Day 143, Beer 143 - Otley Brewing Company's "O-Garden"

Today's Beer

Name – O-Garden

Brewer – Otley

Classification – Wheat beer

Strength – 4.8% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Lemon gold, surprising clarity. A notably good looking beer.

On the nose – Apple, incense, Sauvignon Blanc, brandy. Pretty special.

On the tongue – Contains possibly every flavour in existence that I happen not to like. (Read on...)

On the subject – This highly respected Welsh brewery produce one of the most exciting beer ranges in Britain. Today's beer itself was crowned 'Champion Speciality Beer Of Britain' in 2008. I felt strongly compelled to say these things before continuing. I also feel inclined to remind my readers of the widely excepted notion that 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'. I think you can probably guess what's coming...

On the market – Otley's beers are almost guaranteed to be found at specialist beer retailers, and the supermarkets are now joining in too, which was always fairly inevitable. For home delivery, try the brewery's own online store.

On the whole – 6.5/10

Full Review

I suspect our wonderful world would be far less wonderful if every drinker loved every beer.

Sure, we would have the advantage of never experiencing a bad beer, or a good beer we just didn't like – but we'd also lose the concept of favourite beers, and beers that burst into our lives and sweep us off our feet.

What I'm saying is, we all have different tastes and, by and large, that's a good thing.

Personally, I can get a kick out of almost any kind of beer, and whenever I'm in two minds about one particular brew, I always try to find ways to enjoy what's in front of me, as opposed to grabbing at chances to criticise it.

Old world, new wave, dark, light, strong, delicate, sweet, bitter – I can hold traditional browns, contemporary golds and experimental darks in an equally firm embrace.

But sometimes, I don't know, I just hit a wall.

There sometimes comes a point where no feature of an ale holds an appeal, and you find yourself at the mercy of your own personal preferences.

In truth, Otley's O-Garden is the victim of rotten bad luck in the context of The Bottled Beer Year.

Simply put, this is a beer whose every flavour characteristic just happens to be one I don't especially like. And given there are so few things that I actively turn my nose up at - that really is highly unlucky.

Firstly, it's a wheat beer. My occasional allergic reactions to these ales makes me wary of them from the off, and the only reason I drink them at all is to be able to include this important beer style on my list. (What a martyr I am!) Secondly, the spices used in this beer include cloves and coriander. As far as my taste buds are concerned, this is just a monumentally unfortunate combo. Poor drink. I could almost weep for it.

Then there is the 'salt' issue. This moves us onto 'genuine tragedy' territory because salt is one of my absolute favourite things on Earth, but to my taste the sense of saltiness here is actually overdone. For a man who regularly induces gasps from fellow diners when adding table salt to his meals – this is a pretty big deal. Actually, I would never have thought a beer could be too salty until today.

Furthermore, the herbal/spicy notes serve to create a distinctly medicinal feel. 'Medicinal' is a descriptive term which I tend to avoid wherever possible, because I know I find it off-putting when I read that word myself – even though I realise it's a perfectly acceptable characteristic for many drinkers. It just makes me think of illness, hospitals and NHS bleach. But, oh my goodness, there's just no avoiding that word here. This beer contains definite (and quite deliberate) medicinal flavour elements. Many beer drinkers would welcome these elements – I am not among them.

Ginger lurks here too (at least on the tongue, if not on the ingredients list) along with sharp orange peel, some metallic twangs, and a whole bunch of barely ripened fruits.

It's a 'piney' affair. As in Scots Pine. At times, it's almost like drinking the Brechfa Forest. Again, this is something that might work for some, but in amongst all the other stuff I instinctively dislike, it did little to win me over.

Perhaps this is a good time to add that my unofficial sidekick (my globe-stoppingly attractive girlfriend) absolutely adored this ale, so much so that she eventually took the Dickensian step of asking for 'more'. (A most irregular request under normal circumstances – punishable by stern glance and prolonged silence. In this case, however, the workhouse rules were relaxed completely after I permitted her to take repeated further mouthfuls of whatever size she desired.)

The name 'O-Garden' – one can't help but assume – is a play on 'Hoegaarden' – but this is a very different beast, regardless of how similar any ingredients or processes may be. Wheat, coriander and orange peel are all used in both drinks, with almost no discernible similarities resulting from this fact.

Look, I just have to be honest here.

I didn't like it.

The otherwise invulnerable Otley have brewed at least one beer that I simply could not enjoy.

And that's okay. 

It is a perfectly acceptable state of affairs in a wonderful world like ours, which remains as widely diverse today as it ever was before.

My girlfriend's Oliver Twist beer-acquisition tactics are proof enough of that.

Day 114, Beer 114 - Otley's "O8"

Today's Beer

Name – O8

Brewer – Otley

Classification – Strong ale

Strength – 8.0% ABV

Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – Vibrant, lustrous gold.

On the nose – Relentless spiced citrus.

On the tongue – A formidable beer on every level, yet also utterly drinkable.

On the subject – The eye-catching, highly enigmatic Otley range of beers has an ever growing army of fans. After today, I've officially enlisted myself. This Welsh brewery is fuelled by genuinely collective talent which shows itself across the board.

On the market – Still not as widely available as they merit, but that's no problem in these web-lead days. Try the Real Beer Box.

On the whole – 9/10

Full Review

Now this is very good.

To be honest, I hadn't yet got off to the earth-shaking start I'd expected with Otley, and I should probably blame their branding for that.

The famous Otley 'look' is so comprehensively marvellous that it generates levels of anticipation that few beers could ever hope to live up to. Certainly, none of the Otley beers I'd tried so far had quite managed this feat.

But today's beer had no difficulty at all.

At the first taste, this magnificent brew puts its own fancy label rapidly back in its place.

For me at least, O8 will forever mark the spot where the contents of Otley bottles became even more impressive than their exterior design.

And, by the gods, what a beer it is!

And it's a big beer.

Huge citrus principles themes, powerhouse booziness (which never feels overdone), a lovely firmness in the body and enough vibrant complexity to keep your mind racing throughout.

But in spite of the grand scale and the sheer intensity of all these elements, I just couldn't help reaching again and again for more, there's nothing remotely aggressive about the drink. It simply uses it's many strengths to charm and bewitch you, instead of making you run for your life.

Spicy, zesty and outrageously dynamic. This is absolutely top-drawer craft brewing, and a beer which sets the benchmark for all strong golden beers.

I had previously entertained the notion that Otley might be slightly in danger of prioritising style over substance.

This epic ale has banished such thoughts forever from my mind.

Otley do great branding and great beer. And I can't wait to see what's next.

Day 94, Beer 94 - Otley's "O1"

Today's Beer






Name - O1

Brewer - Otley

Classification - Golden ale

Strength - 4.0% ABV


Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye - Vibrant pale yellow gold.

On the nose - Understated warm malts, equally subtle zesty hops.

On the tongue - A delicate, dry, citrus cocktail.

On the subject - Wales based Otley have brought a highly unique ethos to the marketplace, both in terms of their branding and their beers. This is their flagship brew.

On the market - Otley beers do tend to bring out the explorer in you. Outside of their immediate environment they can be quite tricky to locate. Feel free to ditch the map and try online at Real Beer Box.

On the whole - 7.5/10


Full Review

The popular phrase 'less is more' is often used to describe clever use of understatement.

I think understatement and 'less is more' were what Otley were aiming for here, and they have done so with a fair degree of success - the ultimate result of this being that I was very much left wanting that elusive 'more'.

The only slight snag, though, is that I was left wanting more during almost every sip.

In effect, they've conjured up a marvellous recipe - but deliberately stopped short of including abundant amounts of each ingredient.

You get a sense of an excellent beer - without every getting the full effect of that implied beer. This makes for a tantalising experience, but also a slightly frustrating one. Personally, I'm all for being teased and tempted, but only when I finally get the payoff in the end.

The ale which they actually give to you is a good one - but the one they suggest to you is magnificent. By the end, I was astounded by the brew I might have just enjoyed - which is a very odd sensation I don't mind saying.

The beer in the bottle is dry and zesty, with a nicely judged saltiness to counter the fruits - but this balancing act is a miniature affair, like an excellent puppet show version of a grand Broadway show.

The bottom line is I liked this beer, but it filled me with the sense that I could have enjoyed it even more.

Soft waves of melon, gooseberry, peach and apricot combine wonderfully - albeit in a highly restrained way - and that salt bite makes for an experience which you could imagine repeating for a decent session, especially given the relatively inoffensive alcohol content.

But given the quality and breadth of the competition in the current 'golden ale' scene, it's hard to see how this one could stand out.

This is a pity, because all the elements are there for a genuine market leader.

It just needs those elements to shout a little louder.

Day 75, Beer 75 - Otley's "Colombo"

Today's Beer





Name - Colombo

Brewer – Otley

Classification – Golden ale

Strength – 4% ABV



Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye - A Champagne-resemblant pale gold translucency.

On the nose - Very special. Hyper-zingy grapefruit dominates the gloriously intoxicating vapour, these intense high notes hover above a firm but subtle biscuity malt base.

On the tongue - A veritable kaleidoscope of a summer beer. Complex, vibrant and moreish.

On the subject - Otley may still be a fairly young outfit, but many agree that they already hold a strong claim to the venerated status of 'Pride Of Wales'. This remarkable, ultra-pale golden beer does much to explain why.

On the market - Maintaining the mystique of Otley is all very well, but I do often wish their beer was a bit easier to come by. However, Otley may have recently cottoned on to this wish - because they've now launched the fabulous online store Real Beer Box, which stocks a wide variety of the very best beers around as well as their own.

On the whole - 8.5/10


Full Review

Otley - a relatively new brewery with a relatively small output - are a massively hyped firm.

Put another way - they are currently pretty damn 'cool'.

Personally, I'm one of those wary types who are naturally predisposed to approach the twin concepts of hype and coolness with extreme caution - perhaps even with a trace of scepticism, but I've learned over time that amid the throng of charlatans, pretenders and wannabes, there can be found certain brands which are considered cool and are being hyped because they actually happen to merit it.

Otley is one of those brands.

For those in any doubt about this claim - I strongly suggest you get a jar of Colombo down your proverbial neck with all possible haste. I can guarantee that all trace of doubt will be washed deliciously away.

This is a triumph of a brew. Nuanced, elegant and almost criminally tasty - this is probably the best 'summertime' beer I've so far encountered here on The Year.

It's perfectly possible that - if high pitched citrus sharpness ain't usually your bag - you might find yourself taking slightly longer pauses in between mouthfuls, but your mouth will be filled repeatedly all the same, because this ale is just too powerfully enticing to be left sat on the table for very long.

Sure, there is a dominant grapefruit theme, but dancing in circles around that resonant central core are a plethora of dynamic and delightful complementary flavour notes which combine to wind this brew into an exquisite frenzy of a drink experience.

This is one of those ales that makes your mind race with questions after every additional sip. Questions like - "What was that floral hint I just detected?" or "How did they get that twang in the finish?" and of course the inevitable "Why do I only have one of these bottles in the house?"

This beer teases, toys and tantalises you with playful suggestions of all kinds of wonderful. I got zapped with watermelon, dry sherry, ginger, lime zest, basil, gooseberry, celery, wheat husks, popcorn - all of which never become too bold or aggressive, they just join together in that spiralling dance and generally whip up that frenzy.

Like the previous example I featured from the Otley range - Darko - there is a 'natural' feel to this beer which also helps to set it apart. It feels vital and fresh, but also (and rather mysteriously) it feels unique - even though you know full well that, ultimately, it really isn't. I find that to be a quite dazzling characteristic of Otley's creations.

These Welsh wizards are working wonders, and if that amounts to me merely adding further to all the hype, then so be it.

Like I said before - sometimes the hype is right.

Day 66, Beer 66 - Otley's "Darko"

Today's Beer





Name – Darko

Brewer – Otley

Classification – There's no way I'm just going to write 'Stout' without urging you to read on...

Strength – 4.1% ABV


Verdict - At A Glance

On the eye – One of the many enigmatic features of this remarkable beer. It looks 'unique'. Let's just leave it at that for now.

On the nose – Intensely sharp treacle, liquorice, with a screeching high note of sweetness.

On the tongue – Again, a short summary is simply not going to happen with this brew. Read on...

On the subject – Over in Wales, Otley are on a mission. Quite where they are heading, they are happy to keep us guessing, and a level of mystique certainly adds to their appeal. The beers they make are every bit as striking as their branding. This being the perfect example.

On the market – 'Mystique' and 'rarity' fit nicely together. That's unfortunate for most beer lovers nationwide who are forced to go online or to go 'specialist' to find Otley brews. There's no better specialists than the brewery's own online shop.

On the whole – 8/10


Full Review

Okay, so, this one is way off the grid.

From the moment the pour first begins, the beer announces itself as 'something completely different'. Not in the Monty Python sense of the phrase - but quite wonderfully near to the Salvador Dali sense.

In fact, I really like the idea of this being officially classified as a 'surrealist ale.'

The liquid is like no other. It's consistency, viscosity, it's oxygenation and the intensity and the radiancy of it's colouring - none of these individual elements display any of the usual characteristics or behaviours found in most other beers in existence...whether they be stouts, milds, dark ales or even traditional bocks for that matter. This brew is obeying none of the rules of classification.

Otley clearly have developed a healthy disregard for conformity or conventionality. It's almost as though they sat down, chose a beer style, and then proceeded to do only what they darn well pleased, focussing only on the quality of the end product and tossing aside preconceived notions of what they 'should' be trying to achieve.

I kind of like that spirit.

But do I like this drink?

Well, this is one of those beers that really makes you ask yourself that very question. It's a question which most drinks provide an answer to long before you find yourself needing to formally pose it, but there's just too much to bedazzle and mystify you in this particular bottle. Although, having said that, the state of pleasant bewilderment in which this ale eventually leaves you is almost reason enough to enthusiastically endorse it, regardless of all the unanswered questions that it leaves you with.

Questions like - 'doesn't this need just a little more gas?' and 'is this really meant to be so delicately bodied?' - soon enter your head, but that's before they begin fading into the background whilst you increasingly relax and start to really savour this experience which, little-by-little, begins to comprehensively enthral and delight you.

I think this beer is actually intrinsically rebellious, and I was quickly charmed by it's nonchalant determination to go it's own way, do it's own thing, and be it's own beer.

In essence, this is naked ale. Avant-garde, no-nonsense, authentic, ultra-traditional, retro, post-modern - all of these phrases and none of them sum up what's going on here. But at the core of it all is a sense that the brew is exactly as nature intended beer to be, and it feels under no pressure to bow to the contemporary operating model. Instead, it delivers itself in a manner which evokes the feel of the smokiest of Victorian ale houses, it's unembellished freshness resonates with the sense of having just been gravity-poured by the cheerful but feisty landlady via an oak cask laid atop the overly varnished, ash-smeared bar.

It's a history lesson and a revolution all in one. It has an extremely distinguished flavour - freshly picked cocoa beans and natural liquorice with a Ruby Port sweetness in the finish - characteristics you might well expect from a good stout. But, somehow, at the same time it also feels like an entirely new ale variety, with a humble and unfussy charm which both startles and delights.

One way or another, this beer demands your attention. From the off - it proceeds to challenge and to pretty much redefine the nature, scope and boundaries of modern beer production.

You think you know what beer is, and then a drink like this turns up.

If only for educational purposes, you need to find a bottle of this - and drink it.

I sense that this is a very important ale.

The Motley Otley Crew!

That headline might rhyme, but I must admit it's a little bit harsh, considering how refined and sophisticated these beers appear.

The Otley branding has been pretty cleverly judged. It simultaneously says "look at me" and "what are you staring at, moron?" - which is not easy to achieve, except perhaps in an expensive nightclub.

I'm very excited about his lot.

They are - (from left to right)

O1   (Golden ale)

O4 Colomb-o   (Pale golden ale)

O8   (Strong golden ale)

O - Garden   (Wheat beer)

O6 Porter   (Old style porter)

Dark - O   (Stout)

O my wOrd, Otley dO knOw hOw to get me gOing!

Reviews of each beer will be coming soon...