Just got a press release from Victory Brewing about a new beer they are calling Otto, a bottle-conditioned dubbel...made with German hops (no big surprise there!), Trappist yeast (and they've crossed those streams before too), Munich malt, Belgian caramel malt (yeah...and...), and smoked malt. A smoked dubbel, which they believe is unique. “The complimentary flavors of smoked malt and Belgian yeast seemed like an obvious combination,” said Bill Covaleski. “As far as we know, no one has bothered to put them together until now.”
I tend to be very cautious about the use of the word "unique" with beers anymore; been burned too many times. But it's certainly not a common idea. Victory's done this kind of thing before, though; they've tipped a little rauchmalz into the mashtun for St. Victorious doublebock, which gave it a subtle depth that didn't even always come through as smokey. I'm looking forward to this.
Otto will be out on October 15, in 750 ml corked-and-caged bottles, at a solid 8.1% ABV. Put it on your calendars. Oh, and it's "Otto" because of St. Otto of Bamberg, the town where brewery founders Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski first had smoked beers in 1987, and where they get their smoked malt to make this beer. Nice.
5 comments:
Lew - While we aren't 100% certain that we are the first to do this combo, we know it will be a rare and delightful melding.
Can't wait to share a taste with you.
Cheers!
Karen (Victory Brewing Company)
Only other one I found (some quick searches) is this one in Denmark. It doesn't look like it's ever made it to the U.S.
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/hornbeer-smoked-dubbel/143539/
Actually, I don't think this is nice at all.
I would think those guys are experienced enough to understand that they're using the trademarked name of a long standing brewery that bottles for outside sale and operates in their home state as the name for this beer. Maybe they just never heard of them, even though their own beers has been on guest tap there.
I mean really, how would they have reacted if Otto's bottled a beer called "Victory"?
I'm pretty sure they'll be getting a letter soon. What were they thinking, that there's no such thing as bad publicity? I would have expected more from Victory, since they've been pretty upstanding over the years.
Poorly played, Bill and Ron. I'm disappointed, and I'll bet I'm not alone.
I have to agree with sam k. When I originally saw the label and title I assumed Otto's was releasing it. It just does not seem right! It is not like Otto's is that far away from Victory. Have they gotten so big that they are out of touch of the local brewing scene?
Given the "age of collaborations" we've experienced over the past five years or so...and first reactions being what they are (and sometimes the most important/powerful), I made the quick leap upon first sight of the label that this must be a collaboration between Otto's and Victory.
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