Odell Cutthroat Porter

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

The Cutthroat Porter heralded a new stage of experimentation with O’Dell’s brews. Often neglected for fancy imports, I figured it was about time to come back to the local fold, what with local consumption being all trendy. I’m sad I neglected them for so long. Thankfully, the Cutthroat didn’t have any trout flavors. Instead, I got a very affordable bottle of assertive brew. The thin, tan head quickly fizzles after the pour, giving way to the insanely rich aroma. The wafting siren’s call of a smell conjures grilled chicken, soy sauce, green onions, licorice, tobacco smoke and steak fat, and at some point I forget that I’m sitting in front of a glass of beer, not a teppanyaki grill. To match this mammoth meal, the Cutthroat Porter’s palate is well weighted, with a thin fuzziness lending some stirring activity to the already active flavors - namely dark malts and a sticky dark chocolate. Sure, the taste itself is comparatively simple, but the aroma alone is worth the price. I consider the big and bold flavors a bonus, and suddenly I have a new refrigerator staple for mixed company and fancy dinners.

Pours dark brown, almost black. Great creamy head. Has chocolate taste that is just strong enough. Much lighter in body than would be expected, easy finish. You could drink this all night.

12oz bottle from Mass Beverage Lawrence, KS. Pours a brown black with a brown head. Roasty nose. Dry bakers chocolate and roasted malts that are not very strong. The body is slightly watery and the flavors are somewhat lacking. More of the roasted malts and bakers chocolate finishing dry but all around lacking.

Pours opaque brown with a thick tan head. Very malty aroma, a hint of roastiness. Nice roasted malt flavor. Very smooth too. A little bit too 1D, but still solid.

Bottle. Pours a very dark rich brown with a substantial tan head. Nice lacing. Flavor is a nice blend of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate with a hint of caramel and toffee. All of this is bound together with a perfect amount of hops. Mouthfeel is very nice; coming on slightly fizzy at the beginning but mellowing to a smooth silk. Aftertaste plays up the bitter combination of hops and coffee. Nicely done.

On draft at Savor in DC (5/17/08). Nutty, with some roasted malt flavor. Nothing too overwhelming, but a solid porter.

Taproom. Pours a very dark brown with fluffy tan head. Roasted coffee aromas. Tastes of cocoa and dark fruit, plummy. Fairly simple and easy. Finishes quickly, but clean. Nitro is even better.

Bottle - Pours very dark brown with tan head. Chocolate and malt aroma. Very nice beer with lots of malt for a porter. Surprised to see this beer at only 4.5% as it was more full flavored than most porters.