Otto's Apricot Wheat

Otto's Apricot Wheat is a good all around beer.  It doesn't have any overpowering tastes, and the style is enjoyable year round.  It does have a clear apricot flavor, so I could see why some people might enjoy it more during the summer months.

With a half-inch white head and slightly cloudy golden body, this is an appealing brew.  When the head settles, it leaves slight lacing on the sides of the glass, and mild carbonation maintains a small ring around the edge.  9/10 for appearance

The aroma is about what you'd expect.  The apricot comes through, as do the wheat tones.  The aroma is fairly faint, though, so if you're sitting near the kitchen door where the smells of cooking would be stronger, it may be difficult to pick up on the nose on this one.  22/30 for aroma.

The taste nicely matches the aroma.  There's a bit of nutty-grainy flavor under the apricot, but no flavors are overpowering.  It's smooth and mellow, with very little lingering aftertaste.  The only real downside for the taste is that the apricot flavor tastes somewhat fake or artificial, like that fruitiness is just a little too sweet or something.  On the upside, the malt flavors keep the sweetness nicely in check.  31/40 for flavor

I'd say this beer has a medium mouthfeel -- it isn't watery, but it isn't really full-bodied, either.  It's a fairly crisp beverage, and that crisp, clean mouthfeel works well with the flavors in the beer.  8/10 for mouthfeel.

This is very much a drinkable beer.  It isn't the kind of beer I'd savor, but it's a nice change of pace, it pairs well with a wide range of foods, and it's crisp and clean enough to enjoy on a hot summer afternoon.  Because it's suitable for so many occasions, that ups the drinkability factor.  8/10 for drinkability.

Overall that comes to 78/100.  This isn't a great beer, but it's tasty and it gets the job done.  It's one of Otto's beers that seems to have a wider distribution every year (maybe that's just my perception, or maybe it's just a local thing, I haven't really looked too much into it).  I'm looking forward to picking up a sixer of this come yard work season (which is hopefully just around the corner -- I hear birdsong in the mornings again!).

Cheers!