Our Dedication to Constant Quality Improvement

We took an innovative leap forward in amplifying the quality of our beers here at Odell by making the switch from filtration to centrifugation without the aid of filtration or clarification aids like diatomaceous earth (DE) for all of our previously filtered beers. For those unfamiliar with centrifugation and why we believe it to be a superior method to beer clarification, here is a little explanation for you: Unlike filtration which relies on DE to strip out yeast, hop and protein particulate from the beer, a centrifuge relies on centrifugal force for beer clarification. A centrifuge works by spinning the beer at very high speeds thereby creating high G forces which removes the heaviest particles (i.e. yeast and hops) from the beer. Since the beer is never passed through a filter media the essential hop oils and fine proteins that contribute to improved hop flavor and aroma, as well as improved body and mouthfeel, are not stripped from the beer. The centrifuge process is therefore much gentler on the beer and results in the following significant quality improvements.

Lower dissolved oxygen pickup in the finished beer and increased shelf stability. Dissolved oxygen is the number one staling component in craft beer and the primary cause of oxidized flavors in the beer you buy at your local on or off premise accounts. By significantly reducing, and nearly eliminating, our dissolved oxygen pickup, our beer will taste as fresh as possible throughout our ten markets.

Increased brightness in hop flavors and aromas in hop forward beers. We are no longer stripping the essential hop oils out of the beer, so you will find our 5 Barrel Pale Ale, IPA, Red Ale, and St. Lupulin to have a brighter hop flavor and aroma similar to we taste in the fermenters here at the brewery. We have only centrifuged Myrcenary from its inception and we can assure you that you will continue to experience Myrcenary’s beautiful hop character in the future.

Improved mouthfeel and body in our malt forward offerings. Similar to our hop forward beers and filtration stripping essential hop oils from the beer, the body of a malt forward beer is stripped of the rich malt characters during filtration. By centrifuging 90 Shilling you will notice that beautiful Caramel malt character across your tongue, and with Cutthroat Porter your palate will notice an improved richness to the roast, coffee and chocolate notes.

When you purchase your next Odell beer you may also notice a light layer of protein sedimentation in our bottles, that when agitated immediately dissolves back into solution. This protein haze is made up of the small fine proteins that help improve hop flavors and aromas, as well as mouthfeel and body. By keeping these proteins in our beers they may have a slightly hazier appearance then they have in the past, but as a craft brewer dedicated to keeping the craft in craft beer, we believe a dedication to constant quality improvement is always the most important part of being a craft brewer!

Cheers!