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Ott Spezial

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A Spezial brewed to a recipe from the 1960s, with raw materials from Upper Swabia. What sets it apart is the method: open-vat fermentation at cold temperatures, something almost no brewery still does. Three aroma hops — Hallertauer Tradition, Hallertauer Perle and Tettnanger — carry the character, while 13.2 degrees Plato at 5.3 percent alcohol give it body. Gold at the World Beer Cup 2018.

ABV
5.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
golden5
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Gold · 2018
Monde Selection
4 Sterne Gold · 2017
selection Genussmagazin
Gold · 2017
Superior Taste Awards iTQi
Gold · 2017
The International Beer Cup
Gold · 2018
World Beer Cup
Dortmunder Export or German Style Oktoberfest
Silver · 2019
World Beer Awards
Silver · 2020
Frankfurt Trophy
★Gold — Monde Selection
★4 Sterne Gold — selection Genussmagazin
★Gold — Superior Taste Awards iTQi
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
noble hopmaltyclean
noble hop
malty
clean
bready
Aroma
The nose opens with a subtle garden-like character from the three noble hop varieties—Hallertauer Tradition, Hallertauer Perle, and Tettnanger—offering herbaceous and faintly spicy notes rather than aggressive citrus.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Ott Spezial

◎ Appearance

A pale golden hue with excellent clarity and bright luminosity, characteristic of a classically brewed Helles. The head forms quickly and clings to the glass with fine, persistent lacing. Carbonation appears moderate and well-integrated, supporting a refined visual presentation without excess fizz.

pale goldencrystal clearfine lacingmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with a subtle garden-like character from the three noble hop varieties—Hallertauer Tradition, Hallertauer Perle, and Tettnanger—offering herbaceous and faintly spicy notes rather than aggressive citrus. Beneath lies a soft malty undertone, slightly grainy with a whisper of bread crust. The open-vat fermentation contributes a clean, almost ethereal quality with no sulphurous or phenolic edge.

noble hopsherbaceoussoft maltclean fermentation

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and full-bodied, the 13.2 degrees Plato providing genuine malt structure without heaviness. Mid-palate develops a bready, slightly sweet profile balanced by restrained noble-hop bitterness that arrives late and fades gracefully. The overall impression is one of harmony: the malt and hops coexist rather than compete, with the cold-fermentation method leaving no yeasty or astringent traces.

smooth entrymalty backbonenoble bitternesswell-balanced

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and relatively short, drying slightly as the hop bitterness carries through. A faint malty sweetness lingers in the aftertaste, inviting another sip without becoming cloying.

clean finishdrylight malt linger
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
83
Appearance
84
Finish
80
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Ott Spezial

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About Export

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Export?

Export is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Export

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same smooth, rich, noble-hop character as Ott Spezial will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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