Friek - Odell Brewing Company

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 bottle was poured into a Guiness pint glass. At someone else's place and improvising with what she has in her cabinet.

Appearance: The beer poured a three finger head that was fizzling and crackling. Reduced to a thin layer with five seconds. a redddish orange color with good clarity and lots of carbonation coming up through the middle of the glass.

Smell: yeasty, sour, funky, cherries, raspberries, oak, vanilla, and some rubber tire aroma from the yeast too.

Taste: Very tart from the yeast and cherries. Raspberries and rubber tires are very subtle too. Acidity is high and enjoyable. Tartness and cherries stick around for a little bit too.

Mouthfeel: light bodied, high carbonation, very bubbly, a little chewy too. After you get used to the high carbonation, it is easy to drink.

Overall: This was a nice spin on the style. I liked the mixture of aged beers and the carbonation and funkiness produced from the yeast. Another beer that gets me used to sours and wild ales. Like them a lot and not sure I can fit a bottle of this in my suitcase to take back to Boston. Enjoying what I can't bring back while I am here in Denver.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 18:41:54 | More by Flounder57

sweemzander

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL corked and caged bottle into a tulip. 2010 vintage. Huge thanks to Beerwolf for sharing the wealth!

(A)- Pours a deep blood red hue with some white froth produced.

(S)- A nice fruity tartness with an oaky funk. Nice fruits in there with a dry finish.

(T)- Similar to the smell. A great combo of oaky funk, tart & sour fruits and acidic finish.

(M)- A nice carbonation level and an even nicer balance to it. Great fruits and a great oak/barrel sour characters.

(D)- A great wild ale that works well and balanced well too. Overall, just an excellent take on the style. Very surprised by the other reviews on this one; bottle variation?

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 19:53:11 | More by sweemzander

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.

A - Pours a light pink with some nice reddish hues. There i some slight copper notes on the edges as well. There is no head to speak off.

S - Sightly acidic notes start off with some nice tartness in there as well. There is a mild funk and some slight yeast notes. There is also some slight and delicious cherry sweetness and tartness and some nice raspberry sweetness.

T & M - Taste starts off with some nice slightly acidic tartness. Some mild lemon notes are present. There is also some nice cherry tartness that comes up around the middle of the beer and gets balanced out by some cherry and raspberry sweetness. The feel and taste are quite light an approachable. There is some nice woody notes on the back end along with a slight funk. this finish is dry with a nice slightly tart/sweet aftertaste.

O - Pretty good wild ale. Not too intense. Very approachable and a good balance of sweet and tart with some nice funk. Refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 23:20:18 | More by JoEBoBpr

oline73

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this during the bottle share at Jackie O's during the beer release this past weekend. Poured into a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy reddish amber with a gold hue. There isn't a whole lot of head, just an off white ring.

Smell: Sour cherry with a malt sweetness in the background. There is a vanilla note that is divine.

Taste: Tart cherry with a very acidic sourness. There is some malt to balance things out a bit. The finish is quite sour.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: The smell of this beer is just great. I wish the taste lived up to it, but it's still good. I would have another.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 22:46:36 | More by oline73

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a nice ruby red color with a one finger head. The smell is oaky tart and loaded with cherries and raspberries. The flavor is a little funky and tart with definite cherry and raspberry flavors throughout. The mouthfeelmwas anoittke thicker than expected. Overall a good beer just wish it were a little more tart and dryer

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 22:56:10 | More by rowingbrewer

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Notes taken 11/12/2011

Appearance: Ruddy brick red. Head is bubbly, tight, and bright white. Disastrous almost instantly. Leaves a very thin ring on the edges. Pretty still. Minimal carbonation.

Smell: Lots of oak barrel. Tart like citric acid. Very tart. Nice hint of sour cherry and brighter raspberry. Fruit is buried under it all. Very nice depth. Some slight funk in the back, but the sour tart is the biggest component.

Taste: Crazy oak. Huge hit of tart cherries coupled with a solid helping of fresh raspberry. So much fruit and so much sour. Very tart, almost straight citric bite. Oak mellows it all, adding a nice depth to each sip. As it warms some sweet raspberry plays through helping to cut back on a bit of the tartness. Delightful levels of sour and fruit.

Mouthfeel: Moderate. Very smooth. Carbonation is on the low side, but works well with the dry nature from the oak. Astringent and full.

Overall: Carefully treads the line between fruit beer and American wild. Loads of sour and enough fruit to keep it all interesting. Oak really shines through. Nice depth and complexity in the long run.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 02:24:48 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Domingo

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pinkish color with a lot of effervescence. In fact, so much so that it looks almost exactly like rose champagne. The carbonation is bubbly, but doesn't really form much of a head. Eventually it settles a little, but it never really looks like a typical beer. Is that bad? Not really.
Mildly sour citrus on the nose, but the the berries do come out a little. Much like the look, it smells more like a champagne or even a soda than a beer.
However the taste brings everything back into beer territory. Acidity and punchy sourness hit on the front of the palate, with very tart cherries creeping in with some sips. Other sips have hints of jam, too. It seems to alternate a little, which can be great with savory foods. However, like many wild ales, the yeast brings sourness and spice...but also a bit of harsh (somewhat bitter) finish. Sometimes time seems to solve that problem, so I guess I'll sit on this if I end up getting another. Still, not bad.
The sum of the parts aren't all that high for me, but at the same time, I was pleased overall.
Good, not great...and an appreciated take on an "American Lambic" that isn't sweet or too juicy.
Still, the nose is too much like a soda and the finish is sometimes rough. Tiny flaws hurt this more than they should.
I'm still curious about aging this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 20:20:17 | More by Domingo

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bought locally for ~$17.00.

It pours a hazy pinkish red with a 1 finger head of foam and a bit of lacing.

The nose is of sour fruits...I can smell both the cherries and the raspberries with an underlying note of oak.

The taste is sour cherries and raspberries, mild oak, finishes very dry and very satisfying. This is a well made American Wild Ale that I don't mind paying the bucks for. It will fill the loss of caged and corked La Folies for me.

Light bodied, effervescent carbonation, the mouthfeel is good and it's very drinkable. Thanks, Odell!

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 17:31:04 | More by Bitterbill

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Got a 3 finger white head on vigorous pour. Bubbles were quite large and quickly dissipated to a trace amount. Body is a wonderful strong reddish amber. No lacing what-so-ever.

S - Sweet and tart raspberries and cherries. Very sour smelling which makes the back of your mouth pucker up even before taking a sip.

T - Not as tart as I was getting from the nose, but plenty there. Good balance between the sweet and sour with the acidic sour being stronger. Mostly raspberries.

M - Strong carbonation but lighter body. Refreshing beverage.

O - Redemption! Finally a good beer tonight. After two drain pours I needed something quite tasty. This was recommended and didn't disappoint. I have had this a few times before but first time reviewing it. This is a beer that should be consumed fresh (The above review was of a new 2011 bottle)

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 23:45:49 | More by RuckusDu

wrycon

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Looks very beautiful. Deep ruby with a slight brownness. Has a great nose, tart at first then deeper cherry scent. Taste is somewhat muted. You expect a tartness of which there's some, but the bottom falls put quickly leaving you with a flat, raspberry finish. I believe this is last year's release, which is why the flavors may have blended / diminished some. It's good, but there's room for improvement. I'd like to try a fresh one to compare.

Like it? Sure, It's Fine

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 01:50:31 | More by wrycon

ptykozoon

California

3.3/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Cool hazy pink strawberry color, lacing on the rim of the glass.

Cherry, yeast, vanilla, sweetness, light citrus, strawberry?

Orange, sour cherry, lemon peel, earth in the background. Nothing too prominent in this.

Lots of carbonation, a tad watery.

Not bad, needs polishing though. My first Odell.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 00:33:43 | More by ptykozoon

vobr0002

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- a semi clear red. No head at all on the pour.

S- funky fruity smell. Cherries, raspberries, wine.

TM- faint sour taste, with definite flavors of the cherries and raspberries. Very dry, like a wine. It is very tart with a lot of carbonation.

O- this is a really good beer. Its unique and has a nice combination of flavors that keep your tongue happy. Would definitely want this again

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 02:53:43 | More by vobr0002

TVolt1

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: LIttle bit of a hazy peach color. Unique color for a beer, have not seen one this color before. I like the look of it. No head.

S: Smells more like a wine. Smells of nectarines and cherries right away then with an alocholy smell that lingers/burns in your nose for a bit. Much like a wine.

T: Love the taste. Has a white grape type taste in the beginning mixed with a cherry flavor. Very sweet with a great amount of "sour"

M: Good mouthfeel, medium mouthfeel with medium carbonation.

O: Overall I am a huge fan of this beer. I would recommend it to anyone and would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 02:41:54 | More by TVolt1

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Shared with UrbanCaver, eyeenjoybeer, and forgetfu last night at Upland. I think this was a bottle Caleb gave us.

Pours a clear red with very minimal white head. A few pours contained none at all. Dissipated almost immediately.

Subtle raspberry aromas with some barnyard funk are present. A little bit of oak as well. All aromas are a bit more subdued than most sours.

Taste is pretty good. Again more subtly than in your face boldness. A sweet and sour raspberry flavor is present throughout with a light spice and oak kick near the end.

Feared there was no carbonation at all from the pour, but it was present albeit lower than normal. Mouthfeel is pretty decent.

Overall a good, but not great beer. Good flavors, but nothing extremely great and the carbonation issue knock it down a peg, but would still try again.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 12:18:34 | More by jmarsh123

chugalug06

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Extremely unique WHITE crystally soapy head. Head dissipates amazingly quick. Brew is clear red with amber and orange hues. No lacing whatsoever.

S - Scent is so light it's almost strawberry. What scent is there is quite tart and light raspberry. Also, there's a tiny bit of heat. Cherry's provide quite a bit of barn funk.

T - WOW! Almost a sour! Great Light fruit flavor, not overwhelming fruit flavor at all. Perfect Raspberry brew. Some good funk in this one. No heat.

M - PERFECT!

O - An awesome brew to share with some great friends! Glad I got to try this one, highly recommended. This is not a brew for the extreme fruit lover, it's light and relaxed, not aggressive. Great work Odell Brewing!

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 03:11:15 | More by chugalug06

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light reddish hue, good white head, don't see that too often with lambics (speaking of which, this is an excellent version to bring up when people say you can't make a lambic outside of Belgium).

Nice mix of virgin wood, cherry and sour in the nose. Taste stays away from the sweetened type of lambic, this seems to be just straight blended cherry and wood with substantial, but not overpowering tart and pucker factor. Low carbonation, but not a flaw, allows for more cherry in the mouthfeel and greater appreciation for the tartness.

Body stays light throughout, big points for not relying on added sugar (or at least it not tasting that way). The fruit really comes out in this one. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 16:58:52 | More by Beerandraiderfan

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

As I commit this rating to the internets, I must admit shock or bewilderment at the mere B+ this delectable brew currently holds; this beer is fantastic! Big thanks to G311 for the share. The brew pours a rustic ruby hue and is capped with a filmy pink head; good looking stuff. The aroma is excellent; rasperry leads the way in the aromatic department with cherry hiding behind oak and vanilla notes, and also revealing itself through the fruity tartness, which hides the acidity well. The flavor is just as good as the nose, but is apportioned quite differently. In this case sour cherry is readily evident, paired with a musty oak funk - the raspberry shows up on the finish with a sort of clean sweetness. The feel is petillant, and just under medium-bodied. Overall, this is an extremely enjoyable beer, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 17:54:49 | More by ktrillionaire

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up recently for $16 despite passing on it earlier in the year. It's dark purple-red-burgundy and had a head for a moment then it disappeared. It is carbonated fine though so maybe my glass was dirty. Smells very woody like barrels and a hint of cherries and Brett. Taste is cherries, tart raspberry, very strong wood barrel flavor, not bad at all. This really doesn't taste like lambic to me but as an American Wild Ale it works. Only problem is the price tag, the quality if this beer does not justify $16 and I would never buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 16:54:15 | More by ArrogantB

boralyl

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A - The beer pours 1 inch of pinkish white head that settles fairly quickly. The beer is clear and red with purple hues.

S - The aroma has a big raspberry smell along with some medium tartness. There are hints of cherry, but not quite as strong as the raspberry.

M - Light in body with active carbonation.

T - Similar to the nose the raspberry is more apparent in the taste then the cherry. Begins with a bold raspberry flavor that is followed up by light tartness. Some cherries come through mid taste and then a longer lasting more prominent tartness hits along with some funkiness.

A very nice lambic fruit style attempt by Odell. The mixture of two fruits adds a little extra character. It's not quite as funky as it's Belgian brethren, but still quite good.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 00:24:38 | More by boralyl

brentk56

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy mauve color with a modest cap (as to be expected from the style) that leaves a smattering of dots behind (though they slide back into the liquid quite readily

Smell: The raspberry dominates, though there is clearly some cherry underneath; quite tart, but the funk is rather modest; overall, the fruit smells natural and fresh

Taste: The tart cherry and raspberry flavors intermingle from the outset, though the fresh raspberry character is dominant, by mid-palate and through the finish; in the middle, there is some yeasty complexity and in the finish, the oak shows through nicely

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with low to moderate carbonation; some puckering character, as well

Overall: While I understand the criticism of some BAs on this one, I truly like what Odell has produced; the fruit flavors taste natural and fresh and, while the funk is understated, the drinkability is clearly enhanced

Thanks, crajun (from the other site), for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 18:50:28 | More by brentk56

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.48/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to mikesgroove for this one. Poured from a 25oz. corked and caged bottle into a Cantillon tulip. Reviewed from notes.

1 finger coarse white head with low retention. Beer is a dark, cloudy reddish-purple. No lacing. Not the most attractive but par for the style.

Nose is woody with notes of sweet cheesiness, cherries, mellow raspberry puree, and some yeasty spiciness. Clean anbd moderately aromatic but not really funky.

Opens tart cherry, raspberry puree, very fruity and sweet upfront. Yeasty spiciness makes its entrance towards the middle with some tart cherry emerging to complement the raspberry presence. Finish is yeasty and tart with little to no aftertaste. Not great in comparison to the traditional style but very solid nonetheless.

Light bodied with low carbonation. Smooth with some bubbles going down. Slightly accented finish with no aftertaste. Nice.

A nice american interpretation of the fruit lambic style. Very solid though lacking a noticeable cheesy funk. Still, pretty good and I'm glad I got the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 03:26:22 | More by SpeedwayJim

CuttDeez

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle at SAVOR

A - A bright red bubbly body with a medium sized white bubbly head.

S - A cherry funk acidity all ovver the nose. The back end is more of the same but you can certianly pick up oaked notes.

T & M & D - The taste mimics the smell almost exactly. The tart notes are not overwhelming and the oak notes allow the brew to finish clean and easy instead of dry and acidic. The body is light to medium and they was good carbination in the beer making it drinkable and great on the mouth.

O - Very good beer and one of my first experiences with Odell - Based upon this experience I will look for more.

-Cheers

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2011 20:41:19 | More by CuttDeez

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.55/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A vigorous pour into my Lost Abbey Teku glass produces a scant, one-finger thick, pale pink tinged, off-white colored head that disappears fairly quickly. The beer is a dark cherry color that shows a bright, lightly hazed, pale red / amber hue when held up to the light. The aroma has a spicy tartness to it that speaks to either cherry acid character or acetic acid or both, it is not overly aggressive. There is a chewy, cherry skin complexity and fruitiness here in the aroma as well as maybe a touch of tart raspberry character; the tart raspberry notes become a bit more noticeable as the beer warms up. Other sharper notes of oak contribute a touch of spiciness and just a general soft woodiness. There is a touch of medicinal / phenolic aromatic character.

Sharply tart, though not exceedingly so (I am not puckering up), there is a just a hint of sweetness here and both of these accentuate a tart cherry flavor and a chewy raspberry pulp fruitiness. There is just a hint of carbonation to this beer that adds just enough texture so that it is not flat. There is an acidity to this beer that combines with the carbonic acid to give this beer a fair amount of bite. The finish has a slight woodiness to it that is a touch astringent and just a hint spicy, as well as just a bit like a woody plank. This is actually quite light bodied; it is definitely very drinkable. The tartness here, while not very aggressive, provides a nice balancing note to the fruit; much of it comes from the fruit itself, but there also seems to be a fair amount of lactic acidity to this beer. As the beer significantly warms a sense of the malt starts to become apparent; there is some biscuit like malt character and a touch of toasted whole grain flavors that are noticed, especially in the long finish of this beer.

This is not the most complex beer in the world; calling this a Lambic could certainly lead one to be a bit disappointed, though I certainly wasn’t expecting this to be anything like a Lambic, so I am not nearly so disappointed as I would be. I definitely feel like I should be able to say more about this beer than I am able; it is certainly a bit more simplistic than it should be. The beer actually has a bit more carbonation than the feeble head would suggest. In some ways this can taste a bit like watered down cherry / raspberry juice, though it is not quite all that bad.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 14:12:48 | More by Gueuzedude

FrankenBeerStein

Colorado

3.23/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Took forever to get the cork out, but when I did, it poured out with a good red color, but no head to speak of. One definitely notices the fruit aroma coming from it, and they are also evident in the taste, which is nice and tart. Finishes with a little bit of a puckering in the aftertaste. Would I drink it again....? If someone else was buying, sure. Otherwise, it's a bit too expensive ($17/750 ml) for what I am getting for it.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 05:14:47 | More by FrankenBeerStein

Bierlerner

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a nice murky ruby red color with a 1 finger of off-white head. Not much lacing to speak of.

S- Funky. Little bit of sourness and oak. Definite cherries in the mix. Possibly a bit of raspberries too. Neither aroma is dominating. Very balanced. As it warms, the aromas start meddling a little more towards the cherry side.

T- Fantastic. Sour, sweet, cherry, tart, etc. A lot going in. Some nice oak and vanilla. A bit of funk. Again, nothing dominating, just really nicely balanced. More funk in the nose than in the taste though. I wish it had just a bit more funk. But the cherries are awesome. Always there and as it warms, they stand out even more and bring more sweetness along with it as well.

M- Smooth. Medium body with low carb. Great creamy mouthfeel. Nice tart, and a bit acidic, finish as well.

O- I need more of this for sure. Quite excellent. Well done, Odell!

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 15:59:29 | More by Bierlerner