90 Shilling Ale

My first Odell's Beer! (Thanks Monte... not) Thanks to Paul for letting me have this beer from the "Research box" in the cooler at the brewery. Tasted after an 11 miler split up with a stop to at the farmers market to pick up some pumpkins for this afternoon's brewing.

Appearance: Deep mahogany Amber with a 1/2" off white, dense foam head with strong retention and an entire lacing left in it's wake. Clear, but still an underlying color inhibitory haze. Relatively still looking with the occasional bubble rising to the surface.
Aroma: Rich caramel and toasted malt. There is an undertone of fruit accompanied with a touch of nuttiness as well as a viney alcohol in the end. A bit of oxidation present.
Taste: Foretaste is rich of caramel with a robust malt barley backbone. The midtaste introduces notes of overripe plums, which again appears in the aftertaste. Similarly there is an introduction to a tannin bitterness which may come off to some as sour, but still remains more on a bittered side. Finally a rich toasted malt presence rounds out the finish of the beer while the hops help encourage a prolonged almost burnt bread flavor and a dryness between the tongue and the roof of the mouth. Alcohol is noteable present, though not very substantial, which could be confused with the hop profile.
Mouthfeel: Thick body with a soft and smooth texture all the way through until it exits the mouth. A bit of a bubbled fiz braces the tip of the tongue after a couple seconds. Finish is dry and resinous.
Overall Impression: Without a style name given to the beer, I was unsuspecting of this beers flavor, but I'd call it a Fat Tire x 10. With a strong caramel malt foundation and the hop finish to match, this beer boasts a flavor without the alcohol. A Roller Dam Red with more caramel and toast to the finish, while a boost to the body thickens the feel. The dryness at the end relieves the palate and quenches ones thirst


90/100

Octoberfest Beer

Thanks to Joe Wietlispach for giving me a bottle of this to review. I'm still trying to remember the beer's that I've reviewed into the blog, and those that have been reviewed into my old tasting journals. Oh well. Tasted Monday afternoon following a breezy 10 miles

Appearance: Coppered amber with a poor head retention, mainly taking the form of a sporadic film across the top and accumulations in parts around the glass. Carbonation looks strong with a persistently rising micro-bubble carbonation around the edges. Clarity would be given a 9/10. Glowing and orange.
Aroma: Festivus fall smell especially of dried leaves and a grass. Fresh toasted malt scent as well as some floral undertones. Breadiness and rye. Spiced elements balance these notes along with a varying degree of hops. Clean lagered scent.
Taste: The midtaste incorporates a dark bready malt flavor of that of fresh baked pumpernickel. Caramel is an undertoned malt to the overall toasted bready malt backbone. Not necessarily sweet, but rich in flavor. The finish emphasizes minute fall spices as well as leafy hops and cinnamon. Maybe even some ginger. The end is clean bitter and refreshing. More focus is put towards the ending bitterness than the actual malt in this beer.
Mouthfeel: Strong carbonation bites the top of the tongue as it passes. Body is lighter than others of this category, but otherwise the texture is creamy. Drying in the mouth.
Overall Impression: Definitely get the Autumn-esk flavor about this beer. It's malt is basic and the spicing is certainly something new to the up-and-coming season. I enjoyed the dry leaf bitterness, though I thought the carbonation was a bit high. Surely refreshing and something to think about. Awesome stand-out label.

83/100