Woodcut No. 6 - Oak Aged American Ale - Odell Brewing Company

G-Hawk

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

03-10-2013 23:30:43 | More by G-Hawk

kirbmeist

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

05-13-2013 19:11:02 | More by kirbmeist

justforrazors

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

05-10-2013 01:43:48 | More by justforrazors

jklecko2

Missouri

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-03-2013 16:37:29 | More by jklecko2

brycevolk

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

04-30-2013 12:53:25 | More by brycevolk

GeePee

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

04-20-2013 01:41:11 | More by GeePee

mentor

Colorado

3.04/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 2.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a 7 finger fluffy head that slowly (very slowly) cavitates into liquid. Nearly clear rust amber liquid. Streams of bubbles slowly rise upward...looks like this beer must be very viscous. The nose smells vanilla, oak waxy, piney hops, and crystal malts. Baby aspirin, fig, lemon, kiwi, peach/pear reduction, cherry sweet tart, and orange zest-wax. Rich, complex and enticing. If the flavor holds up to the nose, this beer will be stunning.

Taste is similar to the nose, but not the power-packed flavor umph I was expecting. Scratchy oak mixes with alcohol sting and tame malt sweet. This beer is all about the waxy oak character with vanilla and piney American hops. Disjointed. The flavors have not come together (unless they started that way and the time of them cooperating has passed). Alcohol flavor is clean, grains are gently caramel, esters are tropical light fruits of guava and mango-fiber with a berry-flavored drizzle (like you would find on a cheesecake). Herbal lemon...basil?...parsley?...neutral herbal. Hop grassiness is hidden by the oak, or perhaps they work together but come across as mostly oak. Medium in the mouth, but some dextrinous creaminess. Over-carbonated when poured, but not so in the mouth. Dry finish leaves a copper flavor, oak astringency, and an alcohol sting that persists with an oak wax rough. Had this beer just been capped without so much pressure, the beer might have oxidized to add those yummy sherry/caramel notes. Considering how tight the cork was and the strong carbonation, I don't see this one improving that way any time soon - any change that will occur will need to happen with the ingredients inside the bottle. I expect the character of the ingredients to fall apart before they could combine into aged yumminess. Once again, Odell Woodcut is not worth $25/bottle. I know the time and effort they put into it is worth $25/bottle to them, but the experience on our end is more like $7-$9 for a 750 ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 04:09:14 | More by mentor

SHODriver

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a deep cloudy amber with a two finger dense white head that is slow to fade with excellent lacing into a dogfish snifter
S: smells of cedar oil, pine, some tropical fruits, a hint of caramel, slightly herbal as well. great nose
T: woody flavor, some caramel, slight pine, a bit of toasted malt, tropical fruit and a bit more woodyness some cedar with a slight bitterness throughout. swallow brings a bit of caramel and a nice blast of tropical fruit, resin, pine, and a bit of sweet vanilla
M: smooth with soft carb from bottle conditioning, not too dry of a finish but the hops seem to coat well
O: a hugely complex and delicious American Strong Ale. I don't quite know what to make of it and it's a lot to take in. The mosaic hops bring some interesting flavors into the mix, the mouthfeel is very luxurious, the nose is phenomenal and the beer looks fantastic. An amazing beer and a pleasure to drink because the alcohol is very well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 02:54:37 | More by SHODriver

edhaaslovesbacon

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

04-03-2013 21:26:15 | More by edhaaslovesbacon

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

750ml corked and caged bottle, number 05708, dated August 2012.

After a succession of 100% flat bottles of Woodcut #5, I easily resisted #6 for several months, then bought one on impulse, brought it home, and promptly forgot I had it for a couple more months. Then I remembered, so here goes.

Right off the bat, I had to deal with the cork, which would not budge for anything short of a pliers. As I twisted it outward, I expected to get some help from the pressure, but it resisted all the way to the end. Increasingly certain this would be another flat Odell, I was happily shocked by the resounding POP. Into the glass went a murky, tawny liquid, producing a thin & foamy tan head. I am disheartened by the lack of bubbles coming from the nucleation etchings in the bottom of my glass.

Characteristic of the Woodcut series, this smells like an oak bomb. A bunch of sweet tropical fruit smells swirl through the oak; I presume these are from the Mosaic hops. There's something nutty and toasty and buttery going on in there.

It's a little brighter and sweeter in taste, but with a tannic and tangy finish. Bitterness is moderate. There's no denying the oak, though. And while I wouldn't call this flat, mouthfeel suffers from undercarbonation.

I may give up on the series. I thought #3 was repeatedly delicious, and justified the price, but #4-6 have left me wishing I could go back in time and spend my money more judiciously.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 07:57:51 | More by DaveAnderson

JellyJacket

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -19.2%

03-31-2013 03:51:13 | More by JellyJacket

mhaugo

California

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-31-2013 03:02:40 | More by mhaugo

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.41/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a splendid brew, featuring the underused mosaic hop. sort of a pale ale, sort of an ipa, sort of an American strong, a cool hybrid. the pour is very cloudy, almost a dull beige color on this, like half pineapple half orange juice, only darker, its just as pulpy apparently, and it has a really thick head of white foam with an almost nitro look to it. the color is bizarre, not totally appetizing, but I am intrigued. the nose wins me over instantly, big fresh tropical fruit flavors abound, fresh mango and papaya and maybe even lime, this mosaic hop has quite the bouquet! I could not tell, but there may be some rye malt in here, as it has a gentle spice towards the finish. alcohol is invisible in aroma and flavor, impressive. the tropical fruit flavors are lush and intense. not sweet, but not bitter either. resinous but very unlike the high alpha west coast varietals. this is a must try, wow, I really really like this. fuller body requires a little chewing, but the finish is really bright and unique, and the carbonation is about where it should be in a beer of this magnitude. the woodcut series has set the bar very high (price tag too), but the sixth incarnation lives up to its heritage and selling price, and is one of those special beers that demands to be cellared and shared with the closest of friends during the best of times. A+ overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 22:56:44 | More by StonedTrippin

Haybeerman

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

03-16-2013 01:58:36 | More by Haybeerman

FremontBar

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +18.2%

03-14-2013 20:45:48 | More by FremontBar

wmobley

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

03-13-2013 20:52:55 | More by wmobley

Stwinchy

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

03-12-2013 19:34:33 | More by Stwinchy

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Bottle 430 (bottled Aug 2012) opens with a resounding pop. Pours a hazed & effervescent peach color with 3 fingers of lacing. Good head retention & very good lacing, still hazy out at the end

S: Plums, cherries, whiskey, plus oakyness & citrus/pine once warm

T: Figs, cherries dryness & butter rum up front. Plums, butterscotch, figs cherries, lemon grass & lime once warm, slight oaky boozeyness. Finishes warming, fruitty, dry & citrussy & slightly medicinal/piney

MF: Fairly chewy, slightly carbonated, warming

I liked this, drank fairly easy despite the ABV, the Mosaic hops show through once warm. If you can get this for $16 like I did, get it...

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:52:10 | More by russpowell

JMBSH

Colorado

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-09-2013 18:11:27 | More by JMBSH

nzerbe

New York

3/5  rDev -25.4%

03-05-2013 02:36:46 | More by nzerbe

steamboatbrewer

Colorado

4/5  rDev -0.5%

02-27-2013 14:20:27 | More by steamboatbrewer

drewone

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

02-26-2013 05:57:19 | More by drewone

UCLABrewN84

California

4.19/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to drewone for sharing this one at jmgrub's birthday tasting.

Bottled 8/2012. Bottle # 05660.

Pours a hazy orange-red with a foamy beige head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus zest, tropical fruit, and some woody aromas. Taste is much the same with fruity and honey flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is interesting and quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:09:48 | More by UCLABrewN84

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.99/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.
Bottled: August 2012

Pours a nice slightly orange murky color. There are some amber hues on the edges with some light coming through. There is a nice 1 inch ecru head that is a mix of dense tight bubbles and some more chunkier medium sized bubbles. The head retention is good.

Aroma starts off with some underlain sweetness. Then some juicy juicy hop notes. Definitely some papaya notes and some slight tropical juice notes in the nose. Slightly herbal and grassy hop notes as well. There is some oak and vanilla notes that is a bit fain in the background. There is some molasses notes in the nose as well that are not intense but hint at a sweeter flavor.

Flavor starts off with some sharp juicy papaya notes. Strong tropical fruit notes with some juice sweetens and also some citrus notes. Grassy herbal hop notes are perceived mixed in with the juiciness of the brew. The hop notes are not bitter a all but add a very nice and earthy note to the brew. Now thats on the front end. The brew nicely transitions to a more malty bready sweetness with some great barrel notes. Some woody and earthy oak combined with slight vanilla notes as well as some nuttyness. Mouthfeel is pretty nice and medium. Slightly oily but not too rich.

Pretty good stuff. Interesting and complex but well crafted. The flavors are yummy and nicely layered.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 20:00:18 | More by JoEBoBpr

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

02-20-2013 16:54:25 | More by Holland