencies, so creating a package that matches the quality of the beer is really important.  Copper Ale is a traditional German-Style Alt.  Historically Altbiers came from the days when brewing with lager yeasts in summer was not practical.  As such Altbiers were developed as a style that uses Ale or top-fermenting yeast and this brewing method creates a crisper and cleaner finishing beer…and Copper Ale is no exception.

Mike next talked us through Otter Creek’s new Black IPA.  This beer was wonderful…it maintained the citrus nose of an IPA with the dark roasted flavors and caramel flavors you’d expect in a darker beer.  A very tasty and drinkable beer and one I know I’ll seek out again.

Finally Mike put on his Wolaver’s hat and helped us sample Wolavers IPA.  We had very few details on this beer going into the show and we were pleasantly surprised to taste what I believe may be our first 100% Organic IPA.  It was a really hoppy treat and a surprisingly flavorful & citrusy IPA.  Clearly Mike knows hoppy beers and it was a treat tasting with him today.

Thank you to Mike Gerhart from Otter Creek & Wolavers

, Nancy, John, & Joe for yet another fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.

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15 comments (click to read or post):

  1. Great guest, a busy guy that Mike Gerhart. Excellent beers (three of 'em and two were IPA's!) and environmentally responsible and innovative as well. As a wise man once said. "WINNING!"

    Charlie Sheen also said that.

    Thanks Mike, thanks Bill, and thank you for listening!

    Best,
    John
    webster@wilknewsradio.com

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  2. Nice show buzzers. I really like the Wolavers IPA and I'm anxious to try the Otter Creek Black IPA the way you all described it. Cheers Mike!

    Andy

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  3. I always listen to your show and EVERY week now I want to go buy what you talk about. I really liked the Long Trail beer you did so when I heard Otter Creek and Wolavers are part of that I'm really anxious to try them. Count me in and your guest was great.

    Ryan

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  4. I can tell you the Copper Ale is great. I buy it all the time and I even visited up there.

    Joe

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  5. I love the Alt style but I didn't know Otter Copper Ale was an Alt. Thank you for finding me yet another great beer to love wink wink

    Yes I'll be at Krugels Georgetown tonight.

    Eric

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  6. I've been enjoying Wolavers for years and I was wondering when you'd put them on the air. Nice job WILK. This is a great brewery.

    James

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  7. Another great show for WILK. I really enjoyed the guest today. Mike was good!

    Jason

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  8. Thank you everyone and thank you to Mike Gerhart from Otter Creek & Wolavers Organic for joining us today. We really enjoyed the beer and it was a ton of fun talking to Mike.

    I am moderating comments and falling a little behind so I hope to catch up soon...keep them coming!

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  9. I really liked the Black IPA from Otter. I had it last weekend and now you have me wanting it again. Cheers to Mike! Nice beer.

    Amy

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  10. You guys rule. Not only to you have guys like Jim Koch on but you consistently feature some great regional breweries and some really unsung heros. I love Otter Creek and they deserve the recognition. Nice

    Chris

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  11. I buy copper ale all the time.

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  12. Another great beer on the friday beer buzz show. Nice job WILK.

    Mary W

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  13. I always say I love your jobs but I may love Mike's more. Cheers to a guy who gets to do two breweries and enjoy creating their beers.

    Jim

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  14. I just watched the video. Don't know how you do it but you guys are great. It gets better and better! Barney :)

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  15. My 2 favorite shows: Friday Beer Buzz and Three Sheetz. I love you man!

    Joe

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