Mountain Standard Double Black IPA - Odell Brewing Company

Haybeerman

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Black; no light comes through. Poured a 3 finger rocky tan head with good retention; had to wait to get a good smell. Thick webs of lacing.

S: Big flavoring hops; grapefruit and pine. No detectable malt character until the beer warmed a little then some toasted malt aromas came through; wood, chocolate.

T: Bitter chocolate and wood. Resiny citrus and pine hops in the middle. Finish is bitter, dry and warming.

M: Medium body. Moderate carbonation. Resiny coating. Warming alcohol.

D: Good hop and malt character; suggest warming to mid 40's. ABV a bit daunting.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 04:00:17 | More by Haybeerman

emerge077

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cork goes phwup, gunsmoke, then a super charged billowing head of foam in the glass that never quits. Dark tan meringue foam, super sticky and long lasting. It coats the glass in sheets, and never breaks across the surface.

Aroma is pungent citrus rind layered over a moderately roasty malt character. Very integrated and seamless. A bit of woody tobacco surfaces after the hoppy citrus takes its course.

Flavor is well integrated too, the fresh hoppiness takes centerstage, dried orange rind citrus and pine. Medium bodied, feels like a porter, with the hop content of a balanced IPA. Some malt complexity lends notes of tobacco leaf and dry roast coffee. Supple feel, despite the initial foaminess, the carbonation was fine. Substantial and a nice sipper. Good stuff...

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 02:17:38 | More by emerge077

bsp77

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Very dark brownish-black with massive light brown head and nice lacing.

Smell: Pine, grapefruit, coffee, dark chocolate and a floral rose-like aroma.

Taste: Great juxtaposition of pine & grapefruit accented hops and coffee & bittersweet chocolate roasted malts. Ends somewhat bitter, spicy and floral; just generally very well balanced.

Feel: Smooth medium to full body with moderate carbonation. Very dry finish.

Drinkability: Delicious - great melding of Porter and IPA, imperialized. Would love to have this again - I split the 750 and was jealous of the other 375.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 01:53:24 | More by bsp77

emmasdad

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared by a kind soul at a Christmas party last night, and enjoyed by me very much. Poured a deep black color, with a good light brown head. Aromas of grapefruit, floral hops and roasted malt. Medium bodied, the roasted malt and citrusy hops work very well together here. A very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 00:00:58 | More by emmasdad

gonzo138

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured jet black with large frothy tan head that retained very well.

S - Very clean grapefruit like hop aroma, similar to the hop profile in Odell's standard IPA.

T - Taste balances between the charred malt and the citric bitterness. Taste a bit of extra dark chocolate along with a small alcoholic bite on the finish.

M- Sticky and medium bodied, pleasant amount of carbonation.

D- A good offering, if it were less expensive ($15 is a little steep) I would gladly pick up another.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 04:55:01 | More by gonzo138

zeff80

Missouri

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a dark, dark brown color with a three-finger, tan head of bubbly foam. The long lasting head receded to leave patchy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of roasty malts with citrus/tropical fruits like orange and grapefruit.

T - Great burnt toast malt flavor with a bitter piney hop bite. Mild taste of citrus fruits.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth with a dry finish. A medium-bodied ale with a subtle alcohol warmth.

D - This is really good. One of the best black IPAs that I've had so far.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 20:08:22 | More by zeff80

Bitterbill

Wyoming

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

Purchased at 2nd St Liquors in Casper, $14.99

A nice big pop when I removed the cork, it certainly looks a pitch black and has an amazing head(growing) of off white foam with tons of lacing. Beautiful!

The smell is a huge hop bomb with all your fav goodies..grapefruit, pine, and the very least hint of some malt.

The taste is equal to the smell. A butt load of pine and grapefruit permeate my every taste bud and yet, I find there's a fine malt sweetness sandwich in between the layer upon layer of hop bitterness. There's some of it in the finish as well. As hoppy as it is, it's *not* the "eat the enamel off your teeth" hoppy and I'm down with that.

The body is really close to full, heck, I'll call it full bodied and it has the carbonation level on the low side of medium; a *very* smooth velvety mouth feel.

Drinkability? For the abv, I'm finding it very easy to drink. One bottle at a sitting. A very nice brew by Odell! I'll buy more.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 18:03:51 | More by Bitterbill

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.28/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Was thrilled to see this at MacaDoodles in Joplin, MO!

Bottle opens with a gentle pop with an effervescent mahogany color & 2 fingers of mocha colored head. Good head retention & nice sheet of lacing crawling down my Boulevard Tank #7 Goblet

S: Pineyness & orange rind, they both fade once warm

T: Pineyness, grapefruit & some brown bread up front, along with a touch of rye spicyness & roasty malt up front. Dryness, more roasty malt try to hold the line against herbal hops, pine sap, & grapefruit, plus a faint bit of black currant underneath the hop assault s this warms. Finishes with a kiss of booze burn, some dark chocolate, herbal & grapefruitty hops & along with much pine, damn near pulled a 5.0

MF: Medium bodied, fairly assertive carbonation. Great balance, just bit warmer than I like

Drinks pretty easy for the ABV, this is one for the hopheads!

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2010 05:04:13 | More by russpowell

mulder1010

Australia

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From notes: 750 ML bottle poured into a globe glass

A-- Poured a near cola color. Moderate pour got a three finger light brown head. Took it's time to recede but when it did it left all sorts of streaky lacing. Great head retention.

S-- Chocolate, grapefruit and lemon.

T-- Chocolate and lots of chocolate.

M-- Starts as chocolate in the mouth and changes to grapefruit and lemon. Chocolate becomes secondary. Slick grassy lemon finish with medium body and feel.

D-- Not a hop bomb at all, quite different. Really liked how it started as chocolate and then went to IPA flavors. Thought the nose could be better though, or bigger. Got a bit sour in the end but very enjoyable and excellent hidden ABV.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 11:43:40 | More by mulder1010

pmccallum86

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a super dark brown color with a bubbly light brown head.

Smell is of huge floral and citrus hops with a dark roasted malt aroma as well.

Taste is amazing, best CDA I have come across yet. Huge hops hit first followed by roasted malts and dark bitter chocolate. The hop profile here is like a Two Hearted Ale on steroids.

Mouthfeel is super smooth and creamy with medium carbonation.

Very drinkable, insanely drinkable is maybe more an appropriate description actually. Terrific beer

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 02:20:47 | More by pmccallum86

alli4051

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a nonic.

As soon as I saw this I wondered what "double black" implied and I found my answer as soon as I started to pour this one. Pours impressively black for the style, looks more like an RIS, with some dark garnet tones around the edges when held up to the light. Pour produces a HUGE, foamy, tan head that recedes slowly and leaves a wall of lacing down the side of the glass. Nose is surprising considering how it looks as there's a potent citrusy, resiny, hop aroma front and center with some roasty maltiness in the background. Taste is equally surprising. Definitely as there are plenty of pine and citrus hop flavors with a hint of mint as well. The roasted malts hang out in the background to provide some pleasant balance to a very hop-centric brew. Mouthfeel again proves that looks can be deceiving. Clean crisp finish and nicely carbonated. I actually expected this to be a bit overcarbonated given the crazy head on this one. Incredibally easy drinking for 9.5%. Really my only complaint with this is it is a bit on the pricey side. However, I decided to treat myself with this one and I am glad I did as it went perfectly with a Thanksgiving feast.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2010 18:22:40 | More by alli4051

BradLikesBrew

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Justin!

Pours a very dark brown that's just a shade short of black. The huge off white head is making me think this bottle was a touch over carbonated. Some smaller particles seem to be floating around the bottom of the glass.

Hops are dominant on the nose. Citrusy, grassy, and floral too. Some light chocolate notes as well.

Roasty chocolate flavors on the entry with citric hops mid palate and bitter coffee on the finish. Bold, but exceptionally balanced, the malt and hops are in perfect harmony. Must see significant dry-hopping/hop-backing as the flavor and aroma seem to suggest much more hop bitterness than is actually present.

Darn good stuff, grab one if you can.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 22:15:52 | More by BradLikesBrew

Tolann

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I haven't reviewed anything in a while, but I'm enjoying this one so much I felt the need. =)

Poured into my Sam Adams glass and unfortunately shared with my husband.... next time we'll get our own bottles!

A - Dark. Super dark. Not much light getting through this one. White head and good, big bubble lacing. Not too sticky, but still clings to the glass.

S - More hops than dark roast. looks are deceiving. Looks like a malt bomb, but hello it's a double IPA!

T - Taste is also hop first. Not as much roast as anticipated. A lot of citrus and some piney hops - typical American hop profile, but not too sharp. Really balanced, but keeping it big.

M - I think this is just right for the style. It's not too light and it's not thick like the darker porter or stout it may look like at first glance. It's an IIPA! and a damn good one at that! Carbonation is another reminder that this is not as 'heavy' as it's appearance may lead you to think.

D - Much too easy for the ABV! I really must buy more of this before it's gone. I really like that this style is coming up in popularity. I'm really enjoying it!

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 03:24:16 | More by Tolann

Beaver13

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle. Wow are Odell corks tight! Pours dark brown/black with a monstrous creamy light brown head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is roasted malts, some black licorice, and resiny piney tarry hops.

The flavor is roasted malts with a little sweetness and a good amount of fruity, medium bitter, hops in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, a very solid, well balanced, brew. Nothing over the top, but very drinkable. The alcohol is well hidden but the warming sneaks up on you.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 06:50:55 | More by Beaver13

GilGarp

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle with cork and cage. Served cold into my Watou goblet.

Odell's Double Black IPA is actually a really dark brown, Coca-Cola color, with good clarity evident as it's poured. The head is thick and stick with good retention and great lacing left behind as it slowly settles.

Aroma is very hoppy with similar qualities to their regular year-round IPA. There is lots of nice citrus and pine with any sense of roasty malts being far in the background.

Flavor is both bitter and roasty but surprisingly balanced. The citrus still comes through as the dominany flavor but there is the addition of some roasted coffee and dark chocolate. At times it even tastes a little minty which goes nicely with the chocolate. It's a combination that seems like 90% big IPA and 10% stout.

Mouthfeel is lighter in body than expected, maybe because of the dark color. Carbonation is just right.

Overall a very good example of the style. Unfortunately pretty expensive but still worth a try.

Edit: now available in 4 packs and much more reasonably priced.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2010 01:37:20 | More by GilGarp

Domingo

Colorado

4.22/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Mountain Standard is an interesting offspring of the old Extra Special Red that's a bit hoppier and more potent. While listed as a brown ale, I'd say it leans far more in the "double red" or strong ale grouping.
This review is a combination of 2 tastings: one fresh one from back in April, and one allowed to sit until October.
With both instances, this brew is a deep amber. In the case of the fresh bottle - the head is big and billowing with lasting power and a lot of lacing. The dated version is similar, but the head dies quickly and there isn't as much head up-front.
The fresh bottle has big hops intially. Chinook's are especially evident. Caramel malts follow suit and blend back in with the hop notes. Sweet and bitter flavors alternate, but minimal booziness surprisingly. The malt base never lets the hops take over completely. The dated version still has Chinooks first on the palate, but the caramel malts take over and stay on the forefront. The malts and hops intermingle a bit and give things a bit of an orange flavor. It's almost like Gran Marnier. The flavors lean a lot more in a barleyine direction.
In both cases, the beer is highly drinkable and never really boozy, but the dated version is slicker and the carbonation gives out fast.
Fresh - this beer is terrific. One of Odell's finest. After sitting for a few months it really gains very little and the texture and hop character fades.
My rating is for a fresh bottle - and FYI, I wouldn't hang on to this one for too long.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2010 13:59:37 | More by Domingo

Baraka

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(from notes)

Solid bubbly head with a deep brown color. Heavy carbonation, reminded me of a Belgium when poured. Heavy malt presence, including some fig, chocolate, and bready flavors. Alcohol is very apparent, even though it has a fairly low abv. There is a citrus hop flavor, but it seems to me that perhaps the hoppiness has faded somewhat, resulting in malt-driven flavor. Solid Brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 23:57:33 | More by Baraka

GDBEERMAN

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From tasting notes:
A: Good head retention, with a cloudy body appearance.
S: A nice herbal, pine aroma with notes of flowers, good aroma on this one.
T/M: A full bodied taste, with just the right amount of bitterness. Hoppy character. A medium intensity on this mouthfeel and overall taste.
D: A so so brew, nothing too special for the limited format and price.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 13:10:16 | More by GDBEERMAN

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Mountains of thanks go to n8dietz for the pick-up of this other un-obtainable brew in Hangover Park IL.

The color is just like the bottle says, "a deep mahogany ale." Nice tan head after the intial pour, but no retntion. Plus, not much visible carbonation.

Very nice malty aroma. Roasted sweetness that has only hints of chocolate and coffee. The rest is just different shades of bread and grain. But the hops keep the nose in check. Adding some dry potting soil with mulch and cut grass, mixed in small doses. This is when the beer has come close to room temperature.

You can't see the carbonation in this beer but you feel it in each sip from front to back, all the way through and lingers. Roasted rye bread crust. Some blakc cherries and some Cavendish tobacco hops with a sprinkle of Earth. Nice complex flavors with this beer.

Very good sipper and indulger. This beer was awesome squandering to just myself over almost and hour and a half.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 05:00:38 | More by scruffwhor

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. Massive carbonation caused this to pour a 3+ finger head. Great retention. Thick lacing. Mahogany brown color.

S. Smell is a big blast of floral hops. Citrus and piney hops. Some malt smell lies beneath all the hops. Smells like a DIPA.

T. Hops might have faded a bit on this one. The malt plays a more dominant role in the flavor than it does in the aroma. Pick up some caramel and roasted malt. Has a biscuity malt flavor. The hops do manage to balance a majority of the malt sweetness out. Some grapefruit flavors come out.

M. Medium bodied. Dry finish. Massive carbonation.

D. This is definitely drinkable. The nose is of the best hop aromas I have smelled in a while. The flavor was well balanced and good. This is an interesting brown ale, and definitely the best brown I have had so far.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 21:25:34 | More by siradmiralnelson

Wasatch

Utah

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to RedHaze for this brew.

750ml Bottle
Caged/Corked

Poured into a chalice a dark brown color, nice carbonation, HUGE foamy three-finger plus off-white head, with tons of thick sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, some toffee notes, and some caramel. The taste is slightly sweet, malty, with some toffee/caramel notes. Medium body. Drinkable, a pretty tasty ABA, worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 21:32:41 | More by Wasatch

youbrewidrink

Vermont

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was expecting more of a brown ale and was pleasantly suprised.

The color was a rich brown with a small head.

The aroma was of a variety of hops, citrus, pine and floral.

I would prefer this to be a bit less malty, but the balance was dead on. The hop and malt melded nicely making this a very drinkable beer. It was like drinking a big brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2010 13:17:13 | More by youbrewidrink

rowew

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 750 corked and caged. 2009 Reserve, bottle conditioned. Cork is a royal pain in the ass to remove.

Appearance: Pours dark reddish brown with a large tan colored head, good retention and lacing.

Smell: Something smells slightly sour, with a malt sweetness.

Taste: Very balanced, good malt flavors, and just enough hops to keep it from being overly sweet. Despite a relatively high ABV, this is very drinkable.

Overall impression: Highly drinkable - nice beer, but probably a bit over priced. Odell does need to do something about the corks they use, they are consistently a pain.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 00:13:05 | More by rowew

Tone

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy, brown color. 5/4 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of floral hops, sweet malt, slight alcohol, dark citrus, and slight yeast. Fits the style of an American Black Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of hops, sweet malt, citrus, yeast, hint of roasted malt, and slight dough. Overall, good appearance, great aroma, good body, and good blend.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2010 21:16:45 | More by Tone

ghebel

Iowa

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours clear deep red to brown color with a huge off white head initially composed of mostly larger bubbles. It dissipates slowly leaving a lot of lacing on the glass and the top of the head takes on a creamy consistency.

S - Dark malts with lots of citrus and piney hops. Malt character is caramel, dark fruit, slightly roasted.

T - Follows the aroma with moderate bitterness. Great malt and hop balance. Hops flavor is strong for such a malty beer.

M - Carbonation bite, moderate body.

D - Drinkable

Overall - Great balance of malts and hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 20:49:31 | More by ghebel