I'm about to go to the fridge and when I get there I'll have a decision to make: 90 Shilling or Cutthroat Porter. I can't wait, because either way I win. I'll get to enjoy a fine brew from my newest "brew-crush"--Odell Brewing Company of Fort Collins Colorado. I just can't seem to find a beer from this establishment that doesn't make me smile, both inside and out. Perhaps I'm late to a bandwagon, but I think Odell is becoming my favorite Fort Collins brewer. Sorry New Belgium, I've always been a fan, but right now Odell is (in my opinion) just offering better beer.
Notes:
Odell--
- The Good: Levity, Cutthroat, 90 Shilling, 5 Barrel Pale Ale
- Decent: Easy Street Wheat
- The Bad: Haven't tried them all; but haven't met one I didn't like
- Would Like To Try: IPA
- Never been to the brewery
New Belgium--
- The Good: Blue Paddle; Mothership Whit
- Decent:1554
- Losing My Interest: Fat Tire; Sunshine Wheat
- The Bad:Trippel
- WTF?: Springboard
- Would Like to Try: Mighty Arrow;
- Clearly your Green Efforts; Environmental Stewardship; and Corporate Philosophy are not to be competed with
Thoughts?
Posts
5 comments:
I'm actually with you on this one. 90 Shilling is a pound for pound contender with any beer I've had from Colorado. While Easy Street Wheet isn't remarkable, Odell generally delivers the goods.
Not that I'm entirely knocking New Belgium, I actually love 1554 the best, I just think that Odell trots out the Showtime Lakers while New Belgium is probably more like the 95 Rockets: a title winner, but not an all time great.
I'll admit, I'm not the most experienced person when it comes to this battle, but I'm inspired by this post to become just that.
I'll let you know what I think on Monday.
40 fort collins beers...HERE I COME!
Ever since moving to Fort Collins I have championed Odell over New Belgium. That is not to say that New Belgium is not a quality brew but it is more to the credit of Odell.
You should also add my personal favorite, Levity on nitro, to your list of want to try. You get the same basic flavors of Levity that you are used to but with the added creamy goodness that comes along with the nitro.
As far as their IPA it is a tasty beer. However, I find that the hops they use give it a strong citrus flavor. It can be a bit overwhelming for what I expect out of an IPA.
On the New Belgium side, Mighty Arrow is a crisp refreshing pale ale. As a dog lover I also like the story of its name (One of the founders had a dog named Arrow that passed away, so this is a tribute to her dog).
I am in total agreement with Trippel and Springboard. Trippel is just plain shitty and I don't go for the earthy flavors that Springboard brings.
I would strongly recommend visiting the Odell brewery. While you don't get free samples you get to select from a shit load of the finely crafted beers on tap (including some you didn't even know existed).
Fall 2000. I was an occasionally sober student, dodging classes in order to hold down bar stools at Fort Collins' breweries.
From a brewery experience, H.C. Berger was the champ. Not only did you get bottomless samples of beers you cared less about, but the "tour guides" would essentially get more loaded than you, and often times our "sampling" turned into shooting old kegs with a paintball gun out back. (Sadly, and probably coincidentally, they went belly up around 2002-2003)
Gone are those days.
In fact, Odells would have been my second favorite experience. They would not let you leave until you admitted you were pie-eyed. Painful.
And tertiarily, New Belgium sampled your hearts out, far greater than the domestic monolith Budweiser plant did.(But you did get bottomless pretzels and energy drinks from Bud, a solid 4th place)
To date, my favorite beer of all time was a small batch by Odells they dubbed 'Stone Barn', named after a structure still standing across the street from their brewery on the Link N' Greens golf course. But that doesn't do anyone any good, because as to my knowledge, they only made it for a short time. My point is Odell makes dynamite beers, and really captures the local vibe/language of Fort Collins and the region.
I think the value of New Belgium's consistency outweighs Odell's boutique local favorites. You can take a sip of any of N.B.'s beers and know for a fact they made it. They all have some common micro-taste cue, so to speak.
And they are showy. I'll take the gimmicky, ostentatious company any day.
By the way, Dangler maybe you know this, how is the new patio at Odell's? A good patio could really change my mind.
Side note: A few of us visited New Belgium a month ago and were greeted by Giddy-Up, their new espresso beer. I've given my stance on coffee beer, and coffee anything else, on B&B before. I must say, this coffee gaffe tasted more like genuine coffee then any other I've had. Not the super-thick diesel porter style I'm used to, but a lighter, fresher bottle of Joe. A great thing if you like coffee. Another groin-kick for us who don't.
Jimstock
The patio is a great addition on a nice day. It isn't anything fancy but it is a great alternative to the normally crowded inside seating and there is plenty of cover from either hot sun or inclement weather. When outside you also get that great wort/hops smell from the brewery (which I find delightful (this in not the same smell that permeates Golden from Coors, which is awful)).
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