Odell Isolation Ale
November 11th, 2010 beckelToday I have another beer provided by Lake Wine & Spirits’ Citizen Six Pack and one of the few brews I have yet to sample from the good people at Odell Brewing. If you couldn’t guess Isolation Ale is Odell’s Winter Seasonal and is sure to be a welcome treat on this rainy Minnesota evening.
Pours a deep almost ruby red hue that is very translucent. One finger of tight off white bubbles are produced and provide a lovely presentation, hanging around for a minute or two. Smells of sweet malt as is expected for the style, followed by notes of caramel, soft grapes, cherries, gentle roasted malts and very little alcohol. Notable specialty grains are present in the flavor, likely Caramel and Biscuit Malt. Followed by enjoyable malty sweetness that is contrasted by a gentle tartness that reminds me of cherries. Soft hoppy bitterness adds a nice citrus character and helps distract from the sweet malt base present in this ale and provides a nice finish. Caramel and cereal grain esters dominate making this 6% ABV Winter Warmer very approachable and sessionable. Body is relatively light and the mouthfeel is very clean and well carbonated for the style. If you are into malty brews and prefer them to be on the sweet side, but not cloying, this beer is a good choice. Like most of Odell’s Year Round and Seasonal brews this is a very approachable yet quality beer that most people will enjoy. As it warms more diverse fruit esters appear creating a more intriguing beer, but the alcohol also becomes more notable as the sweetness lessens. Give it a shot and ride your bike.