Odell Saboteur. Brett Barrel Brown Ale. Alc. by Vol. 10%. Odell Brewing Company, Fort Collins, CO. Let's skip the gobbledygook, and open 'er up.
Beautiful brown coloration, with crimson highlights, peeking at the bottom. Lush head of tan foam, lacy and lasting. Looks great.
Smellin' it: warm, funky, …and oddly bourbon-y. Does "brett barrel" mean a particular kind of barrel? It's very whiskey-ish. Let's peek at the geek speak. "American oak barrels." Could mean bourbon, doesn't explicitly state it. Has the vanilla and oak, some cherry. And alcohol.That covers it.
Tastin' it: Sour cherry and oak take the palate first. Starts strong, and mellows down. Begins sharp and strong, whiskey feeling still hangs in there, driving the character of the ale more than the brett affects it. Sour factor is light and unobtrusive, just enough a kick in there to keep it interesting. Alcohol kick continues, as well, but doesn't grow too noisy. Halfway into this bottle, I'm not too afraid of what'll happen to me when it's empty. Close, but not quite.
One thing's for certain, and that's that this is a long, luxuriant sipper of an ale. Mmmm, mellow, yet powerful. Sumptuous. Satisfying. (Though I'm sure many of sour head has complained about the "lack" of Brett.)
"Our brewers created an unpretentious, yet sophisticated brown ale. Then they plotted and dosed this full-bodied ale with brettanomyces, the ultimate adversary of wineries. Embracing this vintner's nemesis resulted in a complex and wonderfully drinkable beer. Intense earthy notes of vanilla and pineapple come together with a sour silhouette. Aged in American oak barrels, and then bottle conditioned, Saboteur offers a luxurious texture and depth of flavor to discerning palates."
wait a minute…Pineapple???
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