Red - Odell Brewing Company

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

zimmerbloke

Wisconsin

2.8/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Got this as an extra from krayziejman. Thanks, man! 12oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe glass. Drink by date of 4/26/11.

A: Mostly translucent ruby red body topped by a one-finger off white head. Head fades quickly leaving a little bit of lacing and a solid ring.

S: Very bright hop aroma. Pretty sure this bottle is nice and fresh. Malt doesn't have much to say in the aroma, but it's generally appealing. Only moderately bitter.

T: Surprisingly, there's not much of the hop presence from the nose apparent here. There's definitely an aftertaste on here that doesn't seem quite right to me... unpleasant. Makes a claim to be aggressively hopped, but I feel like it lacks a proper blending of the hop flavors and the result is less than spectacular. Malt bill is unoffensive but also unspectacular.

M: Slightly watery and very highly carbonated, but relatively refreshing. About average for the style.

D: Enh. I could drink this to drink, but I'm not a huge fan overall. The flavor isn't great, which is my main complaint.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 02:51:34 | More by zimmerbloke

gatornation

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

from 12 0z bottle best by 04 /11

A-pours a nice crimson color with a creamy khaki 1 finger head with
a nice lacing and collar

S- is pine and hops ,grass citrus and malts

T- is a hop forward ale with a great hop presence.loads of citrus and pine hop tastes then it is nicely balanced with sweet caramel malts very nice balance of hops/malts

M-- nicely carbonated full of hop/malt flavor,,creamy and smooth very little bitterness and very fresh

D- so drinkable with a hop and malt explosion that is very nicely balanced ,,really liked this one and will be going back for a sixer or two more

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 01:33:34 | More by gatornation

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #37 (Feb 2010):

Chestnut red color with a gleaming clarity in the light, the head drops a thick curtain of lace on the glass. Grapefruit hop aroma and a dried grassy, honey-like maltiness rest under the hops. A whole lot of hops here, bitterness is cranked up and the flavor sticks to the palate with citric rind, mint, pine sap and a tropical fruitiness. Malty even with the flexed hoppiness; grassy, toasty and a little sweet. Finish with the last push of hops that does not fade quickly at all.

A bit of a wake-up-style spring seasonal. Odell keeping it true with an old-school hoppy Red Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 19:50:16 | More by BeerAdvocate

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I can't for the life of me figure out what the expiration date is, but it is sometime in 2010.
The beer pours with a frothy, two-finger thick, nicely tan colored head. The beer is a deep, concentrated red color that shows a brilliantly clear, red-copper color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of ample crystal malt and American hops; specific notes of ruby-red grapefruit, lychee, bright tangelo, some pine notes and even a hint of hemp are contributed by the hops while aromas of biscuits, lightly toasted whole grain, some sweet tea like notes and some dusty grain husk notes are from the malt / crystal malt.

Sweet tasting up front, but this plays up more of the citrus / fruity hop aspects than making this cloyingly like heavy crystal malt (which is definitely a good thing in my book). Flavors of tangelo zest, some lychee, and essential grapefruit oil jump out immediately in the flavor. The middle sees a herbaceous, sort of pine like, with a touch of menthol and hemp oil being noticed; these flavors linger and morph into the finish that has a soft bitterness that is amply tempered by the chewy, palate clinging malt character. The malt lingers in the long finish quite well with notes of biscuit like malt character and pale-toasted whole grain character. While this has a certain palate fullness to it the beer isn't overly heavy, in fact it is quite drinkable, but definitely has enough viscosity to cling to the palate quite a bit.

Despite being so dark and crystal malt influenced, this beer ends up with a very well done balance between malt and hop. There are ample hop flavors here to keep me happy and, while I was expecting it to, the crystal malt notes never get out of hand. This is quite well done and I would happily drink another couple of these.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 16:12:54 | More by Gueuzedude

OlRasputin989

Arkansas

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pint...

A: That goat looks pretty satanic. Pours with a 1 finger crown of frothy tan head above a beautifully transparent mahogany base. leaves alot of spotty lacing

S: smells sweet with aromas of belgian candy sugar, beet jam (like the stuff served at Thanksgiving dinner), bread pudding, pine needle, and caramelized oranges. Also has a spicy, baked apple aroma

T: earthy flavors of pine and caramelized grapefruit upfront with a somewhat suddued caramel maltiness when compared with the nose. finishes with a dry, minerally bread dough finish, also slightly soapy, with bitter and spicy hops lasting long into the finish

M: Medium-full body, low carbonation makes this one very slick and slippery, finishing just off dry

Overall, A fairly well put together american amber ale. The 6.5 abv is very well covered and doesn't hinder the drinkability whatsoever. It doesn't stray far for the style, however, It could use more aromatic hops in the nose and more carbonation. Still, worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 00:56:44 | More by OlRasputin989

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

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to sleepnbballrlife for sharing this.

12oz pry-top brown glass bottle. Label stamped 7/8/10.

Appearance: Cherry wood red. Some very thin tan head.

Nose: Smells like dried shag outdoor Mexican weed. Grapefruit and dried hardwood boards.

Palate: A little watery and much maltier than I was expecting. Some dried grain flavors and a little bittersweet chocolate and lots of woody notes. Tastes like licking hardwood boards. Some hop notes flare up on the second sip.

Notes: One of the better Red Ales I've had. Definitely American with the sticky weed hops, but true to style with the roasty malts too.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2010 06:17:05 | More by SFLpunk

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a clear reddish-brown color with a tan head. The aroma is resiny and piney hops with some caramel malt. The flavor is piney malts with some caramel and bready malts. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice hoppy red ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2010 05:05:34 | More by Mora2000

blackie

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: deep aged copper in color, topped with a nice off white head

s: immediately struck with a nosefull of fresh, pulpy citrus hops - grapefruit, tangerine - resting on a malty dark caramel body evoking torched sugars and dark cookies, some pineapple lurking

m: carbonation medium, body about the same

t: the taste follows the nose - juicy citrus hops set this red/amber apart from the crowd, most notably sweet grapefruit and tangerine, nice grainy caramel body, dark bread, appropriately bitter, seamlessly balanced

d: easy - a satisfactory six-pack pickup

sourced from the Liquor Depot, Rock Springs, WY

dated 05/21/10

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 06:00:46 | More by blackie

brewdoc75

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Finishing off my last one before Odell Brewing Company shows up to Minneapolis on Monday.

Poured into a tulip pint

A: Amber-orange. Medium carbonation. Silky white head sits on top, but dies down to a lace. Looks lovely as the light shines through it.

S: Floral hops at first, with a hint of citrus. Hop aroma is a bit muted however. I get a ton of malts however. Nice caramel tones with a hint of toffee and breadiness. Some deeper, richer aromas like prunes as well.

T: Beautiful flavors in this one. It trends on the maltier end for a red ale, however. The malts are quite flavorful with deep caramel flavors, a touch of toffee and some really nice prune/plum flavors in the end (almost dubbel-esqe). Some hints of chocolate and toastiness as well. The hops are mostly in the end with some citrus notes. Mostly grapefruit, but really not a ton of hop flavor. The bitterness is smooth and right on.

M: Light-medium bodied. Smooth, but finishes crisp. Medium carbonation.

D: A very nice amber ale. Definitely on the maltier end, but that is what I like about it. Lots of complex, malty flavors. Quite enjoyable and even more drinkable. I will buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2010 00:47:03 | More by brewdoc75

brentk56

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear russet color with a three finger head with plenty of stickage

Smell: Citrus forward aroma, with plenty of pith; toffee subtleties underneath

Taste: Toffee malt, up front, that is quickly joined by a citrusy, but slightly grassy hop flavor; after the swallow, the toffee is resurgent, but there are plenty of bitter hop elements underneath

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A very nice surprise for an amber; well-balanced, with layers of flavor

Thanks, tturaiders, for the opportunity and, SalukiAlum, for the re-visit

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2010 19:07:45 | More by brentk56

arizcards

Arizona

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

Picked up a sixer from Total Wine back in mid January for $8.99.

Beer poured a deep copper color with a nice off white head that is leaving lacing behind. Nose is very good, strong malt presence combining with a very pleasant citrus aroma. Taste is pretty balanced; caramel hops form a nice backbone, hop finish is citrusy and piney. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and very smooth for the style. Overall drinkability is very good. This is a very good beer that is well balanced and easy to drink for fans used to an IPA level of hops in their beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2010 02:17:07 | More by arizcards

GDBEERMAN

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Served into a tulip glass. Odell always does a nice job with their seasonal beers, the Extra Special Red was one of my favorite reds, but now the "Red" has turned into a nice spring classic.

A= Good looking beer, copper-red, with off-white head, short retention.

S= The smell is not quite as intense as I would prefer, but it makes for a nice search that reveals smokiness and carmel.

T= The is a great red. the spicy, hop and bold, malt balance is warmly welcome.

M= Short, not that of some of my favorite barley wines, but a nice after taste and smooth mouthfeel.

D= The drinkablity is not that of a beer that you play drinking games with (thank god) but it is superb in that you go back for more quickly.

Overall= This beer is a great spring classic, not a light spring beer, but not that of many spring barley wines, a blend of what we all love of winter and must say good bye, with a touch of summer, showing its temptation for a nice beer to be enjoyed in the warm sun.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 06:18:00 | More by GDBEERMAN

steck34

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased 6pk from Odell Brewing Co. in Ft. Collins, CO

We split the beer & poured into a Chimay glass about 1 finger of head and a Tulip glass almost 2 fingers. Head color was of burnt marshmallow

Aroma: Citrus hops, slight sweetness

Color: Mahogany, glows light ruby in the light

Clarity: pretty clear, no sedimentation, looks gorgeous

Carbonation: very light carbonation

Mouthfeel: Medium body, bubbly when moved around

Taste: Very hoppy for a red, well balanced leaning toward the hop, slightly sweet malt character, lingering hop drying effect.

Overall it tastes like a hoppy pale with a well balanced malt character. I think this is a drrrn good beer. Very drinkable, reasonably complex.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 23:51:33 | More by steck34

RiverCityBrews

Kansas

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: Bottle 120z. dark

Appearance: A dark-brown red with a deep golden hue. Thick two finger head with semi quick fading retention.

Smell: Roasty malts surrounded by full and strong hops. Faint notes of peanut and bread.

Taste: Round hops profile. Very favorful hops with a cean finish and quick fading after taste.

Mouthfeel: Actually quite bubbly and a little thin. Could use a little more viscosity.

Drinkable: Very drinkable. 6 packs are perfect.

Note: The mouthfeel may have been affected by bad handling in shipping or by the store, but I have had at least 12-15 of thee beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 00:34:07 | More by RiverCityBrews

Flashsp2

New Mexico

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Odell Red Ale 12oz bottle into slender tulip

Body is transparent red with gold and caramel highlights. Produces a two inch head from a moderate-slow pour, with a mix of tiny and course sandy colored bubbles with nice sticky lace throughout and good retention.

Big caramel malty sweetness as it's poured into the glass, and grapefruit rind and tropical fruit is present on the nose after the pour. The aroma is very intense, and quite inviting.

Taste starts off with a big sweet caramel chewyness, and draws into a tangerine/citrus hop bite that is much less intense than the nose would lead one to believe. The hops are a perfume-like and floral one the palette. There is a little bit of chocolate/nutty flavor as it warms a bit.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and carbonation is a little low. It's a little on the refreshing side of things, especially since the ABV is 6.5%, I was expecting it to be a bit heavier than this. Not bad though, just not quite what I was expecting.

This is pretty tasty, and I could throw back a few, especially since it is quite well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 22:20:22 | More by Flashsp2

brownbeer

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours red with great clarity and a light brown head.

Hops jump out of the glass from the get-go in the aroma. Red delicious apple skins, piney and grassy hops, with a soft malt background that takes a while to define itself.

Bready malts eventually work their way out past the piney west coast hops in the flavor. The mouthfeel could be bulked up a bit, but it's light nature makes for a really drinkable hoppy beer.

Worth a try! One of the nicer spring seasonals for the midwest.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2010 00:38:26 | More by brownbeer

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

HeroJH

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A real nice hoppy red! If you like those, go try some out. 6.5% abv. I have to say that I'd expect some other flavors from a red aside from just hops. But, I do like hoppy reds. Just seems to need something else, or less hops to let other things come through.

A - Nice foamy head. Rich red color, clear. Some lacing and lasting ring and surface foam.

S - Full hop aroma, really nice. Smells like I might be about to have an IPA. Orange Peel. Just the slightest hint of something deeper maybe? But the hops are prominent.

T - Full hop flavor profile. Really nice. I would like a little more grain or toasty flavor maybe. Aside from the color, this could be an IPA. I'm not getting really anything else here. There might be some other flavors there, but the hops are covering it up. Though that's probably intentional, I'd just assume get an IPA. This is great though if you want some hops. I'd just like one more flavor in there.

M - Nice low amount of carbonation. Clean.

D - It's good.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 23:13:49 | More by HeroJH

SamN

Colorado

2.65/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A- Bubbly, rocky just-off-tan head which leaves some beautiful lacing around my pint glass. The color is a slightly hazy reddish-brown orange. Slight visible carbonation, a very nice looking brew.

S- Caramelized hops, bitter hops, lightly toasted hops-- a lot of hops in the nose, obviously. Just behind them is a sweet malty backbone-- seamless blending of the two characteristics, it's hard to tell where exactly one ends and the other begins, and that is exceptional craftsmanship in my opinion. Just a tad too much hops for me.

T- Again, a hops forward beer. Despite the inviting and complex smell, the taste is surprisingly one-dimensional; flat hops. Metallic aftertaste, where's the counter balancing malt? Just barely any sweetness. Really, there is no depth here. Wtf, Odells? No much strength of flavor either; tastes watered down. Lacking, this beer needs to be brought up to par.

M- Like water; thin, no tensile strength noticeable. Decent coating, however, and no lingering aftertaste unpleasantness.

D- Eh. This doesn't taste that good. How can I drink a beer that doesn't taste good? I didn't buy it to look at or smell. It doesn't taste bad, it's just not good. Low drinkability in that case.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2010 21:43:53 | More by SamN

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this cool lookin red thanks to Doodler.

A: A semi thick frothy head rises over a very clear dark reddish brown "deck-stain" like color. As the head slowly fades it leaves a nice lacing.

N: Pretty interesting nose, with some spicy fresh hops right away. Like fresh wet hops. Then some dark malts, little crystal malt. Not much else as the fresh hops really just overpower it all. I'm now wondering if I should have let this sit a bit first as the fresh hops may be too much for a red ale.

T: Taste is much easier on the hops. It starts with a slightly sweet malts. Mostly caramel/crystal, then some toasty malts. Slightly sweet brown sugar molasses like flavors, followed with some toffee. All that is followed by some lighter hop flavors. A slight bitterness with some grassy and spicy hop flavors, and a little earthy musty fresh wet hop. Slight chewy malt and hop combination hidden in there as well. A very slight bright fruit flavor as well.

M: Medium body with good carbonation.

F: Finish dries off a bit more, and comes with a slight bitter spicy hop flavor that hits more on the end. It adds more of that caramel and toasted roast, and slight porter flavors late. A lingering earthy bitterness from the hops really continue late.

Overall a really nice red ale. I'm usually not a big fan of red ales, but this really redefines what I thought of them. It has some nice malty caramel sweetness, and combined with a great hop character, despite being a little too much on the nose.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2010 02:54:16 | More by jlindros

tr4nc3d

Kansas

2.78/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12fl oz bottle poured into my tulip

Pours a vibrant ruby like color with a three inch off-white head. Great head retention with a nice layer sticking on top and the edges of the beer. Nice layers of lacing cling to the sides of my glass.

Nice aroma of citrus hops. With some grapefruit, apricots, and some passion fruit. Bread like malts.

Very little citrus flavor in the taste unlike I got in the aroma. Some bread and cracker like malts is about the only thing I can taste. This bottle must be pretty old I guess.

Mouthfeel is borderline on thin and lacking flavor(in flavor I mean hops)with high carbonation. Aftertaste is not that pleasant either.

Overall I' am disappointed with this beer, hopefully I get to try this beer when it is more fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 23:10:56 | More by tr4nc3d

Rayek

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a goblet.

A: Garnet hued amber with nice clarity and active carbonation from tiny bubbles. Tight cream head starts strong before settling to a thin film. Leaves patches of lace.

S: Slightly vinous, with hints of red grapes. A toffee sweetness is also at work. Lemon, grapefruit, plus a little oak round things out.

T: This a very balanced beer. Toffee and dark fruits start things out. Bitterness comes on in the form of citrus and pepper. Finishes dry and woodsy with a mild lingering grapefruit and lemon flavor.

M: Medium body is somewhat dry. Carbonation level is right on.

D: This is a really nice beer. It reminds me a bit of the Extra Special Red that Odell did in '09, only toned down in the alcohol department. That's a good thing, as I enjoyed that beer and am fond of this one as well.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2010 15:55:23 | More by Rayek

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a solid red ale, with a pronounced citrus hops characteristic.
Pours a semi-bright amber/caramel color with a just off-white head. Looks pretty darn good.
Hops up front in the nose. Citrus and slight metallic, a faint malty biscuit.
A hop forward flavor. Citrus with some of that metallic coming through. touch of alcohol. Some softness towards the end. As it warms this softness introduces a nice maltiness and bread. A good balance towards the end.
Easy drinking. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2010 09:01:34 | More by Mebuzzard