Shenanigans - Odell Brewing Company

kojevergas

California

2.7/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. 9.1% ABV confirmed. I see no mention of the "American Wild Ale" style on the label. There is "Oak Aged Crimson Ale", whatever that means.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Cork yields a satisfying pop upon opening, but thankfully no liquid surges out.

A: Pours a six finger head of nice rolling cream, good thickness, and pretty impressive retention - though I am concerned about the carbonation. Colour is a nontransparent caramel-copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Stale bretts and dead yeast. A hint of lees. Clean malts and subtle caramelization are a highlight. A nice light touch of oak rounds it out nicely. Some dried fruit comes through (per the label). Hints of berries and citrus. A mild strength aroma, but quite light in terms of character.

T: Light yet surprisingly tart fruit hits me first, alongside the off-bretts. I don't know that I've ever tasted bretts so horribly imbalanced. They're too biscuity and work against the light character of the rest of the flavour profile. The clean malt foundation lends it some body, but doesn't overdo it. I do get dried fruit, but it works against the balance (which is horrid overall). Raisin. This is quite a mess of a beer, but it has some good characteristics. I like the experimentation, but it's lackluster.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with entirely too much body for what they were going for. A touch too thick. Overcarbonated.

Dr: Drinkable. Hides its ABV decently. I wouldn't get it again. It's just a failed experiment in the style. An interesting attempt from Odell, but there's just nothing unique or special here. Maybe aging would do it some good, but I doubt it.

C-

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 07:20:36 | More by kojevergas

JEdmund

Kansas

3.03/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

*After removing the cork cage, the cork blew itself out of the bottle just a minute or so later. Freaked us out!*

Gorgeous ruby red color with impressive head formation.

The brett funk is front and center on aroma.

First sip reveals crazy carbonation; the liquid practically explodes into foam once it hits my tongue. Hearty brett flavor dominates flavor spectrum. Oak aging is faintly detectable in the finish, but it’s a nice touch, not at all heavy handed. Finishes super dry, crisp, and a bit tart. Not much flavor beyond the brett.

Overall I think the wild yeast went a little too wild. I think they’ve eaten up too much residual sugars, making for too much carbonation, not enough body, and definitely not enough other flavors to play off the funk. Certainly not as well done as Odell’s Saboteur.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 15:18:28 | More by JEdmund

womencantsail

California

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Brownish red in color with a tall khaki head. A mild tartness but lots of different straw, grass, and funky aromas. A bit of citrus peel along with lots of oak and apple. Some bready malt as well. The flavor is sort of mediocre. A bit of plastic in there, too. Subtle tartness and barnyard funkiness as well as the straw, grass, and musty oak.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 20:50:13 | More by womencantsail

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer looks great. Mahogany, clean/clear body. On off-white, almost chiffon cake yellow head. Billowed up to about 3 fingers. Rocky and chunked up. Pretty good lacing.

Golden Delicious apples on first whiff. Some crushed tart cherries and wood upon further nosing. A bit funky and sweet caramel.

A burst of sour cherries and apple skins up front. Slight touch of metallic. Woody a bit, too. Caramel is decidedly diminished. Some esters.

Somewhat thin on the feel. With the head being as big I expected more carbonation or zing. This beer leaves quick, but not necessarily dry or sweet. Beginnings of sour, but stops at tart.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 23:54:58 | More by Mebuzzard

denver10

Colorado

3.34/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Tried this a few times now, 2x via the bottle (once fresh, once with a year on it) and 1x on tap (fresh). This one is MUCH better on tap.

Pours dark red with a brownish hue and a big dirty white head. Aroma offers lot of wood from the barrel, fruity (raspberry and some citrus) that was more distinct fresh, and slight tartness from the brett that was more prevalent with the age. Flavor followed suit. A medium body. Overall, great beer on tap, disapointing via the bottle both time. My ratings are combined average from all three tries.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2012 04:16:47 | More by denver10

beergoot

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A nice ruddy red with an excellent thick, white head and fine lacing on the glass.

A tart and sweet smell. Somewhat earthy. Grassy.

Over-ripe cherries; tart and sweet. Bitterness shaded with a noticeable alcohol warmth.

Rather light in the mouth. Smooth yet somewhat watery.

This one will probably go over well enough for wild beer / farm ale lovers. Not my style per se, yet drinkable enough. I wouldn't hesitate to down another bottle. Still, geared more towards the adventurous beer lover than a 'stodgy' ale and lager traditionalist. Worth a stab...

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 22:37:48 | More by beergoot

birchstick

Missouri

3.53/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a reddish color without much of a head on it. Nose is Fruity and funky with a touch of sourness. Taste starts off with a touch of grain but is overtaken by some softer dry fruit flavors - pears and some apples. A bit of brett funk comes in and is somewhat ushered away by some sour notes. Ends a little dry with some fruity oak notes. Mouth is medium with some soft carbonation. Overall, this is a decent American wild ale. Nice complexity and palatable. Recommended if you can find it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2012 00:34:24 | More by birchstick

spoony

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 750 ml into a wine glass.

A-Huge (unmanageable) head for the first glass out of the bomber (which seems to be a recurring issue with Odell bombers...). After that, it settled a bit and produced a decent sized tan head that faded slowly. The brew was murky and copper/orange hued.

S-The smell was tart, oaky, and lightly vinous. I did not pick up any one fruit or flavor over the other, but there was a lightly fruity scent too...cherries maybe?

T-The taste mirrored the smell, i.e., sort of nondescript light fruits, lightly tart, with a bit of oaky vanilla, some caramel, and nuttiness. Mild flavors here for 9.1% ABV.

M-Lots of carbonation on the palate. The brew was medium bodied.

O-I don't know how Odell can call this beer Shenanigans because I found it kind of boring. The flavors aren't bad, but there was nothing going here that made me think of silly or high-sprited behavior or mischief. Anyway, this might be a good gateway to sour beers for those new to the style or those looking for something to pair with a cheese before dinner.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:01:23 | More by spoony

Phelps

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip.

Deep crimson, fairly clear upon the first pour; cloudy like paint on the second. In both instances, a good inch of creamy head the color and consistency of cappuccino foam deposits tendrils of pocked lace on the sides of the glass.

Smells green. There’s tons of vinous oak with a touch of vanilla, then there’s caramel, a little toast, and some vinegar.

Burnt sugar leads here, its sweetness offset by quite a bit of earthy hops. Toast appears again, as do caramel, vanilla and a heaping handful of super-green oak. Toasty and sugary in the finish. Perhaps a little too bitter and astringently oaky.

Slightly watery medium-light body; high, pinching carbonation. Breaks into a good amount of fizz as it moves. Some alcohol heat comes through the nose at the swallow.

The bottle hinted that this brew is the result of an attempt to save another failed one, and I’d say the operation was a mild success. Shenanigans is tasty enough — a passable sour brown, worth a taste but perhaps, at this price, not a second pass.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 04:39:39 | More by Phelps

Beaver13

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle. Pours a deep crimson red with a huge rocky off-white head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is a bit subdued - wood and vanilla with some sweet tart fruits. Some brett comes out as it warms.

The flavor is sweet caramel malts and some bretty tart fruits and floral notes. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, I like it. Similar to Hiveranno but not as good.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 06:50:41 | More by Beaver13

bsp77

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Crimson Ale is a good term, although it has more orange than I would expect with that label. Seriously massive light tan head that is very foamy, thick and clingy. Just gorgeous.

Smell: Caramel, cherry, apple, some other fruits. Light vinegar.

Taste: Immendiately get hit with tart apple and vinegar, but then it turns more sweet, with caramel, oak, cherry and general fruitiness. The finish is once again tart, but with an unfortunate phenolic character of plastic and band-aids (not the good Belgiany phenolic).

Feel: Moderate carbonation, medium body, lightly drying and tart finish, as expected.

Overall: Damn plastic aftertaste! This could have been great, instead it is good. Tastes like this would have been an Oak Aged Double Irish Red before it was infected.

Seems like Odell is hit or miss with Wilds. Saboteur, Friek and especially DeConstruction are hits, while this, Avant Peche and (from what I heard) Hiveranno are near misses. Still, nice to see Odell continuing to experiment.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 21:21:12 | More by bsp77

TVolt1

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Really good nut brown color with a great amount of off-white head. The head stays for the entire drink and has great lacing.

S: It is a very light smell with nothing competely smelling strongly. Smells a little of white grapes and red apples along with a sugary malty smell.

T: I do taste the apple peel taste along with a sour lemony taste. There is a bit of bitter taste at the end that I don't love but all in all, it's pretty good.

M: Good, crisp, light mouthfeel.

O: OVerall, it is a decent beer - not my favorite sour but it is good.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 22:22:53 | More by TVolt1

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.7/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a clear to hazy ruby red with a 3 finger head of foam.

It smells fruity with some malt sweetness and a light note of Brett.

A light Brett flavour hits me first followed by fruity tartness, some earthy malt, and some oak. The aftertaste lingers on with tart and funky notes. This is an unusual brew and it took me a while to "get it". Still, sometimes I do get it and sometimes I don't. This is a very nail down as to how I really feel about it.

A very nice mouthfeel this beer has due to medium body and lively carbonation.

It wasn't on the shelves here for long so I reckon we didn't get loads. I believe that more than that there was a run on it...

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 22:35:06 | More by Bitterbill

KajII

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

[Suggested Glassware: Tulip Glass]

The pour was a murky medium brown with a slight ruby hue and an average (1-2 finger) light brown frothy head that reduced to a thin cap which lasted throughout and produced excellent thick sheets of lacing.

The aroma was of a toasted grain malt and a funky Brett yeast with hints of caramel, green apple, overripe dark fruit (plums and grapes), citrus peel and bit of spice and a mild woody cask presence.

The taste was very malty and lightly sweet-tart with notes of caramel and dark fruit from the onset, progressing into a slightly bitter flavor with spicy sour presence and a woody alcohol ending. The flavor lasted an average time after the swallow with a sour citrus peel bitterness left to linger for just a tad longer.

Mouthfeel was just under medium in body and dry in texture with a ticklish carbonation.

Overall this was a very unique tasting brew: a bit sour, a tad sweet, a touch fruity and a nice bitter woody finish. All this working together to basically create this very tasty and memorable brew...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 02:42:10 | More by KajII

bigaltemple

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Rocky, four finger, off-white head sits atop this ruby colored brew. Really beautiful hues of red show throughout this one. Light, wispy patches of lacing stick to the glass after every sip.

S - Definitely get a feel of the barrel in this one. Lots of oak mixes with yeast funk and some farmhouse notes. Some fruity sweetness and vanilla are also present.

T/M - A lot of oak in the taste as well. Dry, yeasty funk blends with a bit of caramel and dark fruits. Medium bodied with loads of carbonation.

O - While I preferred this on tap, I still find it to be tasty and interesting enough from the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 19:44:25 | More by bigaltemple

Humulus85

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a corked and caged 750ml bottle into my Darkness snifter. No bottled date.

Pours a murky brown/red, with a super dense, three-finger, cream colored head. Excellent retention, with tons of lacing. Very nice looking beer.

That is an interesting nose. Super complex. I'm getting some dark fruits, apple peel, bready malt, and some vinegar/brett funk in the finish. All of it seems a bit chaotic, but not in a bad way.

Wow, that is all over the place. Dark fruits, sweet malt upfront give way to a moderate brett funk/sourness that lingers maybe a bit too long. As it warms, more wood and cherries in the middle, less dark fruit, still semi-sweet, and the brett is really starting to come through with a whiff of alcohol in the finish. Again, a bit chaotic, but it all somehow works in a weird way.

Oddly creamy for how tart it is. Medium in body that coats the mouth well, nice carbonation. Moderately dry in the finish.

Overall this is a strange and interesting brew. There is balance in its chaos. Not for the timid, and it's far from drinkable (this bottle should be shared). I'm glad I have another in the cellar, it will be interesting to see what a couple years does to this one. Worth a try if your looking for something to push your bounds. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 04:30:59 | More by Humulus85

vobr0002

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- reddish brown with long lasting head and great lacing.

S- very light smell, fruits, apples skin, grapes, oak.

T- similar to smell but on the back end there is a lot of oak slight amount of tart.

M. Medium body nice carbonation.

Of its a good beer but I think it would be better with a touch more sour and less oak.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 22:33:15 | More by vobr0002

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.

Pours a nice hazy and dark copper and slightly ruby red color. Some amber notes are present. There is a nice dense ecru head that has some chunkier bubbles on the top. Very nice retention and some sticky lacing forms as it recedes.

Aroma is a bit mild. There are some dark fruits and some caramel malt notes mixed in with some oaky must and slight funk notes. There are some yeast like esters in the nose as well with some mild phenols coming through. Not as attractive as I expected.

Flavor is a bit better. Very juicy brew with nice caramel sweetness and crystal malt sweetness. Notes of pear juice and apple as well as some slight sweet pineapple. There is definitely some tartness that sticks its head up really quickly and mellows out for the ride. Nice oaky notes are perceived. Through which some nice barnyard and woody funk can be tasted. Interesting brew for sure. Nice and fruity with some good funk and slight tartness. Mouthfeel is dry and funky with a slight heat that can be perceived as it warms.

Pretty interesting brew. Not my favorite AWA but a good brew nonetheless. Interesting mix of fruit juice with the the woody notes.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 01:17:48 | More by JoEBoBpr

Ambrose

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is mahogany with a slight cloudiness. Heavy head did lace nicely.

Excellent malty barley aroma, slightly sweet.

Taste starts with a fullness but quickly turns tart in a kind of odd way creating a unique delivery of flavor. Again, the sweetness is there just enough to remind me of a tart apple. The finish is somewhat tin like, which was only mildly disappointing.

On the mouth: full, perfectly crisp.

O - Excellent taste as usual from Odell, but I was surprised at the abrupt tart finish on this otherwise fine brew. Me thinks the 9% ABV is deceptive, it creeps up faster than expected.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 23:57:45 | More by Ambrose

yamar68

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice ruby/mahogany, thin lines of beading below a thick dollop of off white head. Average lacing.

Smells tasty. Fresh caramel, some rye bits, dark sweet fruits, juicy grapefruit, a touch of spicy funk. Nice smelling beer.

Wow... WAY more of a punch than I was anticipating. The brett has taken control of this beer. Dry funky punch followed by tart fruits, a bit of citrus, dark malts. Surprising but tasty nonetheless.

Certainly an interesting concept of a beer. I'd say give it a shot if you're on the fence.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 02:19:28 | More by yamar68

riored4v

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured in to a tulip. 2 finger, tan, rocky head. Light lacing. Slightly haze mahogany colored body.

Aroma had a good noticeable Brett aroma. Some funk, musty and farmhouse notes. Notes of cherry and some light vanilla/oak. A bit floral and light citrus hop notes on the end. Mild sweetness.

Flavor had some moderate Brett flavors up front. Nice cherry and farmhouse flavors. Some notes of oak turn to a medium level of sweetness than fades to a citrusy, lightly bitter, hop finish. No real lingering hop bitterness. Mildly sweet. Cherry tartness flavors hang around for a little bit.

Medium body that seems to get a bit chewy before finishing dry. Mild signs of ABV. Medium carbonation.

Some of the cherry/Brett and hop flavors clash lightly, but overall its a unique and tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 00:33:45 | More by riored4v

russpowell

Oklahoma

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

Opens with a super serious Pop! Pours an effervescent auburn with 4 fingers of tan head. Superior lacing & head retention

S: Woody & tart scents

T: Tartness, sour strawberry tanins & some green apple up front. Balsamic vinegar notes mix with apricot as this warms, along with some grassy & berry flavors & just a bit of caramel sweetness. Finishes tart with grassy & woody bitterness balancing out some Winesap apple sweetness, along just a little vanilla & caramel

MF: Medium bodied slightly syruppy, carbonation is very low indeed, some stickyness as well, carbonation picks up as this warms

A pretty good wild ale, may note be intense enough for sour fanatics, but works well for me, would go great with all sorts of food (fish, cheese & fruit come to mind off the top of my head)

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 03:40:10 | More by russpowell

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Thanks to jmgrub for sharing this one at Wowcoolman’s tasting.

Pours a hazy dark orange with a foamy tan head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy patches of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, fruit, and some slight funk aromas. Taste is much the same with a slight tartness and a funky aftertaste. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 01:03:22 | More by UCLABrewN84

claspada

New Jersey

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

The beer pours a hazy amber color with a some white head that slowly fades to spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with, no surprise wood barrel with nice caramel maltiness. As it warms you get the nice nuances of the barrel, mainly oak and a little spice.

The tastes begin with maltiness; caramel and breadiness. The oak comes in next with more increasing fruity flavors. As it warms you get more very pleasant mellow flavors of vanilla, some toffee, honey and a little hint of dark fruitiness.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. The barrel aging helps to dry out the full caramel and bready malt body and temper the ABV sweetness.

Overall this is a very good oak aged red ale, not the best or as good as the previous release Woodcut No 3 but still quite solid.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 15:07:50 | More by claspada

JackieTH

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Bryant Lake Bowl, Minneapolis. Poured into a 10-oz goblet.

A neat pour yielded a 3/4 inch thick, creamy off-white head over a hazy crimson liquid. Head is persistent, rocky and leaves great lace

Immediatly smells sweet, green apples, caramel malt and citrus hop. Taste is sweeter, and again, here are apples, more tartness than I recalled from the bottle. Juicy dark fruits, raisins, slightly orange and chocolate. Finish seems slightly sweeter than I remember from the bottle I split a few days ago. It's smooth and creamy with very nice level of carbonation. It's got a tart/sweet thing going. I enjoyed it, but the ABV can creep up on you.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2012 15:45:10 | More by JackieTH