Allagash Odyssey

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

beer decants a very pretty, deep ruby-red/brown, with a small-ish but finely bubbled tan head that retains and laces well. big aromatic notes of dark fruit - plums/prunes, some figs, along with a less definable, creamy sweetness. odd sugar note. both alcohol and oak notes are suprisingly subdued. flavor is quite sweet up front, and quickly followed up with a shot of alcoholic warmth, and a pleasant astringency derived from the oak. sweetness is still a pretty tough nut to crack - eventually it becomes somewhat cloying. still quite good overall - holds its size well.

Bottle: Courtesy of Styles. The aroma has strong vinuous notes with hints of grape and raisin along with moderate alochol, whiskey, and light oak. It pours a transparent orangish-brown with a moderate off-white head that diminishes quickly. The flavor starts with lots of whiskey notes with some bitter chocolate in the background. There’s a lot of vanilla in the finish with a hint of sourness. It’s pretty hot and could use some more aging.

750 ml bottle. Bottled October 2006. Cloudy Dark brown like root beer with full light brown head. Sweet aroma. Taste of malasses, dark chocolate and malt with a bitter after taste. No taste of the Oak barrel.

Bottle (2005) courtesy of santoslhalper. Black currant and nutmeg aroma, very earthy and unbelievably, reminds me of a nice Côtes de Blaye or Vacqueyras in the nose. It must be from the oak aging. Dark brown rootbeer clear body with thin off-white lacing head. Medium heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts dry with notes of plum, raisin, and Bordeaux. Has vinuous alcoholic notes with oaky hints of a Côtes de Blaye and nice warming. Very nicely balanced between wine sweetness and dry oaky after. Earthy with a little mushroom, spicy with black currant. A little thin, but otherwise a very nice ale.

The body is a ruddy brown that approaches black. The head is a thumb thick, tan and bubbly. The aroma yields mild smokiness, oak, vanilla, roasted baker’s chocolate and dark fruit. Fore is big with oak...it gets astringent though like the oak might have been too green. Toasty malts, mild vanilla notes, some malt sweetness and stiff alcohol all make plays at the flavor profile. Very mild smokey notes appear in the finish. This is a stellar beer at times, but the wood notes seem caustic at other times. In the end the positive lements outweigh the negative, but the negative elements do distract.

October 2006 bottle. Absolutely gorgeous brown color with red highlights and an enormous tan head. Cherry and plums in the aroma along with an obvious bready smell and a touch of cinnamon. Vanilla flavors blend well with some sweet breadyness and lots of dark fruits. Wonderful beer.

From a 750 ml. bottle, bottled in October 2006, cases bottled 460, 10.3% ABV, with a blurb and serving instructions along the right side of label, sampled at cellar temperature in a chalice. Poured a dark wheat ale blackish brown with a frothy, foamy head that settled into a thin bubbly lacing. Aromas of oak woodiness, molasses, caramelized malts, wheat bready as well, clove and spices, and whiffs of the fermented alcohol. Good, even, steady carbonation and a malty crisp, dry, velvety, sipping smooth medium-light bodied mouthfeel. Delicious wheat malt and oak taste, a mix of toasted grain and roasted dark malts, that Belgian candied sugariness, slightly nutty, oak woody with traces of vanilla, a butter toffee flavor emerges in the middle, the alcohol has a fermented taste, so it stays in the background, mingling with the malts and provides a warming presence in the palate, and a dry oaky, yeasty, malty finish. Its been awhile since I’ve read the Greek classic "The Odyssey," but this is a trip Homer would want to go on, another excellent limited ale from Allagash, a must try.

This fantastic beer was sampled with Beerdrenched. Pours very dark brown with a garnet hue when held to the light along with a light tan head that has good retension. The aroma has white grapes, roasted malt, Belgium earthiness, and a good amount of oak. Medium / full body with lots of carbonation, but it is underscored and not intrusive with any of the flavors. Taste starts with oak and roasted malt, some sweetness, Belgium earithy traits - very complex flavors going on here. The finish has char, vanilla and more oak added in. This beer is truly more complex than I can express in words. One to definitely seek out. Incredible unique brew that is actually worth the price tag. This would be an interesting one to age as well. I want more.....