Odell Curmudgeon's Nip
Odell Brewing Company

Odell Curmudgeon's NipOdell Curmudgeon's Nip
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From:
Odell Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
91
Avg:
4.17 | pDev: 10.07%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
26
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 06, 2014
Added:
Jan 28, 2001
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gusler:
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

4.42/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This beer pours an unblurred burnished copper to mahogany color with a modest head that is frothy in texture and the residual lace a fine covering sheet upon the glass. Nose is sweet malt, caramel, with hints of almonds fresh and inviting with the start quite sweet, thickly malt, and the top middling in its feel to the palate. Finish is pleasantly carbonated, the hops spicy and not overbearing, but the aftertaste has a definite alcohol bite and a big time “Belly Warming” is felt almost immediately. No mistaking this for anything but a “Big Bad Boy Barley Wine” and I get to thank my “Most Favorite Bartender” Mel from Papago Brewery for bringing me this bottle from Colorado.
Oct 07, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.75 by afsdan from Colorado

Apr 06, 2014
Photo of rye726
Reviewed by rye726 from Colorado

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Glad to have the opportunity to try this. Nice beer, not sure why they stopped making it. Not sure on the age of this bottle. Pours an amberish brown with a nice beige head. Taste has sweet malts, fairly simple. Not too much going on, but a decent beer.
Mar 02, 2011
Photo of brewcrew76
Reviewed by brewcrew76 from Wisconsin

4.32/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Pours a hazy orange copper with a thin tan head.

S - Dark fruits, plums, figs, malty. Hint of alcohol in the nose.

T - Wow, this one is nice. Sweet malt up front with figs, raisins and plums joining in. Some piney hops thrown in that balance this one nicely. Alcohol is present but not overpowering.

M - Medium to full body but smooth with little carbonation. Slight warming as this one goes down.

D - This one is very tasty. I did not realize it has been retired when I opened it. I only wish I had more around.
Aug 11, 2006
Photo of ColoradoBobs
Reviewed by ColoradoBobs from Colorado

4.19/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Okay, what is it? English Barleywine or Old Ale? Jason calls it the former, the website calls it the latter; and the bottle says, "Barleywine style ale" on the front, and "a rich, traditional English style Barley Wine" on the side.

12 ounce bottle, with a brewing date of "032006." Hmmmm. That's pretty doggone recent for a beer that's supposed to the "retired."

Whatever, I'm pumped about this.

Clear dark orange-amber body under an ample off-white head that shrinks in a couple of minutes to a thin ring with plenty of thick lacing.

Great smell of rummy raisins, figs, pumpernickel bread, some clove and malted malty malt.

Taste is all of the aroma with a spicey and peppery front note. Really sweet and malty, but there is an excellent hop balance. Wow, what a great surprise from Odell's! Please tell me this baby has come out of retirement -- I just bought it at Liquor Max a month ago!

Mouthfeel is round and warming -- the alchohol is definitely there, and I'm guessing 9%.

Drinkability is down a bit because the alcohol is so present.
Apr 21, 2006
Photo of mentor
Reviewed by mentor from Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked up a bottle of this a while back and finally got a chance to drink it. Bottle date is 032006. Since this is only 02/2006, that must be the best by date. Hard pour gets a nice creamy tan-brown head of half a finger in size. The beer is a cloudy orange rust...but some of the sediment made it into the bottle. Smells caramelly sweet with a mild alcohol sting. Hint of nutty and very ester fruity. Something else I can recognize, but not quite place. Fresh nutmeg? Tastes simply divine. Wet sweet malty with caramel and a hint of chocolate. Strong fruity esters fall away to a late rising alcohol. The alc isn't very intense, but what there is is rough and burny. Also near the end, and into the aftertaste, is a light piney hop flavor. Light like fresh spruce tips, rather than dark and brutal like pine tar. The aftertaste also holds an interesting game of tage between fruity and malty. Plus a very gentle drying chocolate. A whirlwind of activity on my tastebuds. The body is a bit light, but has a creamy smoothness about it. Like a very fine dextrinous quality. Just a note, near the end of the glass, the focus of each sip became a rough burny alcohol. I'd be hard pressed to be interested in any more.
Feb 15, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Equal parts brick red, orange and weathered bronze, absolutely choked with particulates of all sizes. The orangish ivory crown is surprisingly large and stubborn, given the fact that the ABV is probably somewhere in the vicinity of 8.0-9.0%. It looks especially rich and creamy as it deflates, and deposits a circumferential sheet of lace that is interrupted by medium-sized holes of clear glass.

I don't care much about style designation when it comes to old ales vs. barleywines. I'm also not able to point out the relevant differences in most cases. Having said that, Curmudgeon's Nip smells more like the 'English Barley Wine Style Ale' that Odell says it is. The nose is rich and malty and boozy fruity, with that Christmas fruitcake aroma that I've come to know and love.

Give me a hoptastic American barleywine any day, but for a more sedate, malt-focused beer, this one more than holds its own. The mouthfeel needs to be a fraction more full since that would allow the wonderful flavor to linger longer on the palate. After almost three years of repose (bottled on 02/23/03) the alcohol has been effectively tamed.

The usual fruit flavors are present. Brandy-soaked cherries, ripe figs and dried orange peel chief among them. The beer doesn't taste dark enough to be considered raisiny, however. I might have preferred it a little bit younger (my fault since I've been cellaring it for almost two years), but it's hard to argue with such a smooth, civilized sipper. Nip would be perfect in front of a roaring fire... bearskin rug or not.

My initial impression of the mouthfeel was that it was too light. With time, though, it's becoming more viscous. The incredible silky smoothness increases drinkability quite a bit. However, the beer is still best enjoyed if one keeps the name in mind and limits oneself to little nips. If my current degree of numbing is any indication, the ABV has to be closing in on 10.0%.

Odell Curmudgeon's Nip is a solid example of an English barleywine. It's a shame the brewery has decided against making it a regular offering since I'd love to sample it at various ages and determine which one suits me best. Thanks to prAna for the final bottle from my first ever BA trade.
Jan 16, 2006
Photo of stegmakk
Reviewed by stegmakk from New York

4.35/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled date 2-23-05
Well I figured 2 years would be nice...Celebrating for some odd reason...oh yeah...Its Tuesday.
Poured a dark brownish red mahoganny with a thin light tan head. Left nice thin lacing down the glass.
Aroma of molasses and alcohol (not the harsh alcohol smell but the warm and inviting drink me kind of a good wine).
Taste was just wow. Not harsh but very nice mellow great mix of flavors. Tastes of molasses roasted raisins, and leaves a long aftertaste that I enjoyed.
Mouthfeel was a tiny bit thin, but still smooth and coating going down.
I wish I had more of these. A big thank you to whomever I traded with a long time ago to get one of these. It is a shame its been in my closet for a while...or it is?
Mar 02, 2005
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

4.32/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle obtained via trade with meathookjones. Bottling date of 2/23/03. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a short-lived 1/4" of beige head over the somewhat murky reddish amber brew. Lacing is average, acceptable for a strong ale and/or barleywine. Aroma is initially of sweet caramel malts, but quickly gives way to dark fruits and alcohol. Taste is follows the nose, with sweet malts fading into a deep fruit that turns into warming alcohol notes. Mouthfeel is excellent, oh-so-smooth, and drinkability is wonderful as well. A nice strong ale/barleywine that doesn't kick you in the head, at least not right away.
Dec 10, 2004
Photo of Mitchster
Reviewed by Mitchster from Michigan

4.24/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 02-2003. Pours out to a cloudy deep-caramel brown, forming a small beige head with poor retention and sparse lacing. Carbonation is mild to moderate. Aroma is full with raisins, prunes, dates, vanilla, caramel, and some floral hops. Mouthfeel is smooth and cloying with a dense, syrupy body. Taste begins with raisins and dates, with a huge amber and pale malt bill...lots of sugars with predominant sweetness careeningly balanced by the mild bitterness of floral hops, however there is a moderate level of hop flavor towards the end. Reminds me a bit of Sam Adams Triple Bock, as there is a touch of maple syrup and toast in the finish which lingers into the aftertaste. A touch of alcohol is evident in taste, but also warms the pipes as it goes down. Cleanly fermented. As it warms, I notice it tends to become a tad dry in the finish, as the alcohol becomes more noticeable.

This is one of the better barleywines I've had. It's not abrasive and quite smooth and emphasizes the malts over the hops, which is personal preference.
Nov 04, 2004
Photo of Rastacouere
Reviewed by Rastacouere from Canada (QC)

2.8/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Pale copper, low carbonation, small short-lasting head. SYrupy aroma, a little medicinal, candyish. It's hard to believe a beer with 7,9% ABV can taste so alcoholic (rhum), even for a barley wine. Blind I'd never estimate this under 10%. Very sweet taste, lots of malt left, but also nice fruity counterparts t balance it up a bit, especially blackberries and cherries.
Oct 25, 2004
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.02/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
I scored this bottle from Bditty187, thanks for the hookup!
I am sampling at room temp in a snifter..

The brew pours a clear light mahogany color and develops a small offwhite head that fades very quickly.
Aroma is fruity sweet with ripe pears, white grapes, raisins, some hits of alcohol and some molassess too.
First sip reveals an average body with very gentle rolling carbonation. No real hint of the alcohol until it reaches my belly.
Flavor is malty sweet with molasess, ripe pears and raisins and some peppery spiciness on the swallow, I think this is the alcohol. Pretty smooth beer and relatively well hidden abv. A tasty treat for sure.
Oct 17, 2004
Photo of meathookjones
Reviewed by meathookjones from Virginia

4.27/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This was a 12oz bottle from 2003 that I got in a trade from bditty187. A slow forming beige head finally rose to a little over half an inch over deep thick brownish red body. The head died quicker than it formed leaving no lace in its demise. Aroma of sweet malt with notes of various dark fruits rose from the glass with hints of molasses and a touch of alcohol in the mix. This has a sticky sweet flavor that seemed to stay in your mouth for a while and also had dark fruit notes. Quite a warmer too as I warmed up real quick drinking this and it had a bit of an alcohol bite to it as well but not too much. Aftertaste was a bittersweet fruity one that was quite good. About a medium body with a sticky feel to it that warms you up nicely. Very tasty stuff here that I could drink a few of. Balanced enough that the sweetness is not overbearing. Give it a shot if you can find it.
Oct 12, 2004
Photo of bigbeerdrinka
Reviewed by bigbeerdrinka from Germany

4.02/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This beer pours a deep mahogany color with ruby and deep amber highlights. A small white head appears about a 1/8 inch high and leaves a slight amount of lace on the glass. Aromas are all over the place on this beer. There are dark fruits consisting of grapes, figs, plums, with a nice slight alcohol presence in there that may best be described as port and brandy like. Also there are some slight malt aromas and a little sugary presence as well. Upon first sipping this beer was just zinging on the pallate. Alcohol notes were almost the first thing present in this brew, showing off a very brandy like flavor. Follow some of the fruity characteristics of this beer shine through, showing off some figs and grapes, with some other fruits mixing in there as well. Finally this beer finishes strong and warm, with some malty background tones, a nice slight sweetness, and a finishes alcohol that just sticks on the mouth. Overall this beer is full bodied and rich in flavor, with only a slight amount of carbonation. A nice beer for the style..
Aug 06, 2004
Photo of feloniousmonk
Reviewed by feloniousmonk from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Clear, crimson coloration, slim, soon-gone beigish head.
Aroma is rosy, fruity, deep, redolent of brandy, whiskey, port wine, flush with dark, fruity flavors, plums, cherries, melons, more. Very nice.
Smooth on the tongue, at first, but an burnished feel arrives quickly, accompanied by the full alcoholic attack. No ABV on the label...wonder why?...but it feels awfully strong. Between 9 and 11%, I'd guess. Rich flavor, abundant texture, full bodied, inordinately tasty.
Perfect for slow, purposeful sipping, tiny nips now and then, in between contemplation, rumination, cogitation, stuff like that. We curmudgeon's need our nips, and this guy does the trick. Slick feel in the finish, almost medicinal, like cherry cough syrup, but it rescues itself ably, and maintains it's ground as an elixir that conjures philosophical feelings from the most misanthropic of all of us.
Jul 27, 2004
Photo of HiroProtagonist
Reviewed by HiroProtagonist from Maryland

4.12/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Odell Curmudgeon’s Nip was served from a 12 oz. bottle. In a pint glass, the beer was a rich, brilliant reddish orange hue, and lacked any substantial head, save for a ring of off-white foam. The nose was wonderfully aromatic, with a delicately sweet raisiny maltiness and a complementary floral hop boquet. This barleywine had a excellent flow of flavor. The richly roasted, vibrant rummy raisin malt base slowly rose in intensity and spicy sharpness over several seconds as it sat on the palate. Following this wonderful peak was a snappy dried fruit bitterness that left lingering raisin/apple flavor. All of this goes down with a great rythym and balance. Warming. The body was wieghted superbly for the style and flavor, but I found the carbonation to be lacking somewhat. As the balance of this barleywine was excellent, it was quite drinkable compared to others in the style. Simply excellent. Big thanks to prAna for making this review possible.
Mar 16, 2004
Photo of Beaver13
Reviewed by Beaver13 from Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
The Curmudgeon's Nip poured a clear mahongany with a smallish, creamy light brown head that quickly went to a collar and left a little lacing. It smells of molasses, tart fig and alcohol. It's pretty full-bodied, and very sticky/syrupy and almost cloyingly sweet. It's taste is sweet toffee and caramel initially, with an earthy, hoppy bitter finish that is kind of acidic. You can definitely notice an alcoholic warming effect right off the bat. I didn't think the sweetness and bitterness was very well balanced - way too sweet. I was pretty disapointed by this beer compared to the rest of Odell's offerings.
Mar 04, 2004
Photo of PhantomVodoo
Reviewed by PhantomVodoo from Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottling date: 02/28/03. Sampled at 1 year and 1 day.
Tan head. Hazed, coppery amber brew.
Aroma of rich, toasty malt and a significant earthiness.

Taste shows rich, sweet, toasty toffee and caramel malt. Decent hop balance. Significant earthiness.

Full body and a thick mouthfeel.
Good drinkability.

Overall, a good barley wine. Big thanks to bditty187 for the nicely aged bottle!
Mar 02, 2004
Photo of Bierman9
Reviewed by Bierman9 from New Hampshire

4.12/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Time for a nip. It fills the glass with a rich, deep, auburn color. It is nearly clear, but for a slight haze. Head was practically nonexistent, though, save for a slight gathering of froth around the edge of the glass, which leaves a hint of lacing. Despite the lack of a topping, I still give it a 4.0 for the lovely hue of the Bier. Though I love the over-the-top citrus hoppiness of US versions of Barleywines, this aroma is a great, and welcome, change. It emits loads of sweetness melding with caramel and toffee notes. Mmmm...!! Body hovered in the medium range, though I thought it could be fuller. Yet is still made a fairly smooth journey over the tongue. Like the nose, the flavor has more than enough sweetness and malty, caramel attributes. Toffee, dark fruit flavors, and even a suggestion of chocolate also come into play here, in this rich, and subtly warming brew. Very pleasurable! Thnx to bditty187. Zum Wohl!!

overall: 4.1
appearance: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

687
Feb 22, 2004
Photo of marc77
Reviewed by marc77 from California

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
Clear ruby hue. Head recedes into a thin, but steadfast light tan coating. Sparse lace remains. Notes of roasted, oily pecan and dark toffee waft to the nose upfront. Ensuing are rounded, woody hops and bittersweet, peppery ethanol hints. Stately butterscotch surfaces as the beer breathes. Mellow, and agreeably restrained aromawise. In flavor, the dominant malt impression is a combination of dark, treacle sweetened grainy biscuit and dark lovibond caramel with a roasted barley tinge. Esters meld with malt character to lend a subtle suggestion of caramelized prune. Gentle, inobtrusive hop bitterness quells residual sweetness partially, leaving a lingering buttery toffee tone. Understated earthy, humus like hop flavor and ester combination. A touch shy in viscosity to support the malt profile, with an overly fluid mouthfeel. Finishes with quickly fleeting hints of brown sugar coated praline, but isn't overtly sweet. A very tasty and well balanced strong ale that is both rich, but soft on the palate. A deceptively gentle brew, indeed.
Feb 09, 2004
Odell Curmudgeon's Nip from Odell Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 26 ratings