Otter San: Beer Meets Sake

By CHRISTINE LIU

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Otter San is part of Otter Creek Brewing's World Tour series in which their Middlebury, Vt.,-based otter mascot travels the world, a project where brewmaster Steve Parkes explores unique beer styles often met with experimental twists.

This 11th stop took them to Japan and resulted in a Japanese-style beer brewed with Pilsner malt, Hallertauer hops, rice, authentic Koji and sake yeast. Despite some snobbery about using rice as a brewing adjunct, it's quite traditional and common in Japan as the soul of its famous sake. An interesting side note: Although many consider sake to be a "rice wine," it's actually brewed more along the lines of beer—except mold (Koji) is used to break starches down into fermentable sugars, which the sake yeast will then convert into alcohol. Regardless, sake (like beer) results from yeast fermentation of grain, although the US government classifies it as wine for importation purposes.

So what is Otter San? Let's find out ...

The Taste

Out of the bomber into the glass, Otter San pours like a lager with a rich golden color, plenty of active carbonation and an ultra-smooth and creamy head with plenty of lacing and stick. Aroma is a bit musty and earthy—like fresh unwashed mushrooms—with a hint of cereal grain and cotton candy. Nearly medium-bodied on the palate with a fluffy consistency. There's a round, slightly sugary base, a caramel candy center and a fruity note (strawberry?) that carries throughout the entire beer. Subtle berry, gum and earth flavors make an appearance. There's a vegetal note, too, and things get a bit bready as the beer warms. Fairly clean finish that's not overly drying.

Final Thoughts

A most interesting brew, and the nods to sake are quite noticeable. However, this is probably not something anyone is likely to drink on a regular basis, as the combination of aromas and flavors are quite out-of-the-ordinary. Nonetheless, this does make for a great one-off release to challenge the palate and mind. This could be an interesting beer to pair with sushi or a spicy Japanese dish—if you try it, let us know how it works!

Available for a limited time in 22-ounce bomber bottles and at select draft accounts.

Kanpai!

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RESPECT BEER.