Odell Isolation Ale - Odell Brewing Company

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Boy, what a tight aroma. Slight yeast at first, then a whiff of water. I even let this warm before the warm, maybe not warm enough. In time some malt, but really almost non-existent.
Attractive with amber of brown/orange/gold. Small darkish head. Pretty standard. Dripping lacing.
Finally something to appreciate. First notice an appealing malt complexity (toasty and nutty). This blends nicely with a mild bitterness and just enough hoppy spiciness. Still a nice hop forward drink and in balance overall. Seems like there might be a small yeast accent as well.
Lighter body, yet hold some feel. Carbonated very nicely which greatly enhances the drinking pleasure on this one, adding an almost creaminess to a light bodies ale.
One of the most drinkable winter warmers I've had. Malt character gives it the style, but certainly on the low end in terms of heft and alcohol.
Sample from Bryan. Thanks.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 02:54:11 | More by garymuchow

brewdub17

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark orange and a lighter brown make up the body that sits below a thin light beige head.

Smell: Not a strong presence of any character but mostly made of malty notes and a slight bit of spicy, nutty tones.

Taste: Similar to the smell, there is not a strong taste of anything specific but is mostly made up of malty notes with a small amount of spice and nutty character.

Mouthfeel: Sweetness up front allows for the small flavors the flow nicely around the mouth but there is a dry flavor that finishes and creates a clean aftertaste.

Drinkability: The light amount of flavors and reasonably low ABV give good reason for this brew to be very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 00:21:44 | More by brewdub17

gatornation

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a mostly clear dark copper color with a 2 finger head that dissipates fast but does leave alot of clingy lacing on the glass.. smell is toasty,malty.nutty,with baked bread..taste is much the same its roasted malts,nuts,toffee mixed with sweet malts,,it then gives way to some earthy hops mixed with peat and fruit its a fantastic WW..mouth feel is full of flavor crisp with hops ,chocolate,roasted malts..one of my favorite WW this season.. go try this one

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 23:36:38 | More by gatornation

chicano4craft

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish orange with a small off white head.

Very malty nose as expected. It's sweet, roasty and nutty. There's also an element of smoke.

Taste is caramel and toffee mixed with a nutty and dry finish. Starts off sweet but quickly turns somewhat bitter.

Carbonation and lower alcohol leads to a nice mouthfeel and good drinkability. I've drank my share of Isolation during the Rocky Mountain winters. Never disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 18:10:42 | More by chicano4craft

eclaycamp

Kansas

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle. Pours a bright amber with some clarity, though not brilliant with a wispy fizzy head that leaves some adequate lacing. Aroma is tough to discern at first, it could be that it needs to warm up for me to get anything out of it. I'm getting faint hints of gingerbread followed by maybe some cinnamon. Like I said though, it's hard to find here. Nicely carbonated with a spicy cinnamon finish. Moderate toffee malt sweetness up front, with a bit of alcohol ester warmth in the finish. Reminds me a little bit of an ESB hopped up with spice in the finish. Definitely has that Christmas / Winter Warmer thing going on.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 01:50:10 | More by eclaycamp

morimech

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish amber color with one inch of head that had good retention before settling to a thin cap. A lot of spotty lacing is left on the glass. Smells slightly more fruity than what I was expecting. Distinct aroma of berries to go along with the caramel malt and subtle spice. Hops add a little citrus and pine as well. Flavor of caramel malt with a heavy element of corn husk. Tastes artifical and dirty. A little grassy and herbal from the hops. Not sure if spice is added to this beer but if it is it is very subtle. Not too sweet and bitterness is low. Medium body and nicely carbonated. A good winter warmer that the malt profile that just does not completely click with me.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 22:44:54 | More by morimech

JayS2629

Alabama

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap from brewery.

A- Deepp amber with a foamy tan head and descent lacing.

S- Toasty biscuit. Complex mix of grapes , plums, and earthy hops. Hints of caramel and chocolate. Sweet malts. Cloves, and allspice. Toffee and cinnamon.

M- Medium bodied. Crisp and rich with a creamy finish. Nice alcohol tinge around the edges.

D- Delicious and complex. Easy to go down with the slightest alcohol tinge.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2010 19:39:59 | More by JayS2629

spointon

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this from a 12oz brown bottle into a tulip pint glass. Thanks to Joey for the trade!

A= This ale poured a fairly clear deep dark amber color with a foamy/chunky 1" light tan head. The head settled slowly into a thin cap and left some decent lace behind.

S= Lots of toasty/biscuity malt in the aroma as well as light hints of chocolate, caramel, and some noticable hops.

T= Started off with lots of malty sweetness (caramel, chocolate) that was balanced as much by the toasty character as it was by the hops. The hops were earthy and leafy and helped to dry things out a bit. Esters were full of plum and fruit cake notes. Finished with a blend of toast, hops, and cake-like sweetness. Quite complex really.

MF= Medium bodied with a mild carbonation that got the job done without being overly noticable.

D= Very unique and interesting - and quite the chameleon. Just when I would decide it was too full of toasted malts, the sweetness would kick into the next sip and make me rethink that assessment. All in all a fun beer that I hope to get more of in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 08:10:39 | More by spointon

jera1350

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Crystal clear copper color with a tan head that offers plenty of lacing even though it's not the most thick.

Getting some floral and earthy hops in balance with the malt which has moderate sweetness. Grape juice/Kool-Aid like. They really do not form a good combination. Kind of a confusing smell really.

Having the same problem with the taste as with the nose. Grape juice along with some roasted caramel malt. The hops add some bitterness, earthy and floral notes. Getting some spice notes too even though I'm not sure any were used. Alcohol comes through in the end. Just confusing tasting.

Creamy and chewy mouthfeel that is very satisfying.

Probably to style, but just confusing and overall not all that enjoyable for myself. Kind of a mess in the smell and taste. Give it a shot, but I will not be having this one again.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 03:47:36 | More by jera1350

ocelot2500

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear brown orange color with a tight off-white head that leaves plenty of lacing.

Smells of deep caramel malt and some spice.

Tastes of the sweet malts with some spice to round it out. Malts are characterized by caramel and brown sugar with some fruitiness in the background. Spices are clove like and add to the mix. Some hops are found as it warms and add citrus peel notes as well.

Mouthfeel is medium with a smooth amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2010 03:01:52 | More by ocelot2500

GabrielM

New Mexico

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A - rich amber color with an awesome white head on top that sticks around for a while.

S - slight hops, a tiny bit of pumpkin, allspice, cinnamon, dark fruit.

T - a bit of hops, allspice, a hint of the pumpkin is there, and a small bit of fruit I can't quite put my finger on.

M - really nice carbonation and flavors sit well on the palate and go down incredibly smooth.

D - could definitely have a few but wouldn't want more than two or three - it might get a little sweet for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 23:54:41 | More by GabrielM

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served with a scant finger of creamy head, although stick is mighty fine. Orange color with lots of brown in the middle. Nose is mostly of the caramel malt persuasion, with a hint of slightly tropical fruits. If you consider oranges to be tropical. Enough potency here for me to appreciate it, but the aroma doesn't quite knock me off my barstool.

The flavor is quite nice, and leaves much of the overly-spiced, fruitcake-like qualities of the style out of the equation. Much appreciated, Odell. Malts provide a punchy sweetness, with plenty of complexity that doesn't require any cinnamon or cardamom. Hops shine here a little more than the nose, bringing out some flavors of grapefruit and orange. Well balanced.

Everything is just about great with this one - while not my favorite style or even my favorite example of the style, Isolation Ale manages to be a pretty great beer that I should have gotten around to long before tonight.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2010 04:46:14 | More by BretSikkink

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Consumed at Grumpy's in Roseville on Darkness Day Weekend.

Appearance -- Deep ruddy amber, almost purple with a slim beige head.

Smell -- Toasted malt, plum sweetness, brown sugar, some noticable spiciness. Not especially aromatic, but what is present is enjoyable.

Taste -- Spice cake, toasted malt, toffee, brown sugar, prune and raisin, and earthy hops throughout. Finish is spice cake and spicy hops.

Mouthfeel -- Medium to full in body with moderate creamy carbonation. Pretty satisfying.

Drinkability -- Pretty nice. Good malt profile and enough spicy malt to balance and keep things interesting. One could do worse than to be snowed in with a case of this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2010 21:27:35 | More by yeahnatenelson

codewarrior

New York

3.78/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz from a 6 pack into a snifter

A: Deep amber with 2 fingers gorgeous, gorgeous head.

S: Clean, crisp wheatiness. Sweet and simple.

T: Sweet up front, finishes quickly to a wheaty crispitude. Crisp is really the word here.

F: Kind of light, but thick enough to make an impression.

D: Could drink all day, and have.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 04:27:12 | More by codewarrior

ZAP

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Auburn colored...minimal head..-Nice nutty, toasty malt character....sticky caramel and a light dusting of cocoa as well...earthy hops....don't care for the deep finish as it is a bit sourish feel without being very sour if that makes sense.

A nice winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 04:07:33 | More by ZAP

KeefD

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is exactly the kind of beer I'm really digging at the moment. Smooth, malty, not overly sweet. Pours a dark amber color with an inch tall off white head that left some light lacing. Aroma is malty, lightly sweet, toasty, and just a hint of chocolate. Yum... This tastes delicious. This beer doesn't overload you with huge malty sugars, but the malts are the dominate aspect. Toasty, bready, lots of caramel, and like the aroma, there's just a touch of chocolate onthe long finish. Medium body, super easy to drink. Wow, I can't get enough of this. It's a malt-lover's dream without going overboard on the ABV and sweetness. I'll be drinking A LOT of this over the winter months.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 19:05:50 | More by KeefD

bsp77

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Clear reddish-brown with thin off-white head.

Smell: Rich caramel malts, very spicy English hops, and a light fruitiness. Fairly dry aroma.

Taste: Just lightly sweet malt body with caramel, dark fruit and a touch of tea. Very spicy, floral and citrusy English hops are used to great effect on the finish. While not particularly bitter, the hop profile suggests it is higher than the listed 29 IBUs.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, smooth medium to full body, very dry finish.

Drinkability: Quite simply, this is one of the best traditional English-style Ales I have had. Drinkable, full flavored and delicious.

Edit: Lowered my taste score from 4.5 to 4, as by mid-November, the hops had faded somewhat. So this so-called Winter beer is best in October.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2010 02:26:05 | More by bsp77

Buebie

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poures a very plae redish amber, transparent. inch of tan head, thick foam, leaving sticky lace and a solid cap.
Aroma is sawdust like with a hint of spice, earthy hops, malt and grains.
Malt in flavor with caramel mild sweetness, really mild, as hop spice and cereal grains bitter slightly and provide terrific balance. Slight onion spice of hops in aroma, but more earthy in flavor.
Exceedingly drinkability, but flavor forward. A truly wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 23:00:38 | More by Buebie

Domingo

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

After grabbing my first batch of the 2010 season I noticed I'd never reviewed this beer before...after enjoying it for years here goes.
Pours a deep chestnut brown that looks dense and almost cloudy, but it's just the sheer density of the beer. A big off-white head forms off of a gentle pour, but never gets out of control. the head sticks around for the life of the beer and is almost sticky with all of the malt and hops. Lacing is about as good as it gets.
Initially the nose consists of Odell's trademark big pine-y hops, but you then can't help but get waves of the nutty, ultra-rich roasted malts.
The flavor follows with a similar balance, but in reverse. Initially you get lots of roasted chestnut and rich dark chocolate cake, but the finish follows with hops that add a bit of citrus zest and pine. The finish is slightly bitter from the roasted notes and hops, but a lingering cake flavor brings you right back.
Mouthfeel is thick and ultra hearty, but the beer is surprisingly not too strong with almost no boozy character.
While strong for a session beer, polishing off several of these in an evening is easy. The draft version is even more-so as the mouthfeel thins out a little.
While Colorado is home to lots of excellent winter warmers, this one probably speaks to me the most because of the perfect balance and easy-drinking nature of it.
Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 14:15:54 | More by Domingo

claybeer

Oklahoma

3.73/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Odell Isolation Ale 2002-2003

When I first poured this 7yr. old beer it seemed almost leathery and dirty brown. As it settled in my pint glass it warmed up to a nice auburn color. The head retained the leathery color and was a good two fingers thick. The nose was sweet! Soft malt aromas with raisins and dates . The taste was right on target with the nose. It was sweet and fruity. The malts seem to have caramelized and left a sticky coat on my lips. On the finish I get a little bit of a metallic twang that I don't like. It is too sweet to drink very much at one time but to hold up for 7 years is impressive.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 15:36:08 | More by claybeer

portia99

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Bruery tulip.

A - Pours a murky, dirty light brown color with an amber tint. Not much of a head forms. Really only a thick but uneven white collar and a skim coat of bubbles that both hang around throughout the glass. No lacing left behind.

S - Malty up front, lots of biscuity and bready aromas, some alcohol, spicy, a bit floral, a bit citrusy.

T - Again, malt is the focus. Very, very toasty and biscuity at the base with yeasty, bready character as well. Mild spices and light citrus and fruity yeast flavors as well. Earthy, dirtlike flavors towards the swallow.

M - Medium bodied with prickly mid level carbonation. Some light sweetness is shown throughout. Mild fruity citrus lingers well into the aftertaste. Very smooth overall.

D - Very enjoyable beer (even on a 85 degree summer day) with tons of rich roasty/toasty malt flavors combined with earthy and citrusy hops and a bit of spice. Smooth drinking - goes down easily. Think I'll be seeking this out again in the winter season.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 00:35:04 | More by portia99

Haybeerman

Colorado

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Light brown color with a red tinge. Poured a one finger tan head that dissipated to a skim. Laced in broken rings.

S: Slightly sweet, bready malts. Citrus hops.

T: Sweet, bready caramel malt. Sharp bitter for cleansing finish with just a hint of cereal flavor that lingers.

M: Medium body. Medium carbonation. Great balance.

D: Very drinkable. Farily flavorful and very balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 15:00:01 | More by Haybeerman

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear deep coppery amber, with a tight finger of smooth off-white head. Very rich retention (especially when swirled) which leaves back a strong looking smattering of creamy lace. The aroma is floral up front, with a tea-like herbal nature to it. Plenty of spice is also present, as is a buttery bread element that gives this an almost butterscotch vibe to the sweetness in the nose that is present.

Hops control the taste much more than I would have intiailly thought, with a earthy herbal citric character and some notes of pine and spice. A slick feeling backing of toasted grains adds some sweetness to the profile but the hops return in the finish with plenty of gritty earth and spicy dryness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied overall but this has a bit of thinness to it that seems to come from that hoppy, tea-like flavor in the profile. Very mellow and creamy in the mouth but that thin nature does detract a bit.

This was pretty good. Lots of festive feeling sweetness and spiciness, while the hop profile added some balance and slickness to the body, helping keep the drinkibility up for the most part. Plus there was just enough warmth to the body to help keep the chill off. This was my second Odell beer and I've still liking what they have to offer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 12:01:18 | More by Kegatron

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best by Date February 12th, 2010; Sampled February 7th, 2010
An aggressive pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces almost four-fingers of lightly amber tinged, tan colored froth. The beer is a red-amber color that shows a lightly hazed, amber hue when held up to the light. The aroma smells of fruity hops and toasty grain up front. There is a touch of bergamont, some light pine notes, some sweet-tea like crystal malt, big biscuit like malt character and a somewhat subtle, but somehow also distinct note of ripe berries.

A fullish body sticks to the palate with a caramelized grain sweetness that lingers long into the finish. Crystal malt and hops mix to form a berry like fruitiness that is lightly accented by citrus. The finish sees a biscuit driven maltiness play a big role, but the sweetness still is noticeable too. This definitely has a rich maltiness to it, perhaps a bit too crystal malt focused, but it certainly works as a winter seasonal. This is still quite quaffable, though it is certainly rich enough to be a hearty beer to drink a couple pints of in front of the fire.

Not bad, actually even enjoyable, this fits as a winter beer that definitely taken inspiration from imported, hoppy, English Winter ales.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 17:14:42 | More by Gueuzedude

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz as an extra from cschmidt87, thanks man!

Pours a gorgeous rich ruby/caramel orange with nice head that has some staying power, leaves some lacing down the glass.

Odd duck from the nose: earthy loam, leather, rich dark fruit, bark, caramel malt, hint of spruce?

Continues on through the taste: really dry finish, very earthy, sweet caramel and dark fruits twisting through, light tingly hop bite in finish, cocoa powder, pillowy mouthfeel, very silky.

Not sure what to think of this one, very unique. Ultimately, I appreciate its complexities, find it to be quite drinkable while still maintaining a sense of 'richness' that I desire from a winter warmer, and would drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 02:58:03 | More by ritzkiss