Orange Dream Cream Ale
Otter Creek Brewing
- From:
- Otter Creek Brewing
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Cream Ale
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 82
- Avg:
- 3.61 | pDev: 8.86%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 25
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Aug 03, 2020
- Added:
- Dec 21, 2016
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 20
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
Nick, Robbie and the rest of the crew spent some time dialing-in the citrus notes on our flashback-inspired cream ale and landed on something even the ice cream man would be stoked on. Look for a more potent punch of citrus up front with a nice, smooth vanilla finish that's made even more creamy from the addition of lactose.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ichorNet:
Reviewed by ichorNet from Massachusetts
4.04/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Things are likely to be changing soon over at Otter Creek Brewing, as they recently lost their hugely-visible head brewer, Mike Gerhart, who was picked up by Hill Farmstead a couple months back. Good for him, in all honesty, but it's kind of a shame because he nearly single-handedly revitalized the OC image and jumpstarted their rebranding, as well as put together a bevy of hop-forward, surprisingly-creative recipes that continuously get high ratings on this and other sites. Here's to hoping they can continue the OC renaissance without him. This is an interesting and off-the-cuff new beer, and, as I recall, the first to go to all of their current markets since Gerhart's March departure (though the idea behind it predates his departure by almost a year and was originally created by another brewer). A cream ale brewed with orange peel and vanilla, as the can dictates. Guess we'll see how they do with it!
Pours a clear-as-day golden colored beer with a small yet solid collar of fizzy white foam that retains for the entirety of the drinking session. Not much lace to speak of, but the color and clarity are perfect for a cream ale, and there's some decent carbonation rising consistently to the surface. Surface of the beer seems to be splotchy and moderately-hazy here and there, but nothing special. Still, a good looker with a clarity and composition that I'm overall impressed with, given the style.
Nose is a bit rough at first, but it's not without its charms. Right upon first pour I picked up a big dose of vanilla in there, with some creaminess befitting, well, a cream ale, but I also got a slightly "tart" or otherwise strange note that led me to believe this was off in some way. It's a little "cleaning product"-like but I think it's just the way the orange peel interacts with the rest of the recipe. It's not as bright or snappy as I wish it were, and it comes off a bit fake or forced in the context here. Still, I really like the light sweetness and playful approach to adjuncts here, so I think it still deserves a decent rating. The malt bill seems appropriate, with some biscuit-y and almost honeyed malt coming to the fore alongside the vanilla beans. Yeah, this is pretty decent.
Flavor is much better with a super-solid, thirst-quenching bright citrus flavor and a creamy, delicate malt middle. The finish is a little bit bitter but not overly so, and the vanilla provides a smoothness that keeps this grounded in the style. Each sip leaves me wanting a little more, and I can see this becoming a fairly good Summer crusher at its decent price point. Feel is mostly creamy and lighter-bodied but it does have some solid heft from the malt. Carbonation is a bit on the lighter side as well. I enjoy this and will enjoy several other cans while it's available!
May 26, 2017Pours a clear-as-day golden colored beer with a small yet solid collar of fizzy white foam that retains for the entirety of the drinking session. Not much lace to speak of, but the color and clarity are perfect for a cream ale, and there's some decent carbonation rising consistently to the surface. Surface of the beer seems to be splotchy and moderately-hazy here and there, but nothing special. Still, a good looker with a clarity and composition that I'm overall impressed with, given the style.
Nose is a bit rough at first, but it's not without its charms. Right upon first pour I picked up a big dose of vanilla in there, with some creaminess befitting, well, a cream ale, but I also got a slightly "tart" or otherwise strange note that led me to believe this was off in some way. It's a little "cleaning product"-like but I think it's just the way the orange peel interacts with the rest of the recipe. It's not as bright or snappy as I wish it were, and it comes off a bit fake or forced in the context here. Still, I really like the light sweetness and playful approach to adjuncts here, so I think it still deserves a decent rating. The malt bill seems appropriate, with some biscuit-y and almost honeyed malt coming to the fore alongside the vanilla beans. Yeah, this is pretty decent.
Flavor is much better with a super-solid, thirst-quenching bright citrus flavor and a creamy, delicate malt middle. The finish is a little bit bitter but not overly so, and the vanilla provides a smoothness that keeps this grounded in the style. Each sip leaves me wanting a little more, and I can see this becoming a fairly good Summer crusher at its decent price point. Feel is mostly creamy and lighter-bodied but it does have some solid heft from the malt. Carbonation is a bit on the lighter side as well. I enjoy this and will enjoy several other cans while it's available!
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Imakoniver from New York
4.09/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
I had this on tap up in Burlington and it was incredible. Out of the can? It is just a decent beer. Some beers are like that. Rock Art’s Maple Wheat comes to mind as similar in that regard.
Out of the can, I don’t get the same citrusy initial pop that I did on draft. I do like the vanilla aftertaste but it finishes with a more bitter, hoppy ending out of the can.
Mar 24, 2019Out of the can, I don’t get the same citrusy initial pop that I did on draft. I do like the vanilla aftertaste but it finishes with a more bitter, hoppy ending out of the can.
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut
3.48/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: crystal clear; pale gold in color; 1 finger white head that receded quickly to a thin collar; very little lacing;
S: vanilla with an artificial orange - it may well be that the vanilla is making the orange seem artificial;
T: the creamsicle effect comes through; flavor fades quickly and leaves more bitterness that I would expect from a cream ale;
M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;
O: OK, but not something I would go back to or recommend;
Jul 26, 2018S: vanilla with an artificial orange - it may well be that the vanilla is making the orange seem artificial;
T: the creamsicle effect comes through; flavor fades quickly and leaves more bitterness that I would expect from a cream ale;
M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;
O: OK, but not something I would go back to or recommend;
Reviewed by haines710 from Delaware
3.76/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Drank this from the can and it was ok. Glad I picked up just one and had it on a beautiful sunny afternoon. This is a good sessionable beer but is nothing spectacular. Orange and citrus smell but taste was lacking. Tasted ok but I missed the cream. I love the IPAs from Otter Creek. Glad I tried this but won’t get more Of this.
Jun 15, 2018
Reviewed by Billolick from New York
3.31/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.31/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12 oz can...12/21/17 stamped towards the bottom.
Pours with a light haze, with bubbles continuing to rise..moderate cap and leaving just a few blobs of lacing.
Powdered sugar and artificial oranges notes on the sniff.
More oranges, syrupy sweet, not overly impressed here.
Jun 07, 2018Pours with a light haze, with bubbles continuing to rise..moderate cap and leaving just a few blobs of lacing.
Powdered sugar and artificial oranges notes on the sniff.
More oranges, syrupy sweet, not overly impressed here.
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania
3.52/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12 oz can into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Hazed golden pour with 1 finger of foamy white head. Falls fast... nice sticky lacing.
S: Light orange/citrus. Not a whole lot to the nose.
T/F: Light crackery grains... orange zest and citrus. Very mild bitterness... slightly floral... very faint vanilla at the finish. Light bodied and well carbonated.
O: An okay cream ale. Not picking up the orange/creamsicle they're going for terribly much... mostly just the orange. Not bad... lawnmower beer.
Jun 02, 2018L: Hazed golden pour with 1 finger of foamy white head. Falls fast... nice sticky lacing.
S: Light orange/citrus. Not a whole lot to the nose.
T/F: Light crackery grains... orange zest and citrus. Very mild bitterness... slightly floral... very faint vanilla at the finish. Light bodied and well carbonated.
O: An okay cream ale. Not picking up the orange/creamsicle they're going for terribly much... mostly just the orange. Not bad... lawnmower beer.
Reviewed by brewme from Massachusetts
3/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Picked-up a mixed twelve-pack at Long Ridge Wine and Spirits in Plymouth for about sixteen dollars. Have had many brews from these guys before, & am generally a fan. This was a miss for me. Not picking up the orange, tastes almost like an ESB to me? Canned-on date of 2/18 may be a factor.
May 28, 2018
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