Odin's Tipple - HaandBryggeriet

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Odin's Tipple--a beer that I liked so much I special-ordered a case of it--announces from the get-go that it means serious business. The aromas that ooze out of the bottle in fog-like thickness are reminiscent of bourbon and cognac, mixed with milk chocolate, coffee, tobacco, and heavy cream, and thus remind me of a very expensive country club soiree.

On the tongue, the beer is even darker than the nose implies, beginning with a massive shot of black malt, coffee, tobacco ash, bourbon, and vanilla that promises to remove the enamel off your teeth if left too long. Dark fruit esters such as black cherries, figs, and raisins play merry havoc with the tastebuds. Towards the end of the mouthful--if the brew is held there for a good score of seconds--the beer can get a bit alcoholic as the sugars die off, and a heavy vodka undercurrent exposes itself, marking one of the beer's few weaknesses. But at 11% ABV, it's actually more remarkable that this flavor isn't present in the main mouthful, which speaks highly of the beer's potent flavors. When swallowed with relative quickness, the aftertaste is a lovely cacophony of black malt, char, and tobacco, with just a hint of heavy cream sweetness. Mouthfeel is a creamy medium-heavy, and carbonation is medium to medium-light.

Overall, this is a fantastic brew, though obviously not intended for anyone who is not serious about black flavors so big that it usually takes me about ninety minutes to finish off the half-liter bottle; I honestly can't sip the beer faster than that, as it becomes overwhelming. But overwhelming in a good way, like submerging your head into a swimming pool of melted chocolate, or trying to shotgun a bottle of 40-year-old whiskey. In other words, this is a sipping beer. So pull up a chair, enjoy the sunset, and be merry. You're going to be there for a while.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 19:56:46 | More by jondeelee

freneticamnesic

Netherlands

4.85/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A - poured thick and black, syrupy, with a very thin dark brown head that dissipated rather quickly

S - Hard to detect much in this one. I did smell some coffee or roast malts, but it was very very subtle

T - Tastes of toffee, brown sugar, some hoppiness and dark fruits at first, finishing with some very nice coffee and a hint of hop bitterness at the end

M - Creamy, moderate carbonation. Very smooth and full. Really what I like in an imperial stout

Overall, the beer looked and tasted fantastic. This is really what I enjoy in this style, and I was very impressed with how well balanced and delicious this beer was. I purchased this at random, having never heard of it before, whilst here in Denmark, and I'm very happy I found this beer, would definitely drink it again! Only real reason I marked this down is because of how light the smell was. I would of liked a little bit more than what was there. But that's really a minor issue compared to the rest.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 10:53:09 | More by freneticamnesic

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

.5L poured into a snifter

A- Pours pitch black like dirty motor oil. Insanely dark beer and one of the darkers brown heads I have ever seen on a beer. A surprisingly large head with good retention. Intense alcohol legs. A sight for sore Eyes.

S- Super roasty. A pungent dryness on the nose. A refreshing, strong bitterness to compliment the intense roasted notes. A massive dark chocolate and burnt caramel. A touch of smoke and yeast.

T- A massively roasty beer. A pungent burnt dryness on the tongue. A strong lingering bitterness that helps balance. A lot of smoke and ash in this beer. Deep down there is a hint of a dark fruit and cherry pit. A burnt caramel and leathery taste. A manly tasting and massively roasty RIS.

M- Thick. A bit high on the bitterness and carbonation. Alcohol is well hidden and taste but is there in feel.

O- This is a fantastic RIS. One of the best non barrel aged stouts I have had. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 01:06:43 | More by TwelveOunces

hawkmage

California

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-11-2013 22:43:16 | More by hawkmage

jvillefan

California

4.36/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: A pitch black body with a deep brown/mocha colored head. The head was very large and took a while to poor because it was so large.

S: Very subtle aromas present, they are not strong by any stretch of the imagination. There is very subtle chocolate, coffee, and very darkly roasted grains.

T: Amazingly rich flavors. There is roasted malt in the front of this beer. There is a rich chocolate and coffee flavors accompanying as well.

M: Very heavy and silky body with perfect carbonation.

O: Great RIS. One of the better ones out there. Well worth getting.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 06:11:41 | More by jvillefan

IrishColonial

Virginia

3/5  rDev -29.6%

05-03-2013 04:31:14 | More by IrishColonial

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.79/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Rutager for the bottle!

Jet black in colour, faint ring of tan head, no lace, even a hard swirl produces any head, lokks fairly still and inky. Smell is full of dark chocolate, big deep roast, anise/liquorice notes with a bit of dark fruit, ends with char and chocolate. Taste of dark chocolate and soy sauce, deeply roasted near burnt malt, mildly astringent, liqorice with darker fruit. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Not bad but the burnt and astringent flavours become a little much after 8oz, solid effort otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 20:31:40 | More by peensteen

MarvinSnyder

West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-25-2013 21:46:18 | More by MarvinSnyder

heygeebee

Australia

2.18/5  rDev -48.8%
look: 1 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

From Platinum Cellars. Bottled 6/11. Batch 376.

Pours jet black and oily out of the bottle, and... Flat. Oh dear. Not good. No lacing no film.

Aromas are muted, licorice, roasts.

Taste is the same, but really missing a whole lot. Moderate roasts moderate chocolate.

Mouthfeel is, well,you can guess, understated. Medium to heavyweight, oily, cloying.

Really, I don't want to pan this but a flat aged RIS is a worry, and does no one any favours. And expensive...

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 11:49:40 | More by heygeebee

Benny3000

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-16-2013 00:01:34 | More by Benny3000

bvermilion

California

3/5  rDev -29.6%

04-15-2013 05:21:55 | More by bvermilion

PatGreer

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

04-14-2013 21:51:26 | More by PatGreer

chippo33

Vermont

4/5  rDev -6.1%

04-13-2013 19:09:33 | More by chippo33

MCain04

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-01-2013 23:36:39 | More by MCain04

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

04-01-2013 13:18:55 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

03-31-2013 04:31:49 | More by Zachtheporter

bostonryan

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -6.1%

03-31-2013 01:23:43 | More by bostonryan

BAsbill

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

03-30-2013 04:14:25 | More by BAsbill

Sparky44

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

03-25-2013 00:10:31 | More by Sparky44

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4.31/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a 16 oz snifter. Pours a viscous black, with a two inch mocha head, that leaves nice lace behind. Smell is licorice, dark fruit, tobacco, smoke, roasted coffee beans, and dark chocolate. Taste is all of that, as aggressive as the nose, loads of tobacco, extremely complex, vanilla, molasses seep in, and some warming alcohol in the finish. Body is chewy but smooth, perfect amount of life for the style, dry, and a sipper that goes down a touch fast because of the different flavors you pick up from every sip. One of the most complex stouts I have ever had, but that doesn't mean I love every flavor I get.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 16:03:23 | More by SawDog505

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

03-22-2013 10:45:48 | More by Resuin

Drag0nz

California

4/5  rDev -6.1%

03-19-2013 19:00:09 | More by Drag0nz

claytong

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -12%

03-19-2013 05:38:46 | More by claytong

Mantooth

North Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle purchased in a snow storm by my beautiful wife in Lousiville, at the Louisville Beer Store.

Pours jet black with a thick mocha head. The lacing is luxurious, viscous and oily. The taste changes dramatically as it warms, as is true with any grand brew. It's almost smokey to a fault when cold but warm, tobacco in a glass. Lots of earth and some dark cordial cherry without the overt sweetness. The mouthfeel is slick up front with a very bitter finish. One hell of a great beer that I'd enjoy pairing with something sweet and tart in the future, a cobler perhaps? Gr8 brew. Thanks Chez!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 22:29:45 | More by Mantooth

Devinph

California

5/5  rDev +17.4%

03-12-2013 19:06:56 | More by Devinph