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Joint Custody
Otter Creek Brewing


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Otter Creek Brewing
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- German Pilsner
- ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.84 | pDev: 10.42%
- Reviews:
- 57
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 10, 2017
- Added:
- May 07, 2015
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 55
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good


Notes:
Marketed as a "Nouveu Pilsner," Joint Custody features Huell Melon and Mandarina Bavaria hop varietals.
Collaboration with Jack's Abby.
40 IBU
Collaboration with Jack's Abby.
40 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.62/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured into a pilsener glass. The appearance was a hazy yellow color with a slight transparency about it. Carbonation was seen rising to fill a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within less than thirty seconds. Messy clingy lacing sticks to the glass. The smell starts off with a sweet melon, light grass, sweet citrus and light hay. The taste remains sweet with a light bready to biscuit sweetness running over the previously mentioned flavors. Barely any aftertaste but slightly sweet biscuit, and it has no finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionability about it. Carbonation feels barely there leading to a sweet creaminess over my tongue. Overall, as a pilsener, it works. It hits all of the marks, nice collaboration between Jack’s Abby and Otter Creek.
Jun 10, 2017Reviewed by FFreak from Vermont
3.94/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.94/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Wife brought home a six-pack of cans. I think she paid around $12. An attractive, slightly hazy, light pineapple juice yellow with a creamy and lacy off-white head. Aroma is of bread, pineapple and citrus - sweet and light. The taste is unique with some bread and fruit, but also with some peat and naugahyde accents - very different - finishing with a slightly sharp and long lasting bitterness. Mouth is great - medium bodied, creamy, refreshing. Overall, a complex, yet easy-drinking beer. Nice to have one, but not sure I'd want to sit and drink two or more.
Nov 18, 2015Reviewed by ONovoMexicano from New Mexico
3.9/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 ounce can into a pilsner glass.
Darker golden and hazy, not what you expect from a pils and certainly more resembles the East coast IPA in appearance. Compact sudsy head and sticky lace pegs to the glass. 3.75
Smells tropical and juicy before an abrupt entrance of bready malt and a grassier, earthier hop profile. Really great aroma. 4.25
Hmm, that nose didn't carry over to the palate. I'm getting a lot more of an oniony, garlicky flavor that I don't enjoy in IPAs much less a pilsner. There is a pleasant mango flavor that mingles with bready, slightly caramellly malt before the grassier hop finish. 3.75
Light and easy to drink, as it should be. Surprisingly zesty for a pils and I like that, but it also has a sweeter tropical feel too, that for me works, but may be objectionable to some pils purists. 4
This was enjoyable, but as has been said often of pilsners, flaws are glaring and here that is the case. Not deal-breakers, but they do keep this from greatness.
Oct 25, 2015Darker golden and hazy, not what you expect from a pils and certainly more resembles the East coast IPA in appearance. Compact sudsy head and sticky lace pegs to the glass. 3.75
Smells tropical and juicy before an abrupt entrance of bready malt and a grassier, earthier hop profile. Really great aroma. 4.25
Hmm, that nose didn't carry over to the palate. I'm getting a lot more of an oniony, garlicky flavor that I don't enjoy in IPAs much less a pilsner. There is a pleasant mango flavor that mingles with bready, slightly caramellly malt before the grassier hop finish. 3.75
Light and easy to drink, as it should be. Surprisingly zesty for a pils and I like that, but it also has a sweeter tropical feel too, that for me works, but may be objectionable to some pils purists. 4
This was enjoyable, but as has been said often of pilsners, flaws are glaring and here that is the case. Not deal-breakers, but they do keep this from greatness.
Rated by Missy732stbf2 from New Jersey
4.43/5 rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
This beer is delicious! Super hoppy, yet still refreshing enough to drink all day.
Oct 24, 2015Reviewed by HopBomb515 from New Jersey
3.97/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Deep golden in color with a big white head that refuses to fade and laces well. Aromas are soft. Notes of Pilsner malts, dough, melon, soft stone fruit, and citrus zest. Mouthfeel is soft, less carbed than you expect, carries the heft of an ale. Super smooth and drying on the finish. Overall it's a pretty good beer. Jack Abbey on the feel and Otter Creek on the hop use and that's not a bad thing.
Oct 16, 2015Reviewed by Sheppard from Massachusetts
4.13/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.13/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
It pours a deep gold or bronze color, typical with pilseners. It looks the part. There is light aroma of citrus zest. In the few times that I've had this beer, I've tasted bright orange and citrus zest or a dry grassy bitterness. It's still been light and refreshing, but when it's had the bright citrus fruits, it's been a very good noveau pilsener.
I have had this on tap several times but only in a can once, so while I haven't gotten the "smoke" issue that I've heard about, I have seen some inconsistency pour to pour or can. If there was more consistency towards that bright orange character, this beer would garner a higher rating from me. The inconsistency definitely weights on the rating.
This beer in concept had a lot of potential and I would love to see either of these brewers take this collab as an experiment and run with the noveau pilsener concept.
Oct 09, 2015I have had this on tap several times but only in a can once, so while I haven't gotten the "smoke" issue that I've heard about, I have seen some inconsistency pour to pour or can. If there was more consistency towards that bright orange character, this beer would garner a higher rating from me. The inconsistency definitely weights on the rating.
This beer in concept had a lot of potential and I would love to see either of these brewers take this collab as an experiment and run with the noveau pilsener concept.
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
2.93/5 rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.93/5 rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
A thanks goes out to the commander of canned beers, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is surprisingly hoppy, citrus, some malts. Taste is disappointing, kind of messy, hops and malts not blending well. Starts off good, but then comes a medicinal, band aide type flavor at the finish. Feels medium bodied with an unusual aftertaste in the mouth and overall a below average beer.
Oct 07, 2015Reviewed by citizencane from Pennsylvania
3.32/5 rDev -13.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -13.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Looks unremarkable. Smells pretty good, like a heavily hopped Pilsner. Taste is not that great. Crisp and light feel plus the hops are at odds, and there is a distinct note of alcohol taste. Bad bottle?
Oct 05, 2015Reviewed by Greywulfken from New York
4.41/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Incredible tasting, perhaps reminding me more of an ale than a pilsener. Hazy gold body, few fingers of head. Out of a dimpled mug, had lots of soft pale fruits and citrus - fuzzy and tingly with carbonation and zest. Delightful aftertaste. I don't know that it's much of a style-appropriate selection, but the aromas and flavors are stunning, the feel super-soft and smooth. Get your hands on some and see!
Sep 26, 2015Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
3.93/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Well, a collab between these two breweries could be awesome, but then again my thoughts on collabs are usually not positive. Let's see how this pilsner in a can goes.
Pours a nice fluffy creamy 1.5 finger head that fades at a med pace, nice lacing, super murky golden bright lemonade yellow color.
Nose is quite nice, bright citrusy grassy hops, noble like grassy hops meet mild bright citrus orange zest, with nice toasty pilsner malts, juicy malt dough, hops turn a touch lemony and piney, nice wheat like malt character.
Taste brings grainy toasty pilsner malts, wheat like creamy toasty thing, lots of whole grain bread dough, actually I think oats perhaps not wheat. Lots of hops, perhaps the real flaw is the overpowering bitterness for a pilsner, very grassy, fresh grass and floral notes, with more rind characters, citrus rind and maybe a touch of a melon rind, big bitterness, and hint of a musty note, nice noble hops at first but they get smashed by the spicy rind characters and bitterness. Finish is dry quite bitter, grassy spicy rind hops lingering, with mild doughy pilsner malt. Not too crisp on the finish, or if it is the big spicy hops destroy any part of it.
Mouth is med bod, decent fluffy carb.
Overall I can see why it has mixed reviews. It started quite nice, great nose, nice malt presence, hops start nice but end a bit too heavy spicy and bitter as it kinda dominates and ruins the rest of the beer. Oh well. Otherwise pretty nice.
Sep 22, 2015Pours a nice fluffy creamy 1.5 finger head that fades at a med pace, nice lacing, super murky golden bright lemonade yellow color.
Nose is quite nice, bright citrusy grassy hops, noble like grassy hops meet mild bright citrus orange zest, with nice toasty pilsner malts, juicy malt dough, hops turn a touch lemony and piney, nice wheat like malt character.
Taste brings grainy toasty pilsner malts, wheat like creamy toasty thing, lots of whole grain bread dough, actually I think oats perhaps not wheat. Lots of hops, perhaps the real flaw is the overpowering bitterness for a pilsner, very grassy, fresh grass and floral notes, with more rind characters, citrus rind and maybe a touch of a melon rind, big bitterness, and hint of a musty note, nice noble hops at first but they get smashed by the spicy rind characters and bitterness. Finish is dry quite bitter, grassy spicy rind hops lingering, with mild doughy pilsner malt. Not too crisp on the finish, or if it is the big spicy hops destroy any part of it.
Mouth is med bod, decent fluffy carb.
Overall I can see why it has mixed reviews. It started quite nice, great nose, nice malt presence, hops start nice but end a bit too heavy spicy and bitter as it kinda dominates and ruins the rest of the beer. Oh well. Otherwise pretty nice.
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island
3.33/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.33/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
12oz. can served in a shaker pint. Pours a hazy straw gold with a loose, quarter inch, off-white head disperses into a soapy slick that coalesces around the shoulders. Nose expresses noble hops, a grassy quality and a hint of skunk towards the back. Taste consistent with nose; however, there's also a distinct smoked malt quality that cuts across the flavor profile. Finish is slightly medicinal. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body (a bit malty for the style) with a sharp carbonation that leaves a residual prickle on the roof of the mouth and at the back of throat between quaffs. Overall, not a fan of this beer - too much going on and neither clean and crisp enough for a pils not malty and smokey enough for a rauchbier. A bit dissappointing considering what these brewers have done separately.
Sep 22, 2015
Joint Custody from Otter Creek Brewing
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
226 ratings
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