Red - Odell Brewing Company

jmbranum

Oklahoma

4.72/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I normally expect Red Ales to be malty and way too sweet. This beer is something else

Yes it is malty but it has a wonderful surge of hops. Seems more like an extra malty pale ale than anything.

Hazy dark amber brew with a glow when you hold it up to the light.

Aroma is mostly toasty malt but with some hops in the background. Flavor is balanced and rich. Some copper notes. Floral hops.

Extremely drinkable. I wish I bought more than just one bottle of this, on my last trip to Junction City, KS.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2010 08:49:33 | More by jmbranum

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4.68/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Yum! I've been looking forward to this seasonal, and it lives up to its reputation. Odell just keeps delivering.

A - Nice amber color and thick, foamy head, which persists longer than expected. Good 2-finger lacing. Pretty.

S - All kinds of citrus, no pine. It's like smelling a ripe, red grapefruit -- all fruit and flowers, very clean.

T - Mmmm. I actually made that sound. Twice. This has unexpected balance. It's like a malty red grapefruit.

M - My only criticism of this beer is the parched-tongue feeling I get, like after drinking a tannic wine. Really odd.

D - This goes down readily and willingly. I could drink quite a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 05:50:09 | More by DaveAnderson

JEdmund

Kansas

4.63/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance
Deep garnet brown color; small head, though it does leave some sticky lace

Smell
Big American hops surprise me-very nice. Was expecting a minor hop presence; this is nearly IPA-level hop aroma.

Taste & Body
First sip wows me. Odell knows how to make great beer. Love this American take on a red ale. So hoppy it's almost like a pale ale or even IPA! Malts are there but in a minor role. Hops are citric fruity and piney bitter; they're working really well together. I'm guessing Simcoe hops were used in the recipe. Pretty clean yeast strain as there's not a lot of fruitiness competing with the hops. Body is right around medium; carbonation seems just a tad low.

Overall
An awesome American Red Ale. I'd take this any day over their 5-Barrel or 90 Shilling.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 21:09:06 | More by JEdmund

jacobseyb

Alabama

4.6/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A=Very appropriate appearance, deep dark red/amber color with nice one finger head with an off white color

S=initially yeasty, malty aroma, followed by very heavy hops smell

T=some initial malty notes with the hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste

M=gently carbonated but very nice feel in the mouth, some light oilyness in the end

D=extremely, very enjoyable beer, moderately high alcohol content but still on the border of sessionable for some, definetly for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2009 03:10:24 | More by jacobseyb

gregshead

California

4.6/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Tasted on 3/4/11. Reviewed from notes:

A: Copper red color with a half finger of head

S: sweet caramel w/ some hops in the background

T: Lots of tasty caramel malt sweetness but definitely hopepd a little more than your typical red ale. Can't quite pick out what hops they are.

M: Good carbonation gives this beer a nice thinner feel

O: Even as it warms this 6.5% isn't noticable. The extra hops help to put this beer into the elite category of Red Ales. Wonderful lighter style beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 06:20:40 | More by gregshead

hitter114

Colorado

4.6/5  rDev +13%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into ayinger glass
A: Amber and red with a tan head
S: FLoral and hopppy
T: Very floral almost APA or AIPA status, and an awesome one at that.
M: Standard drinkable mouthfeel with some bones
O: Really good beer pick it up and drink it, more of an IPA than a malty red

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 19:29:31 | More by hitter114

unionturf

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Got on trade from vasdef42 as an extra, thanks!!

This beer has only 25 reviews and it's #10 for this style...says something huh?

Poured and right off the bat noticed my favorite hop smell, fantastic hop nose and good clear color. Taste matched the smell which is similar to their IPA (LOVE IT) and is very well balanced.

MF and drinkibility are great, if I could get this beer it would be in the fridge all the time! Again, this blows Red Rocket, Green Flash Red, Big Hoppy Monster etc away....

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2009 04:50:08 | More by unionturf

Snow81

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Red glow with a nice maltyness

Head: Nice frosty light tan head

Smell: Dark bitter hops with a sweet maltyness

Taste: Rich malt with a heavy dark citrus and grapefruit

Weight: Medium body with medium to high carbonation

Finish: Bit of grainy with a dark citric on the back and a little sticky on the lips

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 05:30:54 | More by Snow81

denver10

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Pours a dark ruby with a thumbs width beige head. Nice lacing. Wow... what a wonderful wonderful aroma. Sweet and hoppy and incredibly balanced between the two. Nectarine, grapefruit, a little pine. I could just sit and sniff this all night I think. Flavor is just as good. The grapefruit and pine seem to hit you in the forefront but its balanced extremely well by the malt backbone which provides some delicious sweetness, with a touch of some berry in there. A nice silky mouthfeel with an appropriate level of activity from the carbonation. Medium bodied. Overall, my favorite red ale. Love the marriage between malt and hops in this one. Odell with a grand slam.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 01:17:30 | More by denver10

sevopie

Colorado

4.53/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance - Maple-ruby in color with a tan head.

Smell - Sugary citrus hops, slightly smoke.

Taste - Very nutty flavor with a subtle kick of hops. The malt still tastes a bit sour, but it detracts very little from the overall.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with a somewhat high level of carbonation.

Drinkability - They did it again. I hate ambers/reds... but Odell's has now made a second one that I like a lot. The nutty character is what seals it, but this beer is mostly balanced, with a slight edge towards the hops. I am loving it, and I will be buying this again. And again.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2009 05:06:32 | More by sevopie

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap @ Taste of Tops in Tempe, AZ.

A: Deep red with shades of brown. Good sticky lace. A sexy-looking beer.

S: Floral, fruity malt with a hoppy backbone.

T: The balance of hops and malt is fantastic. Hoppy, fruity and delicious. Great with the spicy Thai food I had.

M: Smooth as a beer can be. Very easy to drink.

O: So balanced. Drink this!

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2012 10:02:41 | More by Gatch

brew3crew

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

thought to myself that I wanted to drink a red ale tonight, so I reached in the fridge and grabbed this.

Best by 6/15/11, drank 7/25/2011

A-Good red color with great head retention

S-very hoppy. Just what i was hoping for. More on the lines of piney but some nice citrus there as well. Little bit leading to the malty side but I cannot complain as i heeded the bottle dates

T-Alot like it smells. Nice malt backbone with a little hint of hops on the way down

M-medium body and very smooth

O- one of my favorite reds. My glass was gone in no time

This just goes to show you the forgiveness i will give a beer if it is bottle dated. the hops started to fade but it is MY Fault that I drank past expiration, therefore I rated it on what its original qualities would have been

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 01:19:43 | More by brew3crew

dougfur

New York

4.49/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a perfect red/amber color, with a nice head and just a bit of cloudiness (as I like it). Smell is delicious hops, but not overpowering. The taste is the same. They nailed the maltiness a red ale should have and then kicked the hops up a bit too. Hop profile is more like an American IPA. It's really tasty! Mouthfeel is great, perhaps a bit overcarbonated, but not much. This is one of the best American amber/red ale's I've had and another really impressive brew from Odell! I wish I could get their stuff regularly!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 22:10:01 | More by dougfur

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

Poured from 12oz bottle to Pint Glass. Bottled stamped 4/26/11.

A - Beers poured a perfectly clear cherry wood color. Monstrous head with intense 2.5 head with excellent retention and huge lacing.

S - Monstor blend of rich malt tones and hops. The bottle names American hops. I detected earthy and citrus hops on the aroma. Also prevelant is a nice blend of rich roasted malts.

T - Flavor starts with an extremely pleasant mix of earthy tones of hops with a hint of citrus. I really enjoyed the blend of malt characteristics of roast, toast, and definately biscuit.

M - Medium bodied that coats the palete with a rich creamy flavor.

D - Extremely.

I like how Odell's has transitioned from the Extra Special Red to the current offering. I don't know if it's true that they adjust the recipe from year to year but I really enjoy the hops character with a nice complex malt blend with this year's Red. I a cannot name a better Red Ale. Very nice. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 01-20-2011 03:59:58

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 22:32:10 | More by hopfacebrew

beergoot

Colorado

4.46/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

The beer comes out a rich red color with a thick, creamy light tan head; plenty of stickiness and lacing on the glass. Strong pine and spruce hop aromas emanate from the beer with a good biscuit and caramel malt presence in the background. The taste is rich and malty (caramel predominantly) with a prominent hop bitterness blending nicely with everything. The feel is almost medium in body with a fairly clean, smooth finsih.

Odell's makes some fine hoppy beers, and their Red is no exception. Rich and flavorful with good balance and complexity makes this a beer to look forward to year after year.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 02:59:29 | More by beergoot

ghebel

Iowa

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours clear amber/red with orange hue. Head is creamy and adequate, off-white orange, leaves great lacing on the way down to a thin ring.

S - Piney and citrusy hops. Smells like an IPA with sweet malt notes.

T - Sweet malt base, good amount of bitterness, followed by a bouquet of hop flavors.

M - Moderate body with lingering bitterness. Warms the throat after a while.

D - Very drinkable and fully enjoyable.

Overall - This is a scarey beer, because it tastes so good and drinks so smooth. The ABV will sneak up on you. I like this beer almost as much as the Odell IPA (flip a coin). I would take either one.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 00:15:17 | More by ghebel

udubdawg

Kansas

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

dark orange/copper color, surprisingly fleeting head and little lace to speak of.
aroma is heavily caramelized/toffee that is not quite hidden by the heavily citric tones of ample american hops. Great smelling beer.
Great tasting beer too. I briefly wonder if it might be too sweet, not quite cloying, without the ample hop kick, but quickly set this aside as I thank the brewers for the way it turned out. Paler malts show through more in the flavor than just the dark caramel, giving a nice depth to the flavor. Bitterness is just sharp enough and lingers just long enough into the aftertaste, again showcasing the various citrus fruits with perhaps a bit of pine.
A little bit sticky, otherwise the medium body is great and the carb, on the low side of medium allows for quickly draining the glass and demanding another.
Extremely drinkable, and I find myself having it with almost any meal. Time for another!

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2010 03:47:34 | More by udubdawg

bsp77

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Rich reddish-amber with thin off-white head and light lacing.

Smell: Tart grapefruit, mango and citrus are at the forefront. Smells like an IPA except the malts are more complex with caramel, biscuit and rye-like qualities.

Taste: Mostly dried out caramel malt backbone which is overridden by loads of citrusy American hops with strong grapefruit and orange. The finish is spicy, bitter and pine-like. Somewhat reminiscent of rye as well.

Feel: Moderately low carbonation, smooth and creamy body, dry finish. Could use either a tinge more carbonation or body - one or the other - but that is a very minor gripe.

Drinkability: Fantastic Non-Imperial Red Ale; actually the best I have had for the style. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 02:58:07 | More by bsp77

Moose90

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Best By: 4/27/13
This is fresh, first batch of the year

A – Pours a strong 2" head, settles down to A light amber pillow that stays throughout, leaving good lace.

S – Hops, citrus, lemon, grapefruit, this beer also adds in clover, honey and cinnamon, great winter time notes; however they are greatly subdued.

T – Nice hop character, great balance with the malt however. The clover honey comes through again, there is a nice sweet malt balance here, but it is not overdone.

M – Just about perfect, smooth, velvet, this is exceptional, if anything it has a short finish.

O – Wonderful beer, too bad it is only a seasonal offering, but it just makes this beer that much better. Perfect balance, brings subdued local winter spice to a nice and hoppy beer. A+ Odell.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 03:51:01 | More by Moose90

jsh420

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

thanks to cosmohophead for this extra

pours a clear amber with a 2 finger head that leaves lacing all over the glass

smells of huge floral and pine hops

taste is even better then the smell - this beer reminds me a whole lot of 3f alpha king - big floral and pine hops up front then a smooth carmel malt finish

mouthfeel is where this one disappointed me i felt the carbonation was a little low making the body seem a little heavy

drinkability is great but its too bad odell does not distribute in IL.

forget fire tire hype this is the best amber from CO. and probably the best in the states.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 01:33:59 | More by jsh420

yemenmocha

Arizona

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a sexy amber with off-white head that is thick at first then recedes to a thin layer that remains for the pint. Nose has a very nice fruity component, perhaps passion fruit or at least a very mixed batch of fruit aromas. A generous toffee sweetness is welcomed onto the palate at first, with plenty of "juicy fruit" hoppiness in the balance. There's a slight candied quality to this ale too. Finish is toffee sweet with lingering citrus. Very drinkable and quite delicious.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 04:23:01 | More by yemenmocha

alexipa

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful deep red color with a great thick tan head, which dissipates quickly leaving a thick lacing. Smells like an IPA, citrus hops with a small amount of malts breaking through. I'm a little worried as the bottle promises a Red Ale, not an IPA. After tasting, I'm quite torn on this one; it tastes excellent but is a bit more an IPA. Bright citrus and piney hops up front followed by the malty bready kick I was looking for. Expertly carbonated and smooth.

What can I say? It's fantastic if not completely true to style.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 04:54:28 | More by alexipa

Beaver13

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle. Pours a deep reddish amber with a creamy off-white head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is sweet fruity, piney, resiny hops with a little pepper and some nutty malts.

The flavor is sweet caramel malts and fruit with a nice piney lightly resinous hop finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full with smooth carbonation.

Overall, a very nice drinking well balanced beer. It has some great hop flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2009 03:36:51 | More by Beaver13

ForWhatAlesYou

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A:Deep auburn brown with red and rich orange tones. Pours a thick, heavy, bready head and leaves very nice lace down the entire glass.

S: Citrus & pine hops dominate the aroma. Sweet caramel, baked goods.

T: Upfront floral hops ride the length of this one. Sweet malts complete the finish.

M: Great thickness, foamy head rides the palate.

D: Best beer I've ever had from Odell. Happy drinking!

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 22:23:31 | More by ForWhatAlesYou

IPAs4lyfe

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear dark red amber with a thick 2 finger head, great retention and lacing.

S: Fresh and ripe red apple, pomegranite and asian pear combined with pungent floral and citrus hops, clean.

T: Excellent. Sweet crystal malt with a mellow caramel and red apple flavor which is completely taken over by hop flavors of pine, grass, mint and herbs. Good balance and as a reviewer said below, "While most hoppy reds really blur the line between red and IPA this is a quality balance between the more malty reds and the super hoppy reds." The aftertaste has a bold and agressive hop flavor that lingers for quite some time, you are sure to enjoy if youre a hop head

M: Medium bodied with perfect carbonation, an oily stickiness lingers on the palette after each sip but is not overwhelming.

D: Goes down pretty easily and at 6.5%, I could drink it happily through the night.

I must have received a very fresh batch of this stuff, because it was excellent. Also of note, this year's release is way better than the last few years if that turned you off. And if you aren't normally a huge fan of reds (like myself,) definitely give this one a try.

Another great beer from Odell!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 04:26:13 | More by IPAs4lyfe