Trip In the Woods: Tequila-Barrel-Aged Otra Vez
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

 

Reviewed 3/24/24

Pours a deep burnt orange-gold with just a touch of turbidity and a white head. Really impressive lacing for the style. The nose is primarily vegetal and agave-forward, followed by a bit of bready malt and lime. Tequila and herbaceous agave really drive the flavor, with bright lime and just a hint of salt bringing extra drinkabilty and balance to an otherwise difficult concept of a beer to pull off. There’s a nice mineralogy that also propels this beer forward, and a bit of lingering vegetal and salt flavors late in the finish. Medium bodied, slick palate, and a bit sticky on the lips, with moderate carbonation.

Overall this is a fascinating and enjoyable beer. A difficult concept to pull off, it was executed perfectly. I’m really surprised this held up as well as it did after all these years, and I’d gladly buy more if I could find it. Another stunner from Sierra Nevada.

 

this is great, even a few years old now, always curious how the low alcohol stuff without the wild yeasts will do over time, but this one is still great, fun to find it on tap this weekend down at prefunk in nampa. amazing golden shine to this, perfect clarity, and a somewhat surprising nearly two inches of wispy and lasting white foam, looks lively and new for what it is. the aroma is sweet like apple juice, some tequila evident too, the wood in the mix, but less of the salt and lime and minerals that in the original, some light oxidation here too, brings out the oak, a light caramel note in the foreground as well, seems more from the tequila than the malt, which is light and a little faded in this. more citrus in the flavor than i could smell, up front, and all of the tequila is on the swallow, earthy and of fine quality. subtle hints of red apple, white pepper, honey, and elderflower in this, a freshness still to the limes, but a little fade everywhere else. cohesive and complex, although i wish it were a little drier. probably slightly past its flavor peak, but very drinkable and distinct still, makes great sense with the base beer, and it all sort of flatters the agave element, which is more minimal in the original but an enjoyable wrinkle in this version. soft carbonation is all thats needed. these trip in the woods series beers are so fun, definitely the cutting edge of what these guys are doing. great to get to drink a couple of ones i thought i might have missed forever this weekend!

Poured from a cork'n'cage bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Cloudy golden brown pour. 1 finger of white head falls fast... solid lacing.

S: Lime and agave. Strong citrus with some oak and tequila.

T.F: Tart and limey. Loads of lime... with some agave sweetness coming through. Some oak, grains, and a bit of funk, but coming back to lime. The tequila is more apparent in the finish/aftertaste. Not boozy... on the lighter side of medium bodied, especially for a barrel-aged brew. Well carbonated.

O: Not a bad riff on 'otra vez' but nothing that blew me away. The lime was very forward... not enough tequila, and the lower ABV may have increased drinkability but probably sacrificed some of the flavor/oomph of the brew. Glad I got to try it... but probably wouldn't go try and find another.

Poured a hazy peach-straw color. Scent is rich with a tartiness of lime and gose. Taste matches with a nice tartiness emblematic of a gose with just a touch of salinity. Aftertaste is both tart and a bit of sweetness (the agave?). A solid all around offering.

This was one of the worst beers I have had in years. I have found a great pleasure in barrel aged beers so I thought I would try this respected brand. Next time, I will ask someone who has tasted something like this,

The beer poured brownish amber in color with a small head, less than one finger thick. The carbonation was quite light. The aroma of agave was strong with a honey like sweet smell. The lime was not very evident in the smell. The taste reminded me of honey once more, as the sweetness of agave came through. The lime was very light in the taste, but I could taste the caramel like effect of tequila barrels. This had the same ingredients except the salt as Founders Mas Agave, but this was not as evocative of margarita, nor as good as that beer. The feel was medium thick. I liked it fine, but was wishing for a Mas Agave instead.

 

Light gold and completely clear. Short head whose bubbles are fine and silky on the tongue. Smell is sweet agave with a slight burn of alcohol (or maybe my mind is just adding that in there because it smells similar to tequila? Taste is everything you could want out of a beer like this. It is light, incredibly flavorful, simple, and yet still somehow dynamic. A mild tart sourness to start that melts into sweet agave with hints of fading lime pucker. Ends in a barely malt making this really well rounded and incredibly good drinking. This beer drinks silky smooth and is very very easy drinking. Can always count on Sierra Nevada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beer is a bright gold color with a small white head that persists.
Aroma of lime primarily, but also some lemon and a hint of orange. Faint tequila. A little bit of wood.
Lime up front, tart, with some lemon and orange. Salty. Nice smooth tequila finish.
This is a tart, crisp, refreshing beer, and one I would be happy to drink anytime.