August 25, 2005 - #47 of 365
Brewer: Allagash Brewing Company (Maine, USA)
Beer: Odyssey
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
abv: 10.4%
Background: Bottle from Once Upon a Vine. I heard it’s their Dubbel hopped-up in alcohol and aged in oak barrels, but the commercial description on ratebeer.com calls it a dark wheat beer. But the oak and high alcohol percentage makes it hard to tell which it really is. Either way, only 455 (six-bottle) cases were produced. This is the second in their line of barrel-aged beers, the first being a bourbon barrel Tripel that was good, but overpoweringly alcoholic.
Appearance: Pours deep brown with ruby edges and a one-finger off-white head. Excellent lacing.
Aroma: Very vinous, with plum, oak, and leathery/earthy Belgian yeast notes, as well. The earthiness becomes more apparent as it warms, turning the vinous aromas raisiny. At the bottom of the glass it becomes a little smoky. There’s a party in my nose.
Flavor: Intense flavor, reminiscent of a watered-down brandy. Spicy and fruity on the tip of the tongue, yeasty in the middle, dry and alcoholic on the finish. The oak permeates through the entire sip as a pleasant but subtle background flavor of vanilla and wood.
Notes: Very good, but a little on the thin side for such a strong beer. Can’t wait for these guys’ next experiment.
Rating 4.3 out of 5
Beer: Odyssey
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
abv: 10.4%
Background: Bottle from Once Upon a Vine. I heard it’s their Dubbel hopped-up in alcohol and aged in oak barrels, but the commercial description on ratebeer.com calls it a dark wheat beer. But the oak and high alcohol percentage makes it hard to tell which it really is. Either way, only 455 (six-bottle) cases were produced. This is the second in their line of barrel-aged beers, the first being a bourbon barrel Tripel that was good, but overpoweringly alcoholic.
Appearance: Pours deep brown with ruby edges and a one-finger off-white head. Excellent lacing.
Aroma: Very vinous, with plum, oak, and leathery/earthy Belgian yeast notes, as well. The earthiness becomes more apparent as it warms, turning the vinous aromas raisiny. At the bottom of the glass it becomes a little smoky. There’s a party in my nose.
Flavor: Intense flavor, reminiscent of a watered-down brandy. Spicy and fruity on the tip of the tongue, yeasty in the middle, dry and alcoholic on the finish. The oak permeates through the entire sip as a pleasant but subtle background flavor of vanilla and wood.
Notes: Very good, but a little on the thin side for such a strong beer. Can’t wait for these guys’ next experiment.
Rating 4.3 out of 5
posted by Mr. Swiderski at 2:16 PM
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