Odell Imperial Stout

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

Date: 02/13/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

clear dark brown, headless, drippy lace, dry roasted malt aroma with a hint of chocolate, rich yet dry roast flavor, light bitterness, some dry dark chocolate shows up after a while,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Near black pour - it isn’t really a dark brown it just doesn’t look fully black. It is opaque and has a thin, slowly diminishing tan head. The aroma is of roasted grains, chocolate malt, light smoke, light anise, light hops and mild lactic notes and not so mild diacetyl. Alcohol is well concealed. The flavor is pleasantly roasty but still has a touch of diacetyl. Additions of raisins and more anise pleasantly smooth out the roast and give the malt character more fullness. Sweetness is medium, as is bitterness. Very well balanced and easy to drink. The mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, smooth and very oily. The finish is oily, chocolatey and very delicious. Pretty good.

Courtesy brewfiend. Pours black/brown with a small, bubbly, light tan head. Big, roasty malt aromas fill the air, some burnt coffee, and mild chocolate seem to formulate a quite powerful nose. The flavor is medium to full bodied, big, smooth chocolate really goes down quite easily. Not a big brew by any means, alcohol-wise, but seemed to hold its own when flavor is concerned. I get some of that mildcoffee flavor, dark roasty malts, and maybe even a little creamy vanilla too. The chocolate seemed to be the most dominant flavor though, which is a plus for me. the finish is smooth and creamy, while the aftertaste is chocolate and malt. I liked the fact that there was hardly any bitterness throughout the experience. For not being a big imperial stout, it packs a little punch.

Pours a dark brown black with very little head. Nose was mocha, very fruity plum, fig, some alcohol. Flavor--nice fruit with hints of ash throughout--alcohol a bit too noticeable for a 7%. Burnt malt finish--well balanced all together. Carbonation moderate; mouthfeel a bit thin. Does not quite fit the Impy stout guidelines, but not too broken-hearted about it. Overall, a great drinkable, well balanced, fruity stout.

Big aroma of prunes or red wine. Taste exactly like it smells except for a little alcohol flavor mixed. A bit to fruity my imperial stout liking. Seems more like a porter to me b/c of the fruitiness. Still good though.

Bottle. Nose was coffee with a little cocoa. Lightbodied mocha and smoot. Alcohol hardly noticed at all. nose and flavor kind of subdued. may not clasify as in an imperail stout as mentioned before.

Pours black with a creamy, tan head that diminishes to a ring around the edge of the snifter. Nice lacing. Sweet dark roasted malts, raisin and a faint alcohol on the nose. Full-bodied, creamy, roasted and faintly dry on the finish. The flavor is a blend of dark fruits and bittersweet chocolate. This seems more like a foreign extra than an impy, but it’s pretty tasty, nevertheless. Thanks for the bottle, Don.

Bottle. Pours black with a light tan head, but it’s far from looking like motor oil when it’s pouring from the bottle (ie: I can see through it). Aroma has a fairly strong roast to it, but there’s a lot of herbal qualities to it. Very sprucy and planty. Some chocolate and darker fruits too, but they’re faint. Taste is fairly sweet, but it’s a malty sweet, not sugary. Some dark chocolate coffee, light vanilla, and an underlying spice. Some licorice and hop flavor seems to be poking through. Finishes very mellow, light black coffee flavor, and good buttered toast taste. This beer feels pretty light, but that’s not really a bad thing. At 7.1 %, I don’t think they we’re going for the hugest beer ever. Good creamy texture with low carbonation. Pretty nice, but it’s not gonna wow many people.