Allagash Odyssey | Allagash Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Allagash Brewing Company
Maine, United States
allagash.com
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Allagash Odyssey is a dark wheat beer aged for ten months, a portion in oak barrels and the remainder in stainless tanks. The recipe includes 2-row barley, malted wheat, a generous amount of roasted barley and Belgian candi sugar. This deep brown beer boasts an aroma of black treacle and raisin. The flavor hints at dates, with a mildly roasted finish imparted by aging in both medium and heavy toast American Oak barrels. The finish is dry, punctuated by vanilla.
Added by Todd on 01-30-2005
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 1,232 | Reviews: 422
4.7/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Black color, thick head. Oaky aroma from the 10 months of oak barrel aging. Usually I’m not a fan of barrel-aged beer but this is very good. Bit of an alcoholic aroma. Notes of dates and brown sugar, good roasted malt quality to it. Maybe a hint of vanilla on the finish. Little bit dry finish, despite the semi-sweet notes. Syrupy mouthfeel, would almost make a better winter warmer than something to have in the spring (especially at 10.4% ABV).
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Black color, thick head. Oaky aroma from the 10 months of oak barrel aging. Usually I’m not a fan of barrel-aged beer but this is very good. Bit of an alcoholic aroma. Notes of dates and brown sugar, good roasted malt quality to it. Maybe a hint of vanilla on the finish. Little bit dry finish, despite the semi-sweet notes. Syrupy mouthfeel, would almost make a better winter warmer than something to have in the spring (especially at 10.4% ABV).
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3.92/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Quick review: Pours a beautiful mahogany brown with a nice two finger head. The head is slow to break, and leaves nice lacing. In the smell you pick up light oak, and the traditional candi and dark fruit smells of a BSDA. The taste is light, with the oak not always present. The flavors are okay for a BSDA, nice candi and dark fruits, but still a little light. The feel is medium and the carbonation is good. There is a good dry finish.
All in all not my favorite from Allagash, but a solid beer.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Quick review: Pours a beautiful mahogany brown with a nice two finger head. The head is slow to break, and leaves nice lacing. In the smell you pick up light oak, and the traditional candi and dark fruit smells of a BSDA. The taste is light, with the oak not always present. The flavors are okay for a BSDA, nice candi and dark fruits, but still a little light. The feel is medium and the carbonation is good. There is a good dry finish.
All in all not my favorite from Allagash, but a solid beer.
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3.2/5 rDev -24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.53/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.06/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled January 2014; consumed August 5, 2016.
A: Poured from the 750 ml bottle into a Chimay chalice. Body is dark brown - almost black (though some ruby hues are noted here and there when backlit) - with a 1-finger khaki-colored head on top. Despite the dark body, carbonation is visible as bubbles rise along the side of the glass.
S: Some dark fruit, roasted malt and a hint of smoke. Not a terribly strong nose, but what's there is appropriate for the style.
T: First impression is the dark fruits - a bit plummy and/or pruney. A bit of burnt brown sugar is noted, along with some cocoa - and Coca-Cola. Finishes with a wee bit of vanilla, but otherwise the oak aging isn't much evident in the taste. The 10.4% ABV (noted on the bottle) isn't really evident at all.
M: A little bit thin and watery, which is a surprise. Makes it an easier drinker, however - and given the high ABV, dangerously so.
O: This is quite good. Curious as to whether the 30 months or so of age on this one have hurt it much, or whether it's allowed the booze to moderate and so may have helped it.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled January 2014; consumed August 5, 2016.
A: Poured from the 750 ml bottle into a Chimay chalice. Body is dark brown - almost black (though some ruby hues are noted here and there when backlit) - with a 1-finger khaki-colored head on top. Despite the dark body, carbonation is visible as bubbles rise along the side of the glass.
S: Some dark fruit, roasted malt and a hint of smoke. Not a terribly strong nose, but what's there is appropriate for the style.
T: First impression is the dark fruits - a bit plummy and/or pruney. A bit of burnt brown sugar is noted, along with some cocoa - and Coca-Cola. Finishes with a wee bit of vanilla, but otherwise the oak aging isn't much evident in the taste. The 10.4% ABV (noted on the bottle) isn't really evident at all.
M: A little bit thin and watery, which is a surprise. Makes it an easier drinker, however - and given the high ABV, dangerously so.
O: This is quite good. Curious as to whether the 30 months or so of age on this one have hurt it much, or whether it's allowed the booze to moderate and so may have helped it.
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4.74/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Smooth and very tasty. Slightly burnt Carmel flavors and not in a bad way. This is another premium beer from a premium brewery.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Smooth and very tasty. Slightly burnt Carmel flavors and not in a bad way. This is another premium beer from a premium brewery.
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4.75/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.52/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a speiglau barrel aged glass.
Look is a very dark mahogany bordering on stout black. Head is white and fairly retentive.
Aroma is slightly sour brown a oaky vanilla from the barrels.
Beer is a strong brown molasses malt with a smooth vanilla at the end. Slight tang surrounding the taste.
Very delicious barrel aged beer.
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look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a speiglau barrel aged glass.
Look is a very dark mahogany bordering on stout black. Head is white and fairly retentive.
Aroma is slightly sour brown a oaky vanilla from the barrels.
Beer is a strong brown molasses malt with a smooth vanilla at the end. Slight tang surrounding the taste.
Very delicious barrel aged beer.
358 characters
4.28/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This American oak barrel aged Belgian strong dark ale pours a very dark brown, almost black, color with a fairly large tan foamy head that has a really great retention. The smell is fairly mild, but is of roasted malts and dark fruit. The flavor is dominated by a bold flavor of roasted grains and wheat with a little bit of smokiness and more subtle flavors of molasses, raisin, and vanilla. There is also a noticeable flavor of alcohol (not surprising since it is 10.4%), but by Belgian strong ale standards it’s actually more measured than average if anything. The finish is slightly bitter to round out the beer with some hops and it is also a little dry. The body is pretty heavy or at least on the high end of medium, making it a little heavier than most I have tried of this style. This is definitely not your typical Belgian beer and it’s not very similar to anything that I have tried previously from Allagash either. It is a truly unique experience and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This American oak barrel aged Belgian strong dark ale pours a very dark brown, almost black, color with a fairly large tan foamy head that has a really great retention. The smell is fairly mild, but is of roasted malts and dark fruit. The flavor is dominated by a bold flavor of roasted grains and wheat with a little bit of smokiness and more subtle flavors of molasses, raisin, and vanilla. There is also a noticeable flavor of alcohol (not surprising since it is 10.4%), but by Belgian strong ale standards it’s actually more measured than average if anything. The finish is slightly bitter to round out the beer with some hops and it is also a little dry. The body is pretty heavy or at least on the high end of medium, making it a little heavier than most I have tried of this style. This is definitely not your typical Belgian beer and it’s not very similar to anything that I have tried previously from Allagash either. It is a truly unique experience and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.
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4.23/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: It is dark brown with ruby highlights with Belgian lace. It has a frothy brown head.
Smell: There are aromas of roast, dark fruits, plums, and earthly elements.
Taste: There are flavors of roast, chocolate, dark fruits, plums, earthly elements, and cherries.
Feel: It has a heavy feel to it and is highly bitter on the low side.
Overall: It is a complex ale with complex combinations of malts and hops with yeast with significant alcohol warming.
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look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: It is dark brown with ruby highlights with Belgian lace. It has a frothy brown head.
Smell: There are aromas of roast, dark fruits, plums, and earthly elements.
Taste: There are flavors of roast, chocolate, dark fruits, plums, earthly elements, and cherries.
Feel: It has a heavy feel to it and is highly bitter on the low side.
Overall: It is a complex ale with complex combinations of malts and hops with yeast with significant alcohol warming.
460 characters
4.5/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.75/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.5/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.13/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.24/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: black in the glass but oddly has a bright white head. looks good though
S: sweet, barrel notes, dark fruit. smells like trio pistoles
T: starts with big dark fruit, then the barrel and finshes with vanilla
F: rather thin, but coats m mouth well and the flavors linger.
O: decent beer, but I wouldn't seek it out
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: black in the glass but oddly has a bright white head. looks good though
S: sweet, barrel notes, dark fruit. smells like trio pistoles
T: starts with big dark fruit, then the barrel and finshes with vanilla
F: rather thin, but coats m mouth well and the flavors linger.
O: decent beer, but I wouldn't seek it out
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3.75/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.71/5 rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.75/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Allagash Odyssey from Allagash Brewing Company
4.25
out of 5
based on 1,232 ratings.
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25