Otter Creek Brewing Backseat Berner
What the brewers say
“Like Oslo, Brewmaster Mike’s 150-pound Bernese mountain dog that adorns the label, Backseat Berner is your everyday companion for life’s adventures. This brew clocks in at 7 percent ABV with 68 IBUs, so load up your buds and partake in this juicy exploration of American hops.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Very subtle. A reserved mix of citrus and floral notes with moderate malt sweetness, light phenolic.”
Flavor: “Powerful herbal, floral, and citrus notes augmented by touches of earth and a bit of honey. A little hint of a tropical fruit in there, but it’s not too assertive. Toasted character in the malt. Moderately strong hops bitterness—more to the earthy side—mouth-filling carbonation, slight hops astringency.”
Overall: “The aroma is a bit on the light side focusing on the floral, but there is a lovely creamy mouthfeel. This could be very nice as a cask-conditioned real ale. Exceptionally well-balanced, with just enough bitterness to let you know that, despite the smoothness, this is still an IPA.”