Odell Brewing Company IPA

Odell Brewing Company IPA
Style: IPA

Alcohol Content: 7.0%

From: Fort Collins, Colorado, United States

Purchased From: Beer Boutique, Putney, London, England

https://odellbrewing.com/

The Odell Brewing Company was founded by brothers Doug, Wynne and Corkie Odell back in 1989. As with most craft breweries, Odell began life as a small microbrewery mainly based in Doug’s kitchen in Seattle, Washington. As time progress and the business grew, the Odell family began to deliver, pick up empties and make sales visits in an old yellow Datsun pick-up truck. I can just imagine what impression that would of give to prospective customers as a Datsun pickup is not the best looking car in the world. By 1994 the brewery out grew the kitchen and relocated located in Fort Collins, Colorado (I've started to notice that a lot of the imported beer I buy is from this state) Here the brewery has gone from strength to strength and currently outputs 45,000 barrels per annum. This is actually the second beer of Odell’s I have brought to review. The first was a Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout, that unfortunately went off before i could drink it (Always check your expiry dates people).

Beautiful Old School Label

Colour: This drink pours a beautiful copper crowned with a densely pack white head. This helps to produce the best lacing I have ever seen from an IPA.

Aroma: There is a lot going on in this beer. The start begins with notes of zingy grapefruit and lime which is then quickly followed by soft, delicate elderflower aromas with just a hint of pine lurking in the background. As the drink warms slight, juicy ripe peaches enter the aroma profile to entice you to drink more. This excellent balance of flavours comes from the use of of seven hops in just about every point in the brewing process.

Body: Very light carbonation ensures a extremely smooth drinking experience. This beer literally melts in your mouth with no clogging effect at all. This is very surprising given the heavy use of hops during the production process.

Taste: The start begins with a lovely hint of sweet grapefruit which dominates the palate until slight hints of sweet caramel begin to appear from depths of the glass. The finish is packed with juicy smooth malt, hints summer ripened peaches and a mild bitter finish. This has to be one of the least bitter IPA's I have ever tasted. It actually reminds me more of a refreshing pale ale. The perfect IPA for summer and I certainly enjoyed my beer burps after several sizeable sips. Uber tasty.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bear-republic-racer-5-ipa.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/kozel-dark-lager.html

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Oskar Blues Brewing Dale's Pale Ale

Oskar Blues Brewing Dale's Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 6.5%

From: Longmont, Colorado, USA

Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney 

http://brew.oskarblues.com/ob-beers/

For many years, the use of cans in the craft beer world has been a bit taboo subject. For many, beer cans are associated with dull, mass produced lagers that dominate every supermarket. Independent brewers generally tend to use glass bottles and shy away from their aluminium alternatives. However, a major sea change appear to be on the horizon. Last year, the worlds largest craft brewery, Sam Adams, announced their intention to sell their famous Boston lager in cans. To many this came as a shock, however over the past few months more and more breweries have been ditching the bottle and moving to the can. Recently, London based Beavertown announced their intention to can four of their product.

Look great don't they?

Its well documented that cans offer better protection against light and air damage and are cheaper to produce as they do not require a separate labelling machine. However, cans often have to bought in bulk and are more subject to ambient temperature fluctuations, so there are pros and cons. Personally, i have no preference as long as the beer tastes great. But wherever you stand on this debate, the rise of the can is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

So how does this relate to this review I hear you cry. Well my beery chums, Oskar Blues have been canning all their beers since 2002. In fact some go even further and credit Oskar with being the very first brewery to offer canned craft beer. Here is the result of that first; Dale's Pale Ale.

Oskar Blues hail from Longmont Colorado and began life as a basement brewery in the restaurant of the same name. A few years later owner Dick Dale Katechis decided it was time for the brewer to strike out on its own and move into a purpose built brewery. By 2012 Oskar Blues began experimenting with re-sealable aluminium containers for some of their larger cans. Personally, I would love to see how these work so if any knows where I can get one in the UK give me a shout. Producing on average 59,000 barrels per year, this is likely to keep rising and rising to cope with demand.

Colour: Pours a dark copper brown with a minimal head, which provides excellent lacing throughout the life of the beer. I must say this has to be the darkest pale ale I have ever seen. It reminds me more of an IPA to be honest.

Aroma: Beautiful aromas of freshly cut grass and dropped pine needles dominate the aroma profile. Very subtle hints of caramel follow but do not linger in the nostrils.

Body: Rather dense for a pale ale but it will certainly refresh you on every sip. Given the the can suggests that this beer is a"A huge voluminously hopped mutha of a pale ale", I am pleasantly surprised to find that their is hardly any clogging on the back of the thoart. I find beers that have been heavily hopped to have a extremely sticky resin quality which this drink lacks. Good stuff guys!

Taste: Just like the nose, the taste of big bold pine needles dominate followed by a light, zesty citrus note. The drink will then come alive revealing hints of sweet sugary molasses, finally finishing with refreshing dry bitterness from the hops. At a punchy 6.5% ABV, you maybe thinking that the alcohol will steal the show like Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania. Luckily for us Oskar have hidden the ABV so well that you are rewarded with an extremely pleasurable drinking experience.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/camden-brewery-pale-ale.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/founders-backwoods-bastard.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

SKA Brewing Steel Toe Milk Stout

SKA Brewing Steel Toe Milk Stout

Style: Milk Stout

Alcohol Content: 5.4%

From: Durango, Colorado, United States 

Purchased from: Real Ale Shop, Richmond-Upon-Thames

http://www.skabrewing.com/main.html

Ska Brewing Company is an American microbrewery founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau in Durango, Colorado. Since 2008, the brewery has been located in its current Bodo Industrial Park location. This new brewery is eco-friendly as it runs completely on wind power and insulated by old pairs of jeans. Although Ska also uses bottles, it is known for being one of the few microbreweries that utilizes cans liberally. Now the subject of this review is thier Steel Toe Milk Stout, so lets get on with the tasting.

Just for the working Class?

Colour: This drink pours a thick ink black with a light tan coloured head. It looks a lot like an americano with a beautiful creme head. This head stays around rather briefly, which is quite unfortunate.

Aroma: Notes of coffee and liquorice rise from the glass to greet you. The smell reminds me of breakfast in Chicago, where a waitress would pour fresh percolated coffee into my cup. Sweet sugary notes then remind me of adding cream to my said coffee. Not to everyone's taste I'm sure but for me, a coffee is always welcome first thing in the morning.

Body: The mouthfeel is like that of a pint of milk, quite thick and clingy to the back of the throat. It will really cover all corners of your mouth.

Taste: Full of powerful coffee and chocolate notes to start with. There is definitely a sweetness that comes from the lactose (milk sugar). This, mixed with the dark roasted malts help to produce drink which does not feel very alcoholic at all. The flavours will mellow as the drink warms and the profile of this beer begins to remind me of the coffee and cream I mentioned earlier. Overall, for me this drink lacks the magic sparkle I desire from my milk stout (my favourite is the Bristol beer factory Milk Stout). However, it is very smooth and very easy to drink.

Perfect after a hard days work

During the time its taken for me to create this post, Ska have completely revamped their website. I have to say it does look very impressive. Check out this link above to see what all the fuss is about.

Simliar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/meantime-chocolate-porter.html

Different to:http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/beavertown-8-ball-rye-ipa.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Left Hand Brewery Black Jack Porter

Left Hand Brewery Black Jack Porter

Style: Porter

Alcohol Content: 6.8%

From: Longmont, CO, USA

Purchased From: Utobeer, Borough Market, London
http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/

Left Hand began in December 1990 with a home-brewing kit founder Dick Doore received from his brother. According to Dick, "it was all downhill from there." By 1993, Dick had teamed up with college buddy Eric Wallace and they resolved to start a brewery.

On September 21, 1993, they incorporated as Indian Peaks Brewing Company, and purchased a former meat-packing plant next to the St. Vrain River outside downtown Longmont, Colorado. A few weeks after beginning production, it was discovered that the name Indian Peaks was already in use by another Brewery, so the name was changed to Left Hand, in honor of Chief Niwot (the Arapahoe word for "left hand") whose tribe wintered in the local area. Left Hand's doors opened for business on January 22, 1994. Their first batch of beer was Sawtooth Ale, which has since become their most popular brew. In October of that year, Left Hand took home two medals at the Great American Beer Festival, a Gold Medal in the bitter category for Sawtooth Ale, and a Bronze Medal in the Robust Porter category for Black Jack Porter.

In recent years, the brewery is prospering and growing like never before! Beginning with over 30% growth in 2010, Left Hand is breaking barrelage records each year, even making the Brewers Association’s Top 50 Craft Brewers list in 2012. What started as a humble brew house extension in 2008, has turned into a 5 year $9 million expansion, as the brewery sprints to keep up with thirsty fans.

Let's see your cards!

Colour: When poured, you are presented with a thick jet black liquid with a light brown head. Soon the head settles down to a brilliant white which slowly dissipates to a foam. If you hold this beer to the light you are not able to look though it. In my book, this is a sign of a great porter.

Aroma: On the nose, you are presented with rich coffee and dark chocolate notes. These smells come from the rich dark malts used in the brewing process. Smelling deeper, you may also be able to pick out notes of sweet caramel. Yum!

Body: This beer is excellently smooth on your tongue and slips down a treat. The water used in the brewing of this beer has quite a high mineral content. This helps to clear your palate after every sip and lightens the beer to drink. Unlike some porters that can be rather heavy, this porter is reasonably light.

Taste: This beer tastes a lot like a black Americano with a spoonful of sugar added for a hint of sweetness. After you have adjusted to this taste, you are suddenly over whelmed with notes of dark chocolate. The sweetness of the beer helps to mask the high alcohol content of this beer. This is then cut thought by the mineral after taste, which as I allude to before, helps to cleanse your palate. If you are new to this style this beer would be a great place to start. Extremely flavorsome and lighter than your average porter.

For the latest reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery