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Ott Spezial

Gasthausbrauerei Schussenried
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🌍 Germany · Export · One of 9 Exports in hopIQ

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

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
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp mouthfeel.

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Export.
Hop character
noble hop
Malt character
malty
bready
Fermentation & yeast
clean
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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
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Ott Spezial

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

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

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Ott Spezial

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.

Other Exports in hopIQ

WHERE TO BUY

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