Beer of the Week (Vol. CXVI)

Another edition of Beer of the Week brought to you by the clean cut crew at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help you break away from the pack and discover the finer things in the world of wine, whiskey, and beer. And remember that when it comes to beer, Mark is the store’s official hophead.

This week we feature another offering from the Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado. It’s called Myrcenary:

Named for Myrcene, a component of essential oils in the hop flower, Myrcenary Double IPA is our tribute to those who revere the illustrious hop, and their unyielding exploit to craft hop forward beers. Brewed with a blend of hops containing the highest levels of Myrcene, this double IPA prevails with a tropical fruit-like flavor, a pungent floral aroma, and a clean getaway.

Hmmm...sounds delicious. I wonder where else you can find this myrcene stuff? Partial list of the plants that contain myrcene:

As mentioned above, many plants contain myrcene, sometimes in very large amounts.

• Houttuynia
• Mangoes
• Cannabis spp.
• Hops
• Lemon grass
• West Indian Bay Tree
• Verbena
• Mercia

Enough said. Let’s get on to the beer.

12oz brown bottle with etching. Tan label with the usual Odell paper feel features a motorcycle with a sidecar loaded with hops making a quick escape.

STYLE: Double IPA

Alcohol by Volume: 9.3%

COLOR (0-2): Golden and somewhat foggy. 2

AROMA (0-2): Pineapple and grapefruit with some pine. 2

HEAD (0-2): Bright white color, moderate volume, fluffy with good lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Like the aroma with even stronger flavors of pine, grapefruit, and floral hops. Some nice sweet malt too and a touch of sugar. Despite all the hop flavors, it’s not overly bitter. You can definitely feel the heat, but it’s not overpowering. The mouthfeel is somewhat creamy and the body is medium to heavy. It’s actually fairly drinkable considering the strong flavors and alcohol content. 5

AFTERTASTE (0-2): Smooth and rich. 2

OVERALL (0-6): Wow. This is a damn fine beer and a great example of a double IPA done the right way. It packs tons of hoppy flavors, but doesn’t go overboard with the bitterness as some double IPAs do. There’s also a unique flavor in the beer (the myrcene perhaps?) that I can’t quite put my finger on that really helps this one stand out. Odell’s Myrcenary Double IPA is among the best beers in the land. For now, I’m going to rate it just a notch below Bell’s Hopslam Ale and Surly’s Abrasive Ale. At $8.99 a four-pack it’s a great value and it’s a beer that I’m definitely going to revisit. 5

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 18