Odell The Meddler Oud Bruin Ale

Odell The Meddler Our Bruin Ale.
8.9 % ABV. 20 IBU.
Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

And here I have an Odell Brewing beer that has not yet appeared in the Nib, probably due to the cost of the bottle. Looking on Untappd, it seems that I've had the beer before, at a tasting party at my home in 2016, for my birthday. One of my fine friends brought it along for all to share. The bottle I find in my possession has provided by another fine friend.  It seems that they make this beer no longer, but I have no idea what year it would be. Anywhere between 4 and 8 years, maybe? I have no idea when it was last brewed.

Well, this is a style that improves with age, so there's no worry here, right?

Off with the cage and cork we go and into some kind of appropriate glassware, while wishing I still had Odell branded glasses. (Nothing lasts forever...)

Rich, Burgundy hue, largely opaque, slim beige-is head.

In the nose: Wine-like, sour aromatics come wafting from the glass, spilling into the senses. Dark fruits and dark malts intermingle, mixed in the with the work of the barrel and the wild yeasts.
Raisin and fig meets all the berries, blended. Lovely stuff.

In the mouth: Intense sour-ness from the start, rich, tannin-y, oaky, complex. Big fruit, big sour. Medium bodied, long, sour finish, wonderful blend. Caramel and cocoa lurk below the barrel and the sour and the funky stuff. At times earthy and bittersweet, with the sour always on top. Delicious.

I love a good oud bruin, and this is one. I do feel that whatever it's age, this bottle is getting near it's peak. Vinegar is starting to creep in and turn the taste.

thanks to Max for the bottle.

A resurrected style from the Flemish region of Belgium, The Meddler oud bruin is a crafty concoction, comprised of several generations of brown ales, barrel aged and blended. Wild yeasts, Lactobacillus, and Brettanomyces meddle with the brew for over 18 months creating complexity and depth of flavor. Hints of malty sweet chocolate and vanilla toy with a hauntingly sour finish. Intricate yet balanced, The Meddler will leave you craving more of the mysterious brew.

Here's more: Seen as a just another arrow in the cure all quiver for bad brewing practices, blending has gotten a bad rap. This is most unfortunate, as blending was oft the saving grace for many a small brewer and vintner alike. There is a roundness to beer, a balance that we as brewers and beer drinkers alike yearn for. Some beers can achieve this right out of the fermentor, but certain styles demand a softer touch. After over a year of barrel aging, we finally have hammered out the kinks in our attempt at a traditional Oud Bruin. Burgundy hued, with sweet caramel up front that fades to clean tartness. Hints of dark fruits linger well after the initial sip, supported by the cinnamon and coconut tannic structure. It’s like a trip to the Flemish region of Belgium, without the hassle from the TSA.