Odell Curmudgeons Nip

Brewed by Odell Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

12oz bottle, bottled on: 022803...been sitting in my cellar for a while now. pours with a neice tan head. Crystal clear brown beer. Big fruity nose...cherries, grapes, raisins, Very light bodied, but still full flavored...malt is there that’s for sure...finishes rich and sweet, and with alcohol. lingering burnt/bitterness is a bit distracting...but as I suck on it, it seems to turn into brown sugar or molasses...and some melon character is in there as well. I think its pretty good, fruity and malty...it also drinks a bit lighter than a lot of BWs, and doesn’t have an overwelming hopping that I think sometimes detracts. Glad I have another one from this same bottling date!

Clear, crimson coloration, slim, soon-gone beigish head. Aroma is rosy, fruity, deep, redolent of brandy, whiskey, port wine, flush with dark, fruity flavors, plums, cherries, melons, more. Very nice. Smooth on the tongue, at first, but an burnished feel arrives quickly, accompanied by the full alcoholic attack. No ABV on the label...wonder why?...but it feels awfully strong. Between 9 and 11%, I’d guess. Rich flavor, abundant texture, full bodied, inordinately tasty. Perfect for slow, purposeful sipping, tiny nips now and then, in between contemplation, rumination, cogitation, stuff like that. We curmudgeon’s need our nips, and this guy does the trick. Slick feel in the finish, almost medicinal, like cherry cough syrup, but it rescues itself ably, and maintains it’s ground as an elixir that conjures philosophical feelings from the most misanthropic of all of us.

Aged for about 10 months before opening. This beautiful ale is sitting in front of me right now! I’m excited. Pours a dark magenta in color with a white head that diminishes quickly and leaves small islands floating on the beer and a nice ring around the glass. Some lacing but the head fell to such a small size and it was nearly impossible for a decent lace to occur. Too bad, i’m a sucker for a good lace. A nice nose on this one! Almonds abound with figs and plums. Alcohol extreamly evident in the nose as well. As I am sipping on this I am wondering what this is doing to my stomach. This tastes fantastic but my stomach seems to be trying to lure me away from this ale. I have to keep going. It tastes so good. Nice bounteous mouthfeel with lovely hints of plums, raisins, figs, rich malts and a nice bitter hop finish. Alcohol is warming and dominant especially as this ale warmed to room temperature. Absolutely fantastic flavor.

Red color. Thin head. Sweet, alcohol slightly hoppy aroma. Taste comes off ok, then hits you with a very tangy, alcohol filled punch. Aftertaste is not pleasent. I should have looked this up before buying...

The Curmudgeon's Nip poured a clear mahongany with a smallish, creamy light brown head that quickly went to a collar and left a little lacing. It smells of molasses, tart fig and alcohol. It's pretty full-bodied, and very sticky/syrupy and almost cloyingly sweet. It's taste is sweet toffee and caramel initially, with an earthy, hoppy bitter finish that is kind of acidic. You can definitely notice an alcoholic warming effect right off the bat. I didn't think the sweetness and bitterness was very well balanced - way too sweet. I was pretty disapointed by this beer compared to the rest of Odell's offerings.

Attractive juicy sweet malt aroma with good sappy hoppiness to boot. Good upfront juicy malt character. Quite sweet throughout, however. Mellow character, other than the sweetness, well balanced.

This one comes across like the cotton candy you get at fairs mixed with a syrupy kind of melted candy cane taste. That is the best way to describe it. Very fruity and malty, with a bit of a burn in the aftertaste. Not very enjoyable.

Pale copper, low carbonation, small short-lasting head. SYrupy aroma, a little medicinal, candyish. It's hard to believe a beer with 7,9% ABV can taste so alcoholic (rhum), even for a barley wine. Blind I'd never estimate this under 10%. Very sweet taste, lots of malt left, but also nice fruity counterparts t balance it up a bit, especially blackberries and cherries.