We’ve always worked to source local ingredients when possible, and a while back we had this crazy idea. What if we made a beer that featured local ingredients from all of the states that we sell our beer in? Challenge accepted! So we started making some lists, and jotting down ideas. We started Googling the agricultural sites for all of these states, and finally, we comprised a list of regional options and some potential recipes.
This was no simple task; our distributor footprint (which looks something like this)
has a lot of states that grow a lot of grain. But our skillful brewers kept at it, and eventually they drafted their crafty plan. We would brew several small batches on our five barrel Pilot Brewing System, and we’d use the various ingredients sourced from each state. We’d invite our friends to come brew with us, and then we’d blend all the various brews together with one larger brew. IT would be collaboratively delicious! (READ MORE)
We love beer, but we love sharing our beer even more. So much, in fact, that we have eight different ways to package it and bring it to your face. I’ll let you count them off on your own time. Undoubtedly, the most labor intensive of those eight are our 750mL bottle conditioned beers, which come in the champagne and Belgian style bottles. The carbonation found in these beers comes from a specific mix of yeast and sugar that we add directly to the beer right before packaging on a unique 750 line. Which means each and every 750 bottle becomes a tiny fermentation vessel. After some maturation at the brewery, they are ready to leave the nest and explore the wonders of the modern world. Some will go off to college and become increasingly cynical of the world around them. Others still, might meet the bottle of their dreams and start a little glass family. However, most will have their heads unceremoniously popped off and their tasty innards ingested by someone just like you. You sicken me. Cheers! (- A Quality Guy)
Sabby (Saboteur) was given the heave-ho on the 14th, which is quite exciting. We have been enjoying Sabby for a while internally now, and after much deliberation (read: tasting), have decided it finally meets the high standards our friends and families expect. For the uninitiated, Saboteur, is a barrel aged, brown ale, that has been purposefully exposed to a unique strain of a wild yeast known as Brettanomyces, or British Fungus. Brewers and enologists have known about Brettanomyces for ages, but the American craft brewing industry has really been smitten in the last decade or so with the Brett Bug. We have cultivated an in-house strain that cannot be found elsewhere, and through due diligence, brought it forward with our barrel aging program. I like to think of Brett as that one slightly “off” uncle everyone has. The family is divided on how to act around him. He means well, and in between his incoherent ramblings can squeeze out a real gem of wisdom. Sometimes it takes a while to warm up to his charms, but once you’ve had a few rounds of egg nog, Uncle Brett starts to make way too much sense. Sabby is the same way…when you invite him to the table, you know it’s going to be an interesting evening. Enjoy!
- Eli, “A Quality Guy”
Did you know we cranked out over 75 different brews on our five barrel Pilot Brewing System this year? To honor our hard-working steed, an Ode to our Pilot Brew System (and check out the cool word cloud featuring some of these brews)…
An Ode to our Pilot Brew System
Part kitchen, part lab, part playground it’s true
Our Pilot Brew System is where all can come brew
We use it to craft our new recipe creations
We use it to brew experimental libations
We use it for teaching and tour narrations
We use it quite often for collaborations
Yes our Pilot Brew System is our heart and our soul
Crafting Five Barrel Batches of love is the goal
So won’t you please join us for a pint glass or two
Of a deliciously hand crafted unique Pilot Brew
A couple of weeks ago, our tap room co-worker Ryan, a culinary mastermind, graciously offered to cook for us. Over two nights, we gathered to dine on the locally sourced cuisine paired with a variety of Odell Brewing beers. Denver Off The Wagon beer writer extraordinaire, Jess Hunter, joined us the first evening, and described the night beautifully. Check out her full story.
Ryan was also kind enough to share his recipes. Enjoy!
Seared scallop with orange mango butter sauce paired with Hiverrano New American Wild Ale:
Juice 2/3 mango to 1/3 orange, blend, and strain using a sifter.
Add about a half cup of white wine
Add 1/4 cup of water
Salt to taste
Warm liquid on stove top
When warm add 1 to 1 and a half TBS of flower whisking it in until sauce is thick.
Remove from heat
Add softened butter slowly while whisking constantly until sauce taste rich yet still tart and fruitful.
Sear scallop
Top with sauce and fine chopped chives.
Honey glazed apple bruschetta paired with Myrcenary Double IPA:
Cut Golden delicious apples into thin slices
Cut baguette into small diagonal half inch thick slices
Zest one orange
Mix honey with just a little orange juice
Cut MouCo Camembert cheese or brie into 1/4 inch thick slices
Spread apples on bake tray and brush them with honey mixture
Set oven at 350 put apples in for about 3-4 minutes
Put bread in oven about 3 minutes
Place apples on top of bread and cheese on top of apples bake until cheese is soft and just a little melted
Top with small pinch of orange zest
Colorado rack of lamb, wild rice, with Cutthroat porter Demi-glace sauce, shiitake mushrooms and a fresh vegetable medley paired with Bourbon Barrel Stout:
Demi-Glace:
Roast about seven beef bones, two cut in half onions and three carrots on a greased pan in the oven at 350 for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours
Remove from oven and put ingredients in a stock pot
Put Bake try on stove top burner and de-glace with Cutthroat porter
Let simmer on pan for 5 minutes while scraping the bottom of pan to get all the nice gristle to rise
Pour into stock pan
Add Cutthroat porter to stock pan until vegetables are covered simmer for 3 – 4 hours stirring every so often. If liquid drops past vegetables just add more beer or some beef stock
Pour through strainer into another stock pot let simmer and reduce for 2 – 3 hours or until slightly thick
Cool in fridge
After cooled remove fat that rose to the top with ladle
Rack of lamb:
Finley dice fresh rosemary
Spread fresh rosemary, pepper, and sea salt on both sides of lamb
Sear to about 100 and cool
Wild rice:
Saute about two scallions
Mix scallions with water before adding rice
Salt to taste
Cook covered until soft
Put racks in oven until they temp at 140 let rest 5 minutes
Warm butter untill just nutty, add brown sugar. Saute onion, yellow squash and green squash until soft
Saute diced mushrooms
Reduce demi glace in saute pan until thick
Cut rack place on top of rice, spoon sauce on lamb, place diced shiitake on lamb, and place vegetables on side of dish
Intermezzo:
1/4 Gallon Easy Street Wheat
1/8 Gallon water
1/4 cup sugar
3 lemons
Put Easy Street and water into a pot and bring to a slight roll. Add three lemons worth of zest and one and a half juiced lemons. Let this cook until carbonation is gone. When carbonation is gone add sugar to taste. Strain liquid into baking tray and put in freezer combing with a fork about every two hours to form crystals.
Sheep Ricotta cheesecake with hazelnut crust and a pomegranate raspberry tart sauce with Friek:
Good luck finding sheep ricotta, so any cheesecake you make will do
4 Pomegranates
1/2 bag organic raspberry’s
1/8 cup sugar
Put all pomegranate seeds and juice into a blender with raspberry’s and blend them smooth. Strain juice through sifter into a pot. Warm sauce and add sugar whisking constantly until sugar is melted. Cool sauce.
Last week, we gave thanks for 22 years with a special brewery Thanksgiving dinner, a tradition now six years in the making. This year’s celebration was enhanced by a beer and food pairing vote and a multitude of recipes featuring beer as an ingredient. Needless to say, it was an amazing feast that included eclectic dishes like mashed potatoes made with wort soaked green chilies, vanilla scented brussel sprouts, Mountain Standard Reserve 09′sweet potatoes, and pumpkin beer-a-misu.
Mountain Standard Double IPA was the big winner as the best pairing with the traditional Thanksgiving menu items, and Bourbon Barrel Stout was the winning pick for desserts!
Below are just a few recipes from our meal to get you into the Thanksgiving spirit. Happy cooking!
Sweet Potatoes with Isolation Ale, Maple and Bacon (Adapted from: Roasted Sweet Potatoes – Food Blogg on CraftBeer.com)
Yield: Makes 8-10 servings
6 large sweet potatoes or yams
1 lb maple smoked bacon
2 tablespoon butter
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
6 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 bottles Odell Brewing Isolation Ale
6 tablespoons maple syrup
Peel potatoes and boil until soft. Drain and reserve in pot. Broil (or fry) bacon strips until crispy. Reserve three slices, and chop remaining slices. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add sliced onions and brown sugar; stir occasionally, until the onions caramelize and turn a deep golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Add beer and cook 2 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and bacon, and cook 3-4 minutes. Mash boiled potatoes and add in onion mixture. Stir well and garnish with remaining bacon.
Friekin’ Cranberry Sauce!
12 oz bag cranberries
1 cup Odell Brewing Friek (use the rest to toast you guests!)
6 oz raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup rough chopped walnuts
Blend half of the raspberries at grate in blender with 1/2 cup of the Friek. Gently boil everything but the walnuts in a pan for about 10 minutes, add walnuts, boil 5 more minutes, remove from heat, let cool- chill to serve.
Pumpkin Beeramisu (Adapted from: Super-Simple Pumpkin Tiramisu – Bon Apetit Nov. 2006)
This needs to set up overnight, so start one day ahead.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg)
2 (3-ounce) packages halved ladyfingers
1/4 cup Odell Brewing Mountain Standard Double Black IPA (enjoy the rest while cooking!)
2 ounces crushed amaretti cookies
Beat whipping cream and sugar until peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice; beat just until filling is smooth. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 1 package ladyfingers, overlapping and crowding to fit. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum. Spread half of filling over ladyfingers. Repeat with second package ladyfingers, remaining 2 tablespoons rum, and remaining filling. Smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Chill overnight. To unmold, run knife around inside edge of pan. Release pan sides; sprinkle with amaretti cookies.
Bourbon Barrel Stout Pecan Pie
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups pecan halves
3 tablespoons Odell Brewing Bourbon Barrel Stout (save the rest to enjoy with a slice of the pie!)
1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell, unbaked
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Spread pecans out on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. Let them cool completely before adding to mixture. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, eggs, cooled pecans, and Bourbon Barrel Stout, and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
On October 29th, the Colorado State University Brewing Science and Technology class along with Professor Jack Avens joined Doug Odell in brewing this semester’s class beer. The class, part of the university’s department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, is now in its seventh year. This is the fifth year the students (all over 21) have brewed with Odell Brewing. “Three Sheets,” a Belgian Tripel, will be tapped on Thursday, November 17th. The brewery will host a celebration for the class on November 17th from 4-6pm. Guests can try the class brew and enjoy live acoustic funk music by Futaba.
Winter’s around the corner – the clocks are rolling back and we’re having an epic release party for our Mountain Standard Double Black IPA! Join us Saturday, November 5th: Live music with Kinney & Baute 4-6pm , an Odell Snowboard auction benefiting CSU’s Snowriders, a thrashing ski/snowboard flic at 7pm and booths galore- all celebrating this Colorado hopped MSR ’11 brew and the coming snow!!
Earlier this year Corkie Odell and Community Outreach Coordinator, Karla Baise participated in a United Way bus tour of four of their affiliate agencies. Touched by their visits and inspired by the altruistic nature of our community allowing the expansion of Northern Catholic Charities Mission, they returned to the brewery motivated to help. With the help of NCC Volunteer Coordinator, Keith Colton, they devised a plan to rejuvenate the older side of the Mission to better match the new construction.
In two days, with their work force cut in half, Team Odell managed to tackle more of the update than expected, putting a fresh coat of paint on almost twice the square footage that was anticipated and preparing the daily afternoon meal for the Mission’s clients.
The positivity over the two days at the Mission was tangible and Ryan King said, “It was fulfilling to know that you made a difference in someone’s life. It definitely made me appreciate what I have more. It’s cool that the brewery promotes our participation in outreach like this.”
Last year the brewery participated in their first brewery-wide community call-to-action, partnering with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Again in a two-day stint, the company split in half to conquer the reparation of a Northern section of creek-bed that has been experiencing decades of man-made erosion. “It is so exhilarating to get together as a group outside the brewery walls; it’s even better when we leave something great in our wake. It’s powerful to have our sales team painting a wall with our packaging crew or the owners planting willow-canes next to our tap room associates. It reiterates the culture of family that the Odells have created and continue to nurture, and strengthens our passion translated: ‘We brew, we share, we play!’ We anticipate these team-builds to be an annual event,’ says Odell Community Outreach Coordinator Karla Baise.
Keith Colton, volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities Larimer Region – The Mission, had this to say about the work day, “Wow, what a crew. I wish I could detail for you, in brief, all of the little things you all did so well. Really it was the teamwork, communication, drive, effort, energy and heart that really was impressive, but it was so much more than that. I suppose if I were to say anything I would say that what really showed, more than any of the logistical teamwork stuff, is that it seems like your staff really gets it, I mean REALLY gets it. The bottom line is that your crew is visibly distinct in working for social change instead of simply engaging in charity work.”
