We always bring beer when we beer cation. This is the first time we aren't driving and there's not a lot of cans/bottles from AZ that are worth bringing. The best are only in growlers....not an option. We always like to gift the breweries we visit and we heard that Odell is not available here so we picked up a couple of special bottles to bring as gifts to some of the breweries we visit. Is that a good option?
As far as good beers that are readily available in other parts of the country that do not distribute to OR/WA I think the two biggest, best regarded breweries that can be found in AZ are Founders and Bells. Odells would likely be a close 3rd IMO though...definitely good stuff and I wish we got it here.
You are correct that Odell does not distribute here, but they are available in Idaho, so the brand is not completely unknown up here. Personally, I think Odell beers are a fine choice. Most of their beers are quite good, some of them are really exceptional, and I think overall they're flying just a bit under most folks' radar.
I've picked up several Odell beers in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls over the years, and have generally been impressed. @cherche is right that beer geeks in WA will generally geek out more about Founders & Bells, but that's because those breweries get talked up a lot on things like BA. Serious beer people should know of Odell, though, and if they don't, they should be pleasantly surprised.
I've got to assume/hope they begin distro in WA after they start canning. Hoping for first/second quarter of 2016.
