Best of 2011 #1 – Mountain Standard
Leave a commentDecember 31, 2011 by iamseanbrage
Black IPAs are still developing a slow, steady underground following in the craft beer seen. We remember a year ago seeing only a few offerings on the shelf. Nowadays, the style seems to be gaining steam, as more and more people venture into this mysterious dark land. Then came Odell’s Mountain Standard Double Black IPA.
What we loved:
The feel.
Rich, creamy, and smooth. Mountain Standard has such a pleasant mouthfeel that we can’t imagine anyone who loves beer not enjoying this one.
The 4-pack.
What’s better than drinking your favorite beer of 2011? Sharing it with friends. After wild success with Myrcenary and Double Pilsner, Mountain Standard joins the ranks of Odell 4-packs, bridging the gap between single and bomber. Plenty to share, or just 3 more for you. Either way, it’s a beautiful thing.
The taste.</strong
When most people see the words “Double” and “IPA” on a bottle, they assume they’re in for a world of crazy hop hurt, off-the-charts ABV, and that citrusy pine aroma we all love. Mountain Standard is none of these things. The up-front creamy, chocolate-malted flavor ushers in quite gently a strongly hopped middle, but the bitterness and citrus flavors of the hops never quite overpower the sweet richness of Mountain Standard. The finish is smooth, and warms you up almost like nice whiskey. We couldn’t wait for the second sip. It’s sweet, but not syrupy. It’s chocolatey, but not novelty-beer chocolatey. It’s hoppy, but endlessly drinkable.
Overall, this was our favorite beer of 2011. We could have easily made this entire list out of Odell beers, as they had one hell of a 2011 with Bourbon Barrel Stout, Myrcenary, Friek, Double Pilsner, and Mountain Standard. But we wanted to share the love, and we can’t wait to wrap up 2011 with some more Mountain Standard.
Thanks for reading. We’ve had an amazing first year at Mile High Brew. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2012. We hope you enjoyed the list and feel inspired to try a few of our favorites this NYE!
Happy New Year! Love your beer.
- MHB
