As you may have read, Otter Creek Brewing Company recently hired Mike Gerhart, previously a brewer at Dogfish Head Craft Ales, to join the team as their new brewmaster. Mike Gerhart has created a completely new Imperial Series lineup, which currently includes three beers: the Russian Imperial Stout, Oak-Aged Imperial IPA, and Quercus Vitis Humulus. These beers are brewed in smaller batches, using different yeast strains, aged for a longer time in the tanks, and they are higher in alcohol content (10-12%). According to Gerhart, these three beers are a departure from past Otter Creek beers and should be shared with others (in part due to the strength). You can check out a video interview with Mike Gerhart here.

Here are the three Imperial Series bottle labels and descriptions:



"We brewed this beer with double the malts and four times the hops of regular stouts! Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout clocks in around 10% ABV- a beer to be savored responsibly. True to style, this beer will last for years so you may want to stock up on a few bottles for your cellar while it's available."



"The fruity and citrusy hop aroma intermingles perfectly with an assertive malty backbone. Our brewers added a generous supply of hops to this brew throughout the entire process to provide an enormous hop flavor and balance the elevated alcohol content."



"QVH is our brewers' tribute to the mighty oak, luscious grape, and humble hop. The homage begins with a bold 27 degree plato barley-wine, warm-fermented with Bohemian lager yeast, then blended with Sauvignon Blanc grape juice and fermented a second time with a pure culture of Champagne yeast. When this intricate brew was complete, our brewers aged it on lightly toasted French Oak. The six week journey through our brewery results in a deeply complex ale which clocks in at 12% ABV, with 38 IBU."

NYC Otter Creek Re-Launch

With this change of brewmasters and the new lineup of beers comes the Otter Creek NYC re-launch, which will take place from February 2nd to February 4th. There will be several bars carrying the new Imperial Series lineup as well as the other Otter Creek and Wolavers beers and Mike Gerhart will be stopping by each of these bars to meet and greet. Here's the schedule:

February 2nd

5PM: Rattle 'N' Hum: Otter Creek Imperial IPA, Otter Creek QVA, Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Otter Creek Pale Ale, Otter Creek Oktoberfest, Otter Creek Vermont Lager, Otter Creek Spring Kolsch, Otter Creek Solstices, Otter Creek Stove Pipe Porter, Otter Creek QVA (cask), Wolavers: Pale Ale, Wolavers Brown Ale, Wolavers Oatmeal Stout, Wolavers Pat Leavy, Wolavers Will Stevens Pumpkin.

6PM: Ulysses: Otter Creek Copper Ale, Otter Creek Solstice, Otter Creek Quercus Vitus Humulus.

7PM: Jimmy's No. 43: Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Otter Creek Vermont Lager, Otter Creek Solstice, Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus, Wolavers IPA, Wolavers Brown, Wolavers Pale Ale.

February 3rd

4PM: Blind Tiger: Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus (cask), Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus, Otter Creek Solstice, Otter Creek Pale Ale, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout, Wolavers IPA, Otter Creek Vermont Lager, Wolavers Pale Ale, Wolaver’s Brown Ale, Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout, Imperial IPA, Wolavers Pat Leavy.

5PM: Mudville 9: Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus, Otter Creek Vermont Lager, Otter Creek Solstice, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Wolaver’s Brown.

9PM: Valhalla: Otter Creek Kolsch, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout, Otter Creek Vermont Lager, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus, Otter Creek Solstice, Otter Creek Imperial IPA, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Otter Creek Oatmeal Stout, Wolavers Brown, Wolavers IPA, Wolavers Pat Leavy, Wolavers Pale Ale.

February 4th

5PM: Swift Hibernian Lounge: Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Wolavers IPA, Wolavers Pat Leavy.

6PM: Amity Hall: Otter Creek Pale Ale, Otter Creek Copper Ale, Otter Creek Vermont Lager, Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout, Otter Creek Imperial IPA, Wolavers Brown Ale, Wolavers Oatmeal Stout, Otter Creek QVH, Otter Creek Solstices, Wolavers Pat Leavy, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter

7PM: Ginger Man: Otter Creek Kolsch, Otter Creek Imperial IPA, Otter Creek Oatmeal Stout, Otter Creek QVH, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter firkin.

More about Mike Gerhart
Mike Gerhart, Brewmaster, originally from Suffern, NY, began home brewing at the age of seventeen with his dad and has been brewing professionally since 1997. A graduate of the Johnson State College, Mike worked as a cellarman and brewer at Kross Brewing Company ('97-'98) in Morrisville, VT then as a brewer for Magic Hat Brewing Company ('98-'00) 2001 he received his Brewmasters and Maltsters degree from the prestigious Versuchs Und Lehrenstalt Fur Braueri Und Malzerie (VLB) Berlin, Germany. Mike ventured back to New York to run Old World Brewing Company ('01) - a brewery he built from scratch. Mike then headed south to VA and to Coors Brewing Company where he worked as a Quality Control Analyst and Special Projects Manager ('01-'04). He attended the MSc program at Herriot Watt University in Brewing and Distilling. Next he ventured closer to home and served as the Distillery Manager for Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats Brewpub ('04-'08) in Rehoboth Beach, DE, and the Pilot Brewery Manager for Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, DE. Most recently, Mike has been promoted to Brewmaster at Otter Creek Brewing Company ('08-present) in Middlebury, VT where he is responsible for all brewing and brand development for the Otter Creek and Wolaver Organic Ales.