561. Odell Brewing Co – Myrcenary Double India Pale Ale

Posted By kkozlen on Mar 23, 2013 | 0 comments

I was out in Colorado for work about a year and a half ago and picked up a four pack of this beer at the local liquor store. I enjoyed the other three while I was there, and brought this one back in my luggage to review when I got home. Apparently, it got lost in the back of the beer fridge, and I noticed it just recently. One reader – Larry, whose beer journey can be found here – recommended it as one of his favorites, so I thought I’d have it tonight.

The date on the bottle is 10/21/11 and it says, “Named for Myrcene, a component of essential oils in the hop flower, Myrcenary Double IPA is our tribute to those who revere the illustrious hop, and their unyielding exploit to craft hop forward beers. Brewed with a blend of hops containing the highest levels of Myrcene, this double IPA prevails with a tropical fruit like flavor, a pungent floral aroma, and a clean getaway.”

Location: Poured into a snifter glass from the bottle at my home in Bloomington, IL.

Numbers: 9.3% ABV, 320 Calories

Appearance & Aroma: It’s golden-orange in color and fairly clear. There’s a good amount of carbonation in it, leaving a thin head that fell to just a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. The aroma is piney-resinous hops with a bit of citrus and grassiness.

Taste & Feel: The body is full and the mouthfeel is somewhat crisp. The flavor up front is bready with a good amount of honey-like sweetness. In the middle, a good amount of piney-resinous hop flavors come through and get bigger in the finish. The finish is a piney-grassy bitterness and flavor that lasts for a while in the aftertaste.

Food Pairing: This is a very hoppy beer, and needs a solid meal to help knock down the hoppiness and alcohol a bit. As I mentioned in my last review, I prefer a big juicy burger or a steak with this type of beer, as it’s big enough to stand up to the hoppiness. However, you could also go with something lighter to highlight the hop flavor. For example, I think turkey and mash potatoes might be good with this to match the bready and honey like sweetness, but also let the hop flavors come through.

Overall Impression: I was surprised at how well the hop flavors held up. It was almost as good as I remember it, with plenty of great hop flavors, a solid malt backbone, and it was very smooth and drinkable, with not a hint of alcohol in this big beer. Overall, it had some great hop flavors and a solid malt backbone, and I hope I can get more of this soon.

My Rating: