Odell Jolly Russian

This summer I was fortunate enough to try several beers from Odell Brewing Company's catalog. The one I most most excited about trying was their flagship ale, 90 Schilling and it did not disappoint. It had a unique and complex malt body with a beautifully hoppy finish. After each sip, I found myself staring at the glass, almost stunned by how complex and refreshing it was. It is one of those beers that you could give someone who is not quite into craft beer and they would find it enjoyable.

90 Schilling was not the only beer from Odell that I was impressed by. Their IPA is quite impressive. It has a nice malt body, reminiscent of an English IPA with a beautiful hop profile. Their St. Lupulin Pale Ale was soft and easy drinking, with nice tropical and citrus notes. It is the kind of beer that leaves you looking for another bottle once your glass is empty. The worst beer I had from them was Nail Knot Craft Lager and that was still a good beer. I could keep listing the other beers I enjoyed from Odell but I feel I am somehow turning this blog more into a commercial than something critical, so I will stop singing the praises of their catalog and start reviewing their Rum Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout, Jolly Russian.

Jolly Russian is the one beer from Odell I found myself holding on to longer than the others. It sounded unique and as it sat in my refrigerator, I found myself putting it on a pedestal. This was mainly because I rarely see rum barrel aged beers in Western NY outside of Rum Barrel Aged Pumking every fall. While I enjoy the base beer, I am not a fan of that particular rum barrel aged beer. It tastes like someone dropped a shot of rum in old Pumking and that is about it. At its price point, I do not think it is worth it but this blog is not about Rum Barrel Aged Pumking, so I will now get back on track.

For two months, I waited for the perfect opportunity to open Jolly Russian. It turned out that moment came on a random Thursday evening and not the special occasion I envisioned it for. I took a moment before I opened it, pondering whether or not I should, before closing my eyes, hoping for the best and opening the bottle. As I poured Jolly Russian, I found myself thinking it looked a little thin. At above 13%, I was expecting a motor oil-like pour but that was not the case. The mouthfeel however quieted any fears I had about it being too thin. Instead it was silky smooth, coating the palate with rich flavors...but I am getting ahead of myself. The aroma of Jolly Russian was wonderful. Strong barrel notes of vanilla, oak, rum, spice, and leather were blended beautifully with chocolate, molasses, roasted malt and a touch of fruitiness. The first sip was complex and unique. Rum, chocolate and booze stood out the most. I frankly thought it would be a touch smoother but the booze hit a little too hard in the finish. There was also vanilla, molasses, roasted malt, coconut, leather, dark fruit before a tobacco, spicy, and as I mentioned earlier, an intensely boozy finish.

What I enjoyed the most here was the leather note. The only other beer that I can recall where that flavor is so pronounced is my favorite beer, Bourbon County from Goose Island. Needless to say, this put a big smile on my face. Speaking of bourbon barrel aged beers, I enjoyed the differences between bourbon barrel aging and rum barrel aging in an imperial stout. Rum barrel aging, as expected, leaves a beer on the sweeter side. This became very clear as Jolly Russian began to warm. By the last third of the beer, I was getting nervous it was going to get a bit too sweet and become difficult to finish, but fortunately it did not. At the same time, I will say that due to the strength of the ABV and the level of sweetness coming with each sip, one bottle is more than enough.

Overall, I really enjoyed Jolly Russian. I also enjoyed every beer I was able to try from Odell. In my small sampling of beers from Odell, I found them to be consistently good. They also make some fantastic barrel aged beers. Another great one I had from them is Mountain Standard, a Black IPA aged in bourbon barrels. At this point, I think you have probably gathered that I really like this brewery and that I hope to see their beers in Upstate NY soon.

Overall rating: 4.25/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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Thanks Uncle Jeff & thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Marble / Odell / Stone Megawheat IPA & Stone Ripper Pale Ale

For some reason I appear to have a surplus of beer from Stone Brewing Company in my refrigerator. My previous blog featured their brand new Mint Coffee Milk Stout. Like many of their beers I found it to be quite enjoyable. At the time I purchased that beer, I also picked up their brand new collaboration beer. Later that week I picked up a few cans of Stone Ripper Pale Ale as well. I do not know why I picked up so much Stone beer but that appears to be my predicament at the moment. So I thought, why not keep the trend of reviewing Stone beer going for one more blog?

The reason I was drawn to Stone's brand new collaboration beer, Megawheat IPA, is because of one brewery in particular that they collaborated with. Odell Brewing Company is a brewery I have heard a lot of good things about but have yet to try anything from. My uncle moved out to Fort Collins, Colorado and says they are quite popular out there. He has sent me glassware and t-shirts from Odell, reinforcing the fact I need to get to Colorado for a visit and to check out their local beer scene. I admit I do not know much about Marble Brewery unfortunately, but I definitely would like to. From a standpoint of Odell though, if this is my first taste of their beer, I think it is quite good. The huge aroma was noticeable about a foot from the glass. Tangerine, orange peel, tropical fruit and lime seemed to jump out of the glass. The first sip was interesting, full of citrus notes, tropical fruit with a silky smooth mouthfeel. Notes of tangerine, orange, mango and spice gave way to a bitter lemon, lime and boozy finish. I have to admit, the finish was particularly jarring, especially early into the glass. I did not expect it to be as bitter and tart as it was. The lemon and lime flavors were so aggressive that my mouth was puckering. From an ingredient standpoint, the finish is really a showcase of the Motueka hop, which really brings out those flavors. I really enjoyed this beer for it being aggressive and unique. It definitely gives me reason to see what else they are doing at Odell. As far as Megawheat goes, I enjoyed it but at 8 dollars for a 22 oz bottle, I do not foresee myself picking up a second bottle.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

The reason I picked up Stone Ripper Pale Ale is a lot simpler. I wanted to drink a solid, sessionable beer out of a can to drink while watching professional wrestling. Stone Ripper Pale Ale fit that bill nicely by delivering exactly what I looking for. I realize at 5.7%, that is borderline sessionable ABV-wise. Still, its light, easy-drinking flavor can be enjoyed for a duration of time. Juicy citrus and tropical notes work beautifully with Ripper's nice malt backbone. The only thing about this beer that is not ideal is the bitterness in the finish. The grapefruit rind bitter finish lingers for quite sometime. It's not ideal but it's not a deal breaker. If this is a regular part of Stone's lineup, I am looking forward to drinking a few cans of this when the weather gets warmer. For the time being, I think it makes for a great game day beer.

Overall rating: 3.75/5

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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!