Odell Deconstruction

Brewed by Odell Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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From notes. First reviewed 1/31/2001. Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a tulip. This is an aggressively carbonated beer, so I poured it gently down the side of my tulip. Even so, a pleasant 3 cm off-white head forms, leaving some sticky lace on the glass while fading to a ring. The beer itself has a cloudy golden tangerine hue and is pleasantly effervescent. Tart green apple, white grape skin, crystal or pale malt, some funk, and some acidic vinegar provide the aromatics. Delicate biscuity malt starts the flavor, but there are a number of flavors trying to squeeze in here. The sweetness from the malt carries over into a juicy white grape flavor. Some spice and pepper come in before a tart green apple coincides with a controlled sour flavor. The tart vinegar nature leads into some light grassy hops to close out the flavor. It finishes fairly clean, with a light lingering acidic flavor. The mouthfeel starts a little juicy with the white grape but ends up finishing dry. It has full carbonation and is wrapped up in a light to medium body. I found this to be interesting, but it did not mesh well with the other choices on the tasting menu. I should try this again on its own. This is definitely the type of beer that could grow on me.

A soft pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip nets me over 6 fingers worth of pale tan colored foam; this beer is definitely excessively carbonated. The beer is a dark amber color that shows a mostly clear, amber hue when held up to the light. The aroma smells of tart apples, woody oak, perhaps a touch of buttery oak, a toasted oak and pale grain note, a hint of bourbon like fruitiness, lots of pear notes, dried hay like grain character, honeysuckle and even some honeydew melon notes.

Lightly sweet up front, the beer is quite fizzy and picks up a tartness as it rolls across the tongue. There is a lot of fruitiness in the flavor too, with notes of pear, green apple, perhaps a touch of honeydew melon as well as a touch of a more musky / funky melon (musk melon / cantaloupe perhaps). The oak character is pretty prevalent in the flavor too and it contributes a definite buttery oak note, a somewhat astringent & spicy character (this helps to dry out the finish), a nice hint of raw wood plank and perhaps a touch of Bourbon like character (though this last comes off more as oak than Bourbon). The slightly rancid, buttery oak character in this beer seems to be not wholly oak derived; there is a mustiness, a slightly musky funkiness and a hint of plastic / funky phenolic notes to this beer that add some complexity as well as sharpness (in combination with the oak) to this beer. The pale malt character plays a nice supporting role here, there is a definite pale grain chewy / almost-sweetness here, a touch of honey-like malt, a definite dried straw pale malt note and a touch of pale French Bread character (like the crumb inside and not the crust), . This is definitely fairly light bodied for a beer of this strength, it has some viscousness and heft to it as it crosses the palate, but it doesn’t feel heavy, despite being a sipping beer (the alcohol, oak and complexity are what contribute to this last factor).

I am surprised that the Bourbon barrels are not more noticeable here, it does make up only 20% of the blend, but it can so easily be overwhelming; I am quite enjoying that it is so subtle here. On the other hand, 3% for the wine barrels seems like a missed opportunity here; I would have loved to see a more complex wine-barrel influence to this beer. Overall the oak character is perhaps a touch too strong to be in balance with the base beer, but it is not so much that the base beer is completely lost. Despite the oak being a bit too pronounced here, it seems that the bright fruit character plays the leading role. This is complex enough to be interesting and enjoyable, but the complex notes are not as well integrated as they could be and the totality of this beer suffers a bit because of this. Still this is quite an enjoyable beer and one I am happy to experience over an evenings time.

Medium tart and lemony. I didn’t find my bottle to be terribly complex or compelling- surprising after reading how much work went into it. Still pretty solid, though.

A funk attack, but the fruity sweetness is a good compliment. Another gift from Jess courtesy of the Cork and Barrel. 12/29/2010.

Bottle shared at the TOSPH. Cloudy pale yellow pour with tons of white foam. Fruit and oak aromas. Lots of bourbon and earthy yeast flavors. Not very well balanced....

Bottle shared at Tower of Sour Power. Can’t remember who brought this one. I listened to everyone’s thoughts on this beer and heard some pretty interesting ideas but all I got really was a big hop presence and a semi sweet body. Perhaps maybe a little bit of fruit but not much.

750ml generously gifted to me from boatshoes. Thanks a lot Fletcher! Pours a cloudy dark golden orange color with a two finger frothy off-white head that has great retention, only slowly fading into a thick lasting ring. Large chunks of soapy lacing left behind. Slightly funky, sweet aroma that combines elements of all beers involved in the blend. Lots of crisp light fruit, especially apple and pear along with faint boozy sweetness. Earthy funk from the wild yeast is complimented by the strong barrel presence. Lots of earthy oak with hints of vinous light fruit, possibly grape from the wine barrel. Not picking up much of the bourbon although it composes 20% of the blend. Subtle peppery spice. Very complex with the greet and golden ale notes countered by roasted oak. Medium bodied a with a strong alcohol and zesty spice presence up front that lingers throughout into a dry finish. Lots of coriander and pepper countered by a prominent earthy oak/barrel character. Toasted oak with subtle boozy vinous notes, but the oak aged golden ale flavors really stand out. It’s only 33% of the blend but is most prominent. Estery light fruit notes with grape, apple and pear along with zesty spice and boozy sweetness. Wild yeast gives a funky dry Brett presence that compliments the oak/spice and adds complexity to the overall flavor of the beer. Again, I’m not picking up any bourbon but subtle wine comes through. More boozy heat in the finish. Overall an interesting and complex beer that makes good use of wild yeast without overpowering the other flavors. Lots of oak but not a lot of spirit which prevents it from being a booze bomb.

Pours cloudy golden copper with a huge lasting pillowy head, clinging lacing. Oakey, farm yard aroma, with some veinous notes, biscuit and grass. Medium body, lively, crisp, a little hot. Medium sweet, a hint of citrus, mild bitter finish which lasts for a while.

Hazy honey gold with a nice medium white head that leaves a whole lotta lace. Very aromatic with some tones of wood, light cherries, some apple, some apricot, Belgo barn funk, and caramel apple. Beautiful full body with gentle carbonation and a lasting sweet finish. Slightly sour, in a good way. Getting apple, sweet caramel, some barn funk and Brett yeast, apricot, lavender, and other light fruity esters. And a fair taste of oak all throughout. It almost tastes like a white wine at first, but when the flavors warm and mellow, the nuances come out. Super complex, and a joy to drink.

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Snifter. Appearance: Cloudy but glowing honey-gold with massive off-white head that leaves lacing splattered all over the glass. Aroma: Tart and sweet apples, lemon, banana and cherries, farmhouse funk, very light oak, and pepper. Taste: Sweet and tart and fruity initially with apple, banana, grapefruit, peach, grapes and countless other fruits. Then a dry and musty character takes over with farmhouse funk, pepper, straw and clove. Palate: High carbonation, rich medium body, somewhat dry finish with some residual sweetness. Quite warming as well. Overall: This is an incredible ale, with elements of a Saison, a Flemish ale, Duvel and Orval. Very complex, very refreshing and very delicious. This is Odell’s best beer, and one of the best beers I have had, period.