Butte Creek Organic Ale
Butte Creek Brewing Company

Butte Creek Organic AleButte Creek Organic Ale
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From:
Butte Creek Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
72
Avg:
2.99 | pDev: 20.07%
Reviews:
48
Ratings:
50
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 25, 2020
Added:
Nov 23, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by elricorico:
Photo of elricorico
Reviewed by elricorico from Canada (AB)

3.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A dull hazy orange that generated a slim ivory head after a fast pour. Some lacing, but not much.

The smell is a thin lemony citrus with a malt base that hints at a little bit of toffee.

Faint malt flavours that really only hint at toffee sweetness. A piney and medicinal hop flavour follows. At moments it leaves an unpleasant aftertaste, almost a dank flavour, but it is rarely noted. Distinctly dry in the finish.

A little syrupy in feel, with lowish carbonation. Reasonable mouthfeel.

This one doesn't do a whole lot for me. I find it to be rather bland, and that dank flavour makes me wonder at what flaw may have happened in this batch.
May 11, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Back in the day, Chico had a massively distant #2 brewery, and it was Butte Creek. This beer came out in the late 90s.

Poured a dark gold to light amber color range with 2/5" white head. The aroma imparted the main beer ingredients: malt and hops. Hops were lightly unripe grapefruit notes.

Taste was relatively easy going, mild caramel presence to the crystal malt usage. Hops were enough to put the beer in the 35 ibu range without going into ipa territory. Classic C hop feels of tree and grapefruit rind. Caramel alternates with a lighter, blonder grain feel to it. I get the vibe from the bold "organic" lettering that this beer was more about marketing to the organic crowd than it was to the beer crowd. There isn't really anything about it as a beer that allowed it to stand out from the vastly superior beers being produced down the road. And it was more expensive than those superior beers too.

I think it was better than the average rating here, but not by much.
Mar 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 15, 2012
Photo of Lexluthor33
Reviewed by Lexluthor33 from New York

3.15/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Golden amber color with a large,fluffy head and a pillow top lace.
Simple aroma of hops,malts and some caramel hints.

The taste was sweet,malts,fruit hints with a mild bitterness and subtle hop notes. very sweet if I may add. Caramel and wheat
hints as well.

The feel was light to medium body with high carbonation and some grains in the finish.

Notes: An average brew with some good qualities and then some bad. Carbonation a bit high with average complexity and balance.
Jun 15, 2009
Photo of Beernoisseur
Reviewed by Beernoisseur from Utah

3.65/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
First of all, this beer smells like lemon hard candies.

That's my first impression.

A - Orangey red hazy amber. Decent head with good retention. Looks great in my snifter

S - Ok, I already mentioned this, but I swear this sucker smells just like those cheap ass lemon suckers. There's also other, more tart citrusy notes, and baked grains. Also, cannabis. yes. you heard me.

T - Toasted grains, and citrus. Lemon and lime. Fruity with subtle metallic, but not a detraction from the overall flavor. The balance isn't perfect, but it's certainly within the "acceptable" range.

M - A touch watery, but still good. I'd like a little more substance here, but it's certainly passable.

D - It's pretty good. Not a fantastic beer, but I wouldn't refuse a second.
Jan 16, 2009
Photo of SouthLoopSuds
Reviewed by SouthLoopSuds from Illinois

4/5  rDev +33.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Nice deep golden color.

S: Clean, sweet smelling.

T: Nice malt and hop balance. Crisp and clean.

MF: Good feel, not to heavy for an ale.

D: Pretty decent, light enough to have a few on a warm summer day, but full enough for a cool autumn evening.
Sep 06, 2008
Photo of BoitSansSoif
Reviewed by BoitSansSoif from France

3.57/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Drank w/ratatouille, a decent combo that didn't do a lot for each other, but still worked well enough.

A-Pours a hazy amber w/light head that fades to thin cap.
S-Sweet bread and malt, light esters, hops, raw peanut.
T-Lightly sweetened malt w/hints of mineral, toasted grains and rye, spice, light dried apricot, mild tangerine, and a bitter hoppy aftertaste.
M-Medium body with good carbonation. Fairly dry w/finish that pairs well w/sweet malt.
D-Needs to warm a little to bring out the flavor. Overall quite good.
Mar 08, 2008
Photo of semihobo
Reviewed by semihobo from Michigan

2.17/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
12 oz single with no date.

Doesn't explode out of the bottle, but foams in a massive way during the pour, leaving me with 4 inches of a head so thick I could ball it up and throw it at somebody in the street. Have to wait for it to subside. When it settles down, I see a hazy, dusty peach body with a thick, luscious head. Didn't appreciate the foam show, though.

Smell is floral hops, sweet and fruity. Powerful nose accompanies the large head. Slight acidic twinge tingles my nostrils. Reminiscent of champagne, with an off-note as it warms.

Tastes bitter and metallic, much drier than expected. Hops are much weaker than expected, with a minor element of apricot rolling over from the smell. Malts are grainy and there is a small bit of residual sugar that tastes like Belgian candi sugar. The taste falls flat, reminding me of grainy seltzer water, which isn't helped by...

.. the carbonation, which has gone way overboard. Could have guessed from the foam fest. Mouthfeel is bubbly and thin, also reminiscent of champagne, I suppose. The bubbles and taste die together on your tongue, leaving you with some water to swallow.

This beer is something of a freakshow. Drastically overcarbonated, with a pleasant scent of floral hops that disappears at the first sip, leaving me grasping frantically among the bubbles for any semblance of an APA. Is this the worst beer ever? No, but this is a fair rating within a style that has many, many competent examples. Avoid.
Feb 11, 2008
Photo of RblWthACoz
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

2.2/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Pours a hazy gold with very minimal head. Nose is like stale roasted peanuts. For some reason this nose reminds me of the green chile beer I had in New Mexico, which I thought was beyond atrocious. Flavor is bitter and harsh and lacks any grace. Marked by a tangy bitter edge, it just lacks any positive quality. Feel is okay. The flavor just overpowers and positive qualities on the feel. Drinkable? Why would you want to? I am surprised that this brew was this bad. I know these guys can make better and don't know why they don't deliver on this one.

I don't even want to finish this mess.
Dec 30, 2007
Photo of praufs01
Reviewed by praufs01 from Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance – Cloudy amber with a creamy off-white head and lots of lacing.

Aroma – Light tangerine smell.

Palate – Smooth with fizzy carbonation.

Flavor – Light citrus taste with not much else going on..

Final thoughts – OK brew but kind of boring.
Nov 18, 2007
Photo of theopholis
Reviewed by theopholis from California

2.87/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Appearance- Fairly clear, amber/orange with just a hint of haziness. It has a decent ivory head with decent staying power, but very little lacing.

Aroma- Very clean, slightly hoppy nose with some malt sweetness. Also has a nice, light bready note. As it warms, the hops become more dominant.

taste- decent amount of flavoring hops and malt sweetness up front. Unfortunately, they are both rather simplistic. No depth at all, no complexity, no interplay between the malt and hops. It is slightly piney. Aftertaste is very pronounced, but I haven't figured out if it's good or bad (I sometimes have this problem. I've seen the movie "Pi" at least 1/2 dozen times. I still haven't figured out if I like it or not.). I also get just the barest hint of burnt toast in there somewhere.

Mouthfeel- Medium body, but a bit, syrupy. Carbonation level is good for the style.

Drinkability- I gotta say, I've had better.
Sep 27, 2007
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

3.3/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A - Poured out an orange color with flecks of gold. It had a small, short-lived head that did not leave lacing.

S - It smelled of spice and clove. Also a sweet malty aroma.

T - It tasted of roasted malt. It also had a good balance of grassy hops.

M - It was dry and crisp. A light to medium-bodied beer.

D - A pretty good beer. It's organic but it doesn't taste much different than a non-organic ale.
Jul 18, 2007
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +42.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured a hazy apricot color with moderate white puffy head. Great retention and spotty lacing.
Smell is summer fruity with a nice background of piney hops.
The hops come to the front in the tasting, pushing the malt to the back, but presenting an excellent balance.
Let a nice dry, yet refreshibng taste in the mouth.
Perfect drinkability. Really a great beer.
Feb 22, 2007
Photo of acrawf6
Reviewed by acrawf6 from Louisiana

3.35/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours out hazy orange copper with a frothy slightly tan head.

Smell. Citrus hops, lemon and tart orange. there is a small light caramel aroma to it as well.

Taste. Hops are not as apparent as the smell would suggest, but is there with an earthy taste and a touch of lemon. Taste isnt bad, but there isnt really anything here to make me like it very much. Finishes has a sweet and yeasty flavor, almost like a belgian pale ale.

Mouthfeel. I do like the mouthfeel, body seems creamy and medium/full. Nice amount of carbonation as well.

Overall. Hops are too dim in this beer for my liking, but goes ok with the malts. It's hard for me to pick out what i really like about this beer, or what i really dislike. I guess there's nothing... pretty average. But i am glad i only have one of these rather than a 6 pack.
Jan 10, 2007
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.13/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Here’s a reddish-copper beer with a sudsy white head and a pleasing lace. The aroma has a nice focus on malt: a little caramel and toasted bread. Unfortunately, the beer also displays a distracting husky smell. A little resin-like aroma is also present, mingled with some hops. The foretaste has just a touch of malt sweetness, but it quickly balances with a serious bitterness. The finish is lingering and bitter. The beer does have a tannin-like astringency that’s a bit of a flaw. Medium body, and modest carbonation. Although the beer is drinkable and thirst quenching, for me it really didn’t stand out as anything special.
Dec 02, 2006
Photo of dickroop
Reviewed by dickroop from Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +33.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
When poured, this ale produced a MASSIVE, 2-finger head that was cream-colored and lasted a while. It was light amber and cloudy, with a faintly grassy/hoppy/yeasty aroma, perhaps hints of citrus. (It probably would have been best to let this beer warm above fridge temp before serving.)

Taste was initially bittersweet. There was a general bitterness without any distinct hop flavor, and the malts were likewise not overpowering, difficult to discern. Overall, the taste is light. Perhaps some grassy and lemony notes, as it warms more bitterness (general), especially in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, lots of carbonation and a good tang, slight stickiness, very light on the tongue...

All of which adds up to very good drinkability. This is a pretty good brew, well balanced and understated (at first). Much more enjoyable if it's not fridge-cold. Treat it like a wine and let it warm before you enjoy it. I would buy this one again, it's to be savored. Recommended.
Oct 21, 2006
Photo of ElGordo
Reviewed by ElGordo from Oregon

2.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Pours an orange-golden color with a small, fluffy off-white head that dissipates rather quickly to a small halo. Aroma leans toward the malty end of the spectrum, almost like that of a classic English brown ale, with a little bit of a bready character, and just a touch of mild fruity hops.
Palate is a bit off. Up front it has a mild bread character mixed with fruity hops, but becomes kind of acidic mid-palate. A strange smoky character emerges before the swallow, blending with the acidity for a not-so-pleasant finish. Body is a little foamy, but substantial and appropriate for the style. Not one I would recommend.
Sep 19, 2006
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

2.59/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured a medium copper hue with a two finger pillowy white head. There was good retention and sticky lacing.

The smell featured a definite soft grainy malt but was cut by a strange sour/caustic aroma. I can't put my finger on it.

The taste consisted of a nice doughy malt, however a sharp mustiness lingers at the finish.

The mouthfeel was a bit slick with a numbing effect on the tongue.

Overall I was disappointed in this Butte Creek offering. I really have nothing else to say.
Sep 01, 2006
Photo of sacrelicio
Reviewed by sacrelicio from Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +37.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I am very surprised that so many rate this beer so low. I find it to be a very tasty, balanced amber/apa/esb with a nice orangey/amber color, grainy fruity aroma and medium bodied grainy fruity flavor profile. Not outstanding by any means but very good. Organic is a plus, too.
Aug 11, 2006
Butte Creek Organic Ale from Butte Creek Brewing Company
Beer rating: 72 out of 100 with 50 ratings