Flemish Giant
Odell Brewing Company

 

A: Poured into a Duvel tulip to a deep gold with some slight reddish tint and topped by a dense and slightly rocky finger of off white head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing.
S: Smells of light sourness and cherries with some hints of spice and leather along with some hints of oak
T: Taste is grapefruit rind, leather, slight peppery spice, cherries, and light tartness along with a touch of oak and some more dark fruits. On the swallow there's more cherry and grapefruit with some more oak, spice and a hint of leather.
M: This beer is fairly light in body with a slightly watery feel on the palate. Carbonation is slightly effervescent but it feels a tad low at the same time while the beer has a slightly drying finish.
O: Overall this one isn't bad but it doesn't compare well to the other beers of the same style. It isn't quite tart enough and some of the flavors are out of left field. Overall a good attempt and a good beer but as a Flanders Red it falls short. As an American Wild Ale it's really solid though.

 

I enjoyed this beer, since it was just a bit sour without being overpowering. You still get the raisin and plum notes without getting the overly tart flavor that tends to dominate these types of beers. For being barrel-aged, the ABV is actually very low. You have to pair it with the right food, or at least I do, because sours aren't necessarily the best sipping beers. But if you do it right, the food will really bring out the subtle flavors of this beer.

750ml bottle. From the 2017 Cellar Series.
Slightly cloudy, red amber colored body. One finger of white head with the pour, which then recedes to an interrupted cap and ring. Leaves behind a sprinkling of lacing.
Aroma of slight tartness and wood. Has a little bit of cherry, also a bit of vanilla.
Taste of cherry and wood. The bottom of the taste is dark fruit of raisin and plum. Not much in the aftertaste but a bit of cherry.
Thin to medium mouth feel. Good carbonation.
Has a bit of tartness but rather mild overall. Certainly not a teeth scraper. Pleasant enough, and I think this beer would be a good companion for a savory Belgian meal. The beer reminds me a good enough red table wine.

 

 

 

Pours a dark copper-burgundy with a finger and a half of khaki head. Head retention is good, with no lacing left behind. Aroma is tart cherries, dark fruit, and yeast spice. There is a little glimpse of alcohol peeping through. Flavor profile is tart cherries, dark fruit, plum, and yeast spice. Unfortunately, a little zip of alcohol shows itself as well. It is smooth, with only a slight tart, sour taste. Mouth feel is smooth, with a modest effervescent feel. It has medium in thickness. Overall, not bad. The cherries and dark fruits work well together, giving it a slightly tart/sour taste, without being over powering, or puckering.

Served in a 12oz snifter from a 22oz bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light red color. Completely transparent. No head to speak of. Earthy and slightly balsamic aroma. Minimal tartness. Harsh, dirty hop. Unbalanced. Medium body and gritty texture. Avoid.

this didnt impress me with the same complexity some of their other wood aged wild beers have, but its pretty authentic and true to style, and the culture here is great. its got that dark cherry and red wine vinegar component to it, puckery and acetic, slightly citric, but not enamel peeling or anything, it drinks easier as a result of more moderate sourness. i like the body here, it has a little fuller feel than many, with a dried fruit complexion, a spice cake malty thing, and tart cherry to round it out. light vanilla from the wood, a honey sweet pocket in there, and a general smoothness thats really nice. more woody in general than it is a product of specific barrels i think. its also kind of dusty and earthy and seemingly very mature, which i like in the style, and the vinegar element is not intense enough to break that down. good carbonation too, i like these bright like this. drier to to finish for how fruity it starts, slight cardboard and lemon in the end too. now boring, but not interesting either, just a pretty textbook take on the style, if you know it and like it, you will appreciate this, about as solid as i have seen from an american producer...

Original rating May 21 2017- 32 oz crowler- Pours hazy orange with a medium off white head that reduces to a collar. Aroma is tart, oak, cherries, figs, plums, a bit of bread crust. The taste is mildly tart, oak is prominent, vanilla, dry, raisins, plums, cherries, the pie crust that was in the aroma seems to be lacking in the flavor. Good beer, but was hoping for better.