O'dells
This is apparently a brewery out of Colorado. You can get the 5 barrel pale ale almost anywhere, but it's not too impressive. The IPA is definitely the best around. It's on tap at Bread & Cup, and it also tastes great in bottle. Cool bottle labels, too.
IPA
http://www.odells.com/beers/classics/ipa.aspx
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/267/35626/?sort=topr&start=0
Apparently it's won a few awards. Not a big surprise. Great scent and taste. Full bodied. Kinda citrusy hops, but floral and mostly piny, though I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. Perfect amount of alcohol. Smooth but rich. I know I'm not describing this very specifically, but it's hard to find in bottles here (Meier's on South St. never has it. Have to go to the Still). If I remember correctly, medium head at first dies, but leaves a good amount of lacing and swirls up readily.
Extra Special Red
There doesn't appear to be a website for this one. Here's beeradvocate:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/267/33503/?sort=topr&start=0
A little skunky in most bottles, but though I haven't tried it on tap, I bet it's excellent fresh. Excellent red malty body with a lot of hops and alcohol. Not as good as the IPA, but I haven't tried it fresh or on tap, so it's an unfair comparison. Scent is like any red beer plus lots of candied sugar and hops. Not a really 'sweet' flavor, but the maltiness is sweet. Very smooth with leftovers of hops turning to malt. Doesn't linger long, turns into a generic red ale aftertaste, but lasts long enough while you still have some left in the cup. Medium head, lingers throughout with good lacing. Unforunately, loses a little something when it gets too warm, I guess the skunkiness of the bottles and the extra maltiness comes through and drowns out the balance.
5 Barrel Pale
Fine. I would take this over most domestics, but it's not impressive. Usually not very fresh, and not particularly rich or exciting. For such a cool sounding name, a big dissapointment. I guess they were going for balance and smoothness, but I usually don't care much for beers with that aim.
IPA
http://www.odells.com/beers/classics/ipa.aspx
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/267/35626/?sort=topr&start=0
Apparently it's won a few awards. Not a big surprise. Great scent and taste. Full bodied. Kinda citrusy hops, but floral and mostly piny, though I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. Perfect amount of alcohol. Smooth but rich. I know I'm not describing this very specifically, but it's hard to find in bottles here (Meier's on South St. never has it. Have to go to the Still). If I remember correctly, medium head at first dies, but leaves a good amount of lacing and swirls up readily.
Extra Special Red
There doesn't appear to be a website for this one. Here's beeradvocate:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/267/33503/?sort=topr&start=0
A little skunky in most bottles, but though I haven't tried it on tap, I bet it's excellent fresh. Excellent red malty body with a lot of hops and alcohol. Not as good as the IPA, but I haven't tried it fresh or on tap, so it's an unfair comparison. Scent is like any red beer plus lots of candied sugar and hops. Not a really 'sweet' flavor, but the maltiness is sweet. Very smooth with leftovers of hops turning to malt. Doesn't linger long, turns into a generic red ale aftertaste, but lasts long enough while you still have some left in the cup. Medium head, lingers throughout with good lacing. Unforunately, loses a little something when it gets too warm, I guess the skunkiness of the bottles and the extra maltiness comes through and drowns out the balance.
5 Barrel Pale
Fine. I would take this over most domestics, but it's not impressive. Usually not very fresh, and not particularly rich or exciting. For such a cool sounding name, a big dissapointment. I guess they were going for balance and smoothness, but I usually don't care much for beers with that aim.
posted by FretlessC at 2/18/2009 12:49:00 PM
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