Odell Levity Amber Ale - Odell Brewing Company

MoustacheHero

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another delicious offering from Doug and friends.

a: A beautiful warming glow that perfectly represents the style.

s: An average sweet, malty nose.

t: Crisp, sweet amber flavor with a semi-sweet/ semi dry finish. Very Refreshing.

m: Light body that is very crisp with an airy, slightly creamy head.

d: Extremely high drinkability due to its smooth, refreshing character.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 04:09:50 | More by MoustacheHero

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. Best by date: 3/17/11 - printed on the label. Poured into a standard pint glass.

I'm glad Odell chose to provide details of this beer on the label, because the color, aroma, and taste of this beer would lead me to believe it's a different style. But they clearly state that this is a lighter Amber than most others.

Pours a pale light orange. Slight haze to it. A small half-finger white head rests atop. Lots of sticky lace clings to the glass. The nose is really basic. Some grassy notes, grains, and a bit of honeysuckle sweetness on the finish.

Though the look of this beer may be light, the body is actually heavier than anticipated. Lightly oily on the back end. The hops are very mellow in this beer. There's some slight bitterness, but this is more grainy and bready. Mild honey-like sweetness noted. This is just a standard ale right here. It's tasty, quaffable, lightly bitter, lightly sweet. Well done, Odell. I'd love to have this in my fridge more often.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 21:09:37 | More by Onenote81

Bizz88

Colorado

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice golden amber with a fluffy two fingered off-white head with lots of sticky lacing. Aromas of grainy sweet malts and grassy hops on the nose. On the palete sweet grains and booze with a oily finish for this desently carbonated medium bodied ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 21:42:23 | More by Bizz88

Spider889

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Another beer from my friend out in WY, thanks Mooky!

Bottled on date is 12/17/2010, so this is just shy of a month old.

I have to say that I really like the Odell bottles.
1) The labels are tasteful, well crafted, and classic
2) The label paper has a nice texture, similar to DFH labels
3) The bottle has the most unique shape of any 12oz I have seen, plus I like the embossed hop leaves around the neck.

The beer pours beautifully. An unfiltered golden honey color. It glows when held to the light, and really looks like a bowl of fresh honey in my Duvel tulip. I initially get a nice white soapy head nearly two fingers tall. It lasted a few minutes then receded to a cap of large bubbles covering half of the surface area. Excellent lace reminiscent of tree rings. Lovely.

The smell encompasses sweet smokiness and chestnut elements. Hints of citrus orange float in and out of my glass. It is light and airy, but inviting; very appropriate for the style.

This is one of the best ambers I have ever had. The beer begins with a nice hoppy bite. It's not especially distinguishable, but it provides a nice bitterness to the beer. The other very prominent flavor I get is oak. The more I swish it around in my mouth the more I am reminded of all the great oak-aged beers out there - almost like a less-hopped, sweeter version of Burton Baton (a great compliment coming from me, BB is one of my all-time favorite beers). Finally, the beer reveals a base structure built upon caramel and biscuit malts. The brew finishes with a bitter tanginess.

Medium bodied, but thin and palatable, carbonation isn't overpowering but on the high side - helping to thrust forth all that this beer has to offer. There's a slight slickness to the beer, and a pleasant smoothness all the way down. After the swallow I get some bitter clementine citrus flavors.

I really wish that I could get this in OH... this is insanely drinkable, I could session this easily. Sadly, I only have this one bottle. As a flagship beer, I am impressed, and cannot wait to try some of the more rare Odell offerings.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 06:03:58 | More by Spider889

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From the label: "Levity is our lighter take on the amber ale. We've let the finishing hops shine for a beer that's more crisp than bitter. Munich and honey malts give it a full-bodied flavor and a happy-go-lucky personality. We're a family-run brewery that loves beer. When experimenting with new brews, we strive to hit on something that's even better than the last beer we went crazy about. And then, and only then, will we serve it up to our friends."

My slow pour into a glass did not allow for the development of much head. Color was a deep orangish-amber with NE-quality clarity. Nose was very malty and the honey malts were definitely evident. Mouthfeel was medium with a sweetness in the mouth that reminded me of clover honey - not especially sweet, but with a slight bite, driven in this case by the hops. Finish was also pleasant and easily drinkable. I CAN remember a local personality (not me) telling me that as a style, Amber is dead. That may be, but if there are brewers who are willing to play with it and tweak it as in this case, then perhaps rumors of its death are greatly exaggerated.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 17:08:30 | More by woodychandler

StJamesGate

New York

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours strawberry blonde - very light for an amber - with thin creamy white head that clings. Toast, caramel, pear and lemon oil on the nose. Madeleine malts with some caramel and peanut then Sicilian lemon hops. Light to medium, soft, creamy and crisp.

If you blind-folded me, I'd say this was an English blonde. Munich malts stand tall. Great mouthfeel, mild and drinkable - just not really an amber.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 10:03:40 | More by StJamesGate

codewarrior

New York

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz From a 6-pack, picked up at the Mountain Standard Double Black IPA 2010 launch party. Freshness date reads 2/11/11.

L: Light amber with lots of pure white soapy head. Globs and blogs of thick lacing as it recedes.

S: Hops peaking through an otherwise sweet nose. Great balance, simple and understated. Odell is the antithesis of Avery.

T: Sweet right up front, into an understated, hoppy middle. Back is hoppy with a touch of corn? Simple and delicious (this is the Odell trademark).

F: Light, but not too light. Goodly amount of carbonation.

D: Blows fat tire out of the water. Were I an amber man, this would be my every-day beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2010 23:07:56 | More by codewarrior

SkeeterHawk

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Unfortunately for the appearance and aroma of this beer, I am drinking it out of the bottle as I don't have a proper receptacle for it. I will do my best, but take this review with a grain of salt for this reason.

Appearance: The beer is a bit cloudy with a decent sized head of small creamy bubbles that was every bit of half its height after a minute or so. There was a tad of lace on the way down.

Aroma: I get a subtle mix of hops and some sweet malts. There are also some defined toasty notes to the aroma that I feel is derived from something similar to a biscuit malt.

Taste: There is a good amount of hops in this beer that contribute some subtle floral notes to the beer, and the citrus is reserved. There is still a nice malt backbone to this beer that keeps the hops in check pretty much the entire flavor profile. The finish has no alcohol noticeable, but leaves some pleasant sweet and toasty malts along with the floral hops to linger for a while after the sip. Overall the mouthfeel gives the impression of a quality beer with the carbonation and residual sugars.

Opinion: I really like this beer. I am not normally a fan of Amber styles as they seem to just be a slightly darker IPA with tons of "C" hops that pretty much run the entire beer. That is not the case with this one. There is balance the whole way through and is clean enough to let all of the flavors shine in their subtlety

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2010 06:33:16 | More by SkeeterHawk

JayS2629

Alabama

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap from brewery.

A- Orange amber with nice white head that recedes quickly. Nice lacing.

S- Notes of citrus, toasted breads with hints of honey.

T- Tasted bread on front with earthy tones and notes of citrus. Grapfruit and lemon.

M- Medium body with creamy feel. Frothy.

D- OK. Easy to drink. Earthy tones are dominant. Bland, but better than average.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 04:19:23 | More by JayS2629

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. On tap at the brewery in August 2009.

Pours a nice moderate amber color with an off white head. The nose is some light citrus as well as a good dose of bread crust. The taste is light bread and some mild toast. Good feel with plenty of carbonation. Somewhat plain in the taste department, but drinks quite well overall.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2010 01:30:16 | More by Thorpe429

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Orange brown color with a beige head. Good stick for an amber. Nose brings some toasted crackers with a hint of caramelized sweetness and citric fruits. Slight note of pepper on the tongue, but everything is so muted and cautious... in general, quite earthy with a hint of herbs. The hops are too quiet, even for an amber beer. Not much going on, but an evenly carbonated, drinkable summertime sort of brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 17:24:41 | More by BretSikkink

BradLikesBrew

Missouri

3.38/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Mildly malty, floral, sort of a generic beer aroma.

Inviting maltiness, wildflower honey, floral hops and a crisp finish.

Levity is the sort of mass appeal, unoffensive beer that virtually every brewery makes. Won't wow the more demanding consumer, nor is it meant to. Probably slightly above average for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 21:52:39 | More by BradLikesBrew

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Copper and light amber mix of colors. Very little head after the pour that recedes quickly with a little bubbling.

Toasted bread crumbs, alittle citric zest for some soft malt balance in the nose. Mostly sweet, toasted bread crumbs.

The taste is simple toasted malt and white bread crust sweetness, an just a little earthy hops to make sure this amber ale doesn't get too sweet. Nuff said.

Easy to drink and a nice lingering malty sweetness after each sip.

Thanks for the beer n8dietz.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 04:13:53 | More by scruffwhor

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle tried 28 Mar 2010.

Poured in an Avery shaker pint. Small light beige head. Minimal carbonation. Hazy dark orange color. Aroma is light, some caramel and a hint of hay. Starts slightly nutty and caramel, stays this way throughout. Finish is sweet, grainy and lingering. Aftertaste has a mild hoppy bite. Medium light body.

Pretty straight forward, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 02:43:47 | More by htomsirveaux

samie85

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Originally reviewed on 2/28/10 at The Cherry Cricket.

A-Pours an orange color with a white head.

S-Orange and grapefruit notes with some toasty, bready malt.

T-Toasty malt quality similar to a Best Bitter with orange/grapefruit slightly dry and bitter finish.

M-Thin bodied with medium carbonation.

D-Easy drinking although I've had much better ambers.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2010 07:19:58 | More by samie85

Seanibus

California

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a colorful clear copper with a lively, fluffy head. The aroma is malty, with caramel and biscuit starting small and billowing out as the beer warms. The flavor is very biscuity and bready, with hardly any hop character. Tasty, but not deep. A good winter warmer. The mouthfeel is a little prickly with carbonation. The finish turns a little sour, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2010 01:17:26 | More by Seanibus

Rayek

Colorado

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

Poured into a Perfect Pint glass.

A: Pale amber, with nice clarity and light carbonation. A soapy eggshell cap has nice retention. Leaves a very light lace.

S: Toffee and toasted grain aromas dominate. A light citrus scent rounds things out.

T: Very well balanced. Toasted bread and a caramel sweetness start things out. Bitterness is light and has a lemon and grapefruit flavor to it. Finishes dry, with a mild lingering bitterness.

M: The body is light, dry and has the right level of fizz.

D: This is a very easy drinking beer. It's not the most complex, but is supremely well balanced. I'm glad I picked it up.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 01:57:15 | More by Rayek

TexIndy

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Cool bottle and label with story and description of the beer. Best by date on the lower left of label. The imprinter was off so can tell the month or day but the year is clearly '10 so it's fresh. Was a hazy amber/orange color with slight carbonation. It had an average sized white head that dissipated into a good collar and some central wisps. Quick sliding lace with a few stickers.

The aroma was caramel malt, grassy/floral, bread and a top of other background hops. Good aroma but doesn't make me want to keep sniffing it. The taste is good and easy drinking. Good solid middle of the road taste that won't blow you away with flavor but goes down quite easily and enjoyably. Would be a good session beer. Mouthfeel is medium with light carbonation. Good malty after-taste that quickly fades.

Overall, a solid amber that goes down smooth and easy. One of the better ambers out there. Recommend. Rotation - not avail here in TX so had ummagum ship me some. If here, it would be couple 6xers a year and yes on-tap. Until then, I wouldn't ship anymore but would have on tap when in CO.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 02:19:24 | More by TexIndy

Rbald42

Montana

3.3/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Very pretty amber color with 1/2 finger head. No lacing present
S- A bit muted. Smells of cereal grain, hints of piney hops, and sweet backbone
T- Just average, came off a bit dry, some biscuity flavor, light hops with a bit of bitterness on the end
M- has a decent mouthfeel, somewhat creamy, I was surprised at how quickly it went down.
D- Its a good average beer, I could have a few of these, but I'd reach for something else if given an alternative.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2010 04:24:39 | More by Rbald42

brewdoc75

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had a bottle of this a few months ago that tasted like grainy nothingness. After looking at the bottle I found it was almost a year old. Time for a revisit.

A: Golden with amber hues. Definitely lighter than I would expect for an American Amber. Good carbonation and nice lasting head though.

S: Grainy sweet malts, with some underlying fruitiness. Faint hops with floral and herbal characteristics.

T: Nice blend of flavors here. Honey sweetness from the malts. This quickly goes to a light caramel flavor. The malts end up with a pleasant toastiness. The hops are there as well, but not overpowering. Almost fruity, with a hint of light citrus fruits. The beer ends with a pleasant bitterness and nice fruitiness.

M: Light bodied. Dangerously so. Finishes crisp and clean.

D: This is a fine beer. It doesn't look like an amber, but definitely tastes like one. Plenty of flavors going on without too much body weighing it down. Sessionable is an understatement. A good, solid session beer like this should always be in the fridge.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 20:34:23 | More by brewdoc75

SamN

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Tan color with reddish tones, decent head, bubbly with average retention. Reminds me of apple cider.

S- Bittersweeet hops and light malts, flowery and a tad skunky, but a good skunky. Good smell.

T- Hops dominate and roll a little rough over the palette. Definitely a sweeter flavor, but it reminds me of a strong Budweiser. It's not a terribly complex beer. And it tastes best in big gulps.

M- Medium light body with little carbonation.

D- This is a wonderful session ale. Tastes good, goes down a little too easily and is decently strong (5.1%). This is my favorite sipping beer in beer pong, and it seems to have brought me good luck, so here's to yet another great Odell beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 07:03:32 | More by SamN

LittleDon

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden with a tinge of red. A slight chill haze with low carbonation. Small white head that dies quickly but creates a filmy lace. Caramel and a slight spiciness are present in the aroma. Taste leans pleasantly toward the sweet side, balanced with a bit of hop bitterness in the middle and back of the mouth. Medium body, maybe a bit too heavy for a Texas summer day, but it would work when the weather breaks (or for end of summer day Colorado). Finish with some lingering caramel and hops.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2009 20:57:20 | More by LittleDon

DerBayer

Germany

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this the other day in a LOndon pub and must say I really liked it. A beautigul light chestnut colour going towards amber. The taste and smell arr a very good balance between malt and hops and the taste is very pleasant indeed.

The beer is very sueffig one of the highest commendations in Bayern!

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2009 19:56:20 | More by DerBayer

jacobseyb

Alabama

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A=pale copper color, ok maybe not pale but lighter than expected. One finger white head that dissipates quickly and laces moderately.

S=initially yeasty in aroma, followed by slightly more malty sweetness than hoppy bitterness but very balance, and relatively plain.

T=again not powerful but malts sweetness overides that bitterness from the hops.

M=light carbonation

D=good, generally pretty plain though.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 02:38:36 | More by jacobseyb

barleywinefiend

Washington

3/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a golden color, looked more like an IPA or APA. Nose is hops and honey. Taste is simple but off beat for the style. Taste is light, crisp, thin with light honey. Mouthfeel is thin, honey, light dash of hops. Drinkability..well..if I wanted an amber ale I would avoid this brew for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2009 01:36:23 | More by barleywinefiend