Made in Fort Collins, Colorado: Welcome to Odell Brewing Company
Girl’s Gotta Drink Guest Blog Post! Enjoy a virtual taproom tour with Ben and Nikki Lucas, fellow beer lovin’, Colorado State alums. Ciao, Val
Land Ho!
If coming from out of town, drive up Lincoln Avenue from Mulberry and I-25, notice the brand new Odell Brewing Company facility on the right – STOP IMMEDIATELY!
Sit in the parking lot briefly in awe and wonderment for the sensory overload experience that awaits you. If you like taking tours of breweries we recommend getting here early to be on one of the first tours. Note: tours can take an hour+, so know you’ll be waiting an hour for what you really want: beer. When you arrive or finish your tour cozy into line and start to figure out what to order.
>> Click for Odell Brewery Company Taproom & Tour Information
Day Tripping to Odell’s
Nikki and I, along with Nikki’s family, all tripped up to Odell’s over Christmas and sampled some of their beers. Odell’s has 3 different taster tray options with 6 – 2 oz samples and pints. They also fill up growlers. This go ’round we did a few taster trays and some pints for good measure.
Taster Trays
1. Original $4: Easy Street Wheat, Levity, 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Odell IPA, Cutthroat Porter, and 90 Schilling (their flagship beer). All the originals. Great for a first timer; all are available in 6- and 12-packs and on draft throughout Colorado and the states where they distribute (http://odellbrewing.com/beer-finder/).
2. Pilot $6: Odell’s allows for a good amount of creativity and this is where it shines…sometimes good and sometimes bad. These are beers you can only get at the brewery or Fort Collin’s own – and original – Town Pump.
3. Co-Pilot $8: Myrcenary Imperial IPA, Mountain Standard Double Black IPA, Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout and Double Pilsner all got their start in the Co-Pilot tray and have become favorites of beer lovers and are available in 4-Pack’s around Colorado and on draft. Nikki and I both sampled the Co-Pilot.
Co-Pilot Tray Tasting Notes:
Celestrina Saison Ale (available for purchase in 22oz bombers) – 7.5% ABV; a very Belgian ale from Odell’s; banana; sweet smell and start but a bitter finish; enjoy with salads/lunch/warm weather.
Head for the Hills Hoppy Amber – 5.7% ABV; looks and smells like a normal amber (Levity) but has some floral hops; Made with Colorado dry hops; Nikki liked it; good session beer; inspired by Head for the Hills, a great local band from Fort Collins.
Myrcenary Double IPA – 9.3% ABV; Ben’s favorite; Myrcene is hop oil and Myrcenary derives its name from that; strong citrus flavors all the way through; 7 hops varieties, never bitter; on draft and 4-Packs year round.
Mountain Standard Double Black IPA – 9.5% ABV; Seasonal winter ale available in 4-packs and on limited draft; high ABV is slightly hidden due to the huge amount of roasted malts used; great winter sipper; let it warm up a little before fully enjoying; “Hardcore motorcycle riding man’s beer” – Todd Walters (Nikki’s dad). Enough said.
Cherry Oh! Cherry-Wood Smoked Oatmeal Porter – 6.2% ABV; “Smoke in your face” – Nikki; very smoky aroma and blast to the palate; finishes smooth; easier to drink toward the bottom of the taster; not my favorite but a scotch drinker would enjoy.
Dark Passenger Dark Sour Ale – 6.0% ABV; Strong Sour Ale; flavor profile is chocolate with lemons…Nikki, of course, approves -it’s definitely for sour beer lovers; this would turn off anyone who hasn’t tried a sour beer.
Cutthroat Porter on Nitro – 4.8% ABV; a classic spin on their traditional Cutthroat, but on Nitrogen instead of CO2; meant to closely resemble a Guinness, but with HUGE flavor; great winter beer, great sipping beer, recommended for any time.
Brewery Pro Tips
Do yourself a big favor and if you have more than 3 people in your group do not allow anyone to get the same taster tray. Eschew traditional cleanliness practices and try every beer (beer has alcohol in it…alcohol kills germs…science). Before you leave Odell’s buy a T-shirt…this is highly important as Odell’s only distributes to 10 states. Most shirts run between $20 and $30 each (pick up some FREE stickers on your way out, too).
For more adventures in American beer (including Ben and Nikki’s soon to be released first ever 5-gallon homebrew) follow their blog, Colo2Cali, or on Twitter @nicolea22 and @blucas85.
Adios Muchachos, Ben and Nikki
