Name: Odell Brewing Company
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Website: https://odellbrewing.com/
Type: Production brewery
Available in DC Market: No
What you need to know: After starting up in 1989 in a former grain elevator, Odell has skyrocketed up the production charts to rest at the 34th largest craft brewery in 2013. They have an incredibly diverse selection of beers, from the easy drinking Easy Street, to the 90 Shilling that has been their backbone, to the increasingly popular sours like Foot Print, Fernet Barrel Aged Porter, and Friek, to the amazing barrel-aging program, Odell is making waves in the craft beer scene. Odell makes use of a pilot system to push craft beer’s boundaries. Described as “Part kitchen, part lab, part playground, our Pilot System gives our brewers the freedom to create and experiment with new beer recipes. All our beers begin this way – poured into a pint glass and passed around the brewery for tasting and input. Week after week, we create new specialty beers to share in our Tap Room,” this is definitely the engine of creativity. Sadly, they’re not distributed to the east coast (or the west coast) and are only in 11 states. Take advantage of them being here for SAVOR; you will not be disappointed.
Beer #1: Lugene (Chocolate milk stout / 8.5%)
In Their Own Words: "If you’ve ever been to our brewery, you’ve likely seen the old, beat-up truck that hauls away our spent grain. That truck belongs to Lugene who’s been feeding his dairy cows the hearty malt for over a decade. Named in his honor, Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout is brewed with milk sugar and milk chocolate. The rich and creamy brew reminds us of a cold glass of chocolate milk and our hometown “Aggie” roots."
Food Pairing: Espresso-Crusted Bison on Black Bread (Bison loin crusted in espresso and seared. Served on a very thin black bread crisp with plum chutney.)
Our Thoughts: When I think milk chocolate, I don't usually think bison. i like the espresso note here, but I'm not sure the black bread and plums will pair well with a beer that seems like it would have been much better off with a dessert than an entree. Sorry, Nick Rakowski, this is one stout and savoy pairing that I just don't think works.
Beer #2: Tree Shaker (Imperial IPA / 10.1%)
In Their Own Words: "Colorado…we really love your peaches, wanna shake your tree! Tree Shaker Imperial IPA was brewed with 3,000 pounds of pureed Colorado peaches. The bright citrus hop character and subtle fruity sweetness will get your feet tapping and your taste buds dancing."
Food Pairing: Thai mussels on the half shell with coconut, lemongrass and pickled shishito pepper.
Our Thoughts: Tree Shaker sounds like a phenomenal beer packed full of fruity goodness. The food pairing here will be pretty interesting. Coconut and lemongrass will work well, not so sure about the shishito peppers. Remember, about 1 in 10 of these peppers is hot! The bigger problem with the food pairing is that mussels are hard to eat standing up while you're holding a glass. Try to get to a table if you're going to enjoy this pairing.
This profile is a part of the DCBeer.com SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2014 SAVOR participants.
