On Feb. 7 from 7-8 p.m. CST, join Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods) and myself (@TheBeerWench) as we chat about chocolate beers, cooking with beer recipes, and perfect beer pairings for Valentine’s Day. Taste and tweet about four tantalizing chocolate beers with the breweries that make them.

To participate, pick up one or all of the featured chocolate beers and tweet your experience using the hashtag #WFMBeer. Every 15 minutes, the focus of the tasting will shift to a different beer. The schedule is as follows:

5:00 p.m. PST: Samuel Smith’s (@merchantduvin) Organic Chocolate Stout

5:15 p.m. PST: Odell Brewing (@OdellBrewing) Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout

5:30 p.m. PST: Bison Organic Beer (@bisonbrew) Organic Chocolate Stout

5:45 p.m. PST: Southern Tier (@stbcbeer) Choklat

Skip the diamonds and the pearls this Valentine’s Day and woo your special someone with a velvety smooth, rich and chocolate-y craft beer.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

Usually, when I hear about an awesome beer release that I don’t have access to, I throw something heavy at the wall and scream out a bunch of profanities. But then, I ultimately calm myself down enough to write about it.

Odell has just announced that it will be releasing a new 12 oz. 4-pack offering this coming January. The beer, as you might tell from the title of this blog past, is Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout, a full-bodied stout brewed with lactose (milk sugar) and milk chocolate.

According to the sources, Lugene boasts roasted malts and milk chocolate that mingle with just a hint of vanilla. The rich flavor and creamy mouthfeel create a beer that is reminiscent of a glass of chocolate milk.

The beer is named for Odell’s longtime friend and farmer, Lugene Sas, who’s been feeding his dairy cows the brewery’s spent grain for over a decade. Brewery visitors have likely seen Lugene’s old beat-up rig, a rusty blue Chevy, which hauls the grain to his small local dairy. Lugene combines the hearty malt mixture with organic alfalfa hay, organic grass hay and silage to create complete feed for his very happy “girls.”

See, I told you these kids were sustainability minded.

“Fort Collins has deep agricultural roots, and that is part of our brewery fabric,” said Eric Smith, director of Sales and Marketing at Odell Brewing. “We wanted to honor our friend as well as our hometown ‘Aggie’ roots.”

Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout will be available in four packs beginning in January throughout the brewery’s ten state distribution footprint. Odell Brewing plans to celebrate the release in the Tap Room on Sunday, January 6^th with samples of the beer, local food truck fare, and live music by Hwy 287. The brewery will also feature Lugene at the 2013 Vail Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival. Please visit the Odell Brewing blog to see more about Lugene and his spent grain use.

 About Odell Brewing

Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-three years later, the culture of family and collaboration still thrives fostering a brewery full of beer-centric people. It is this passion for beer that inspires Odell Brewing to create quality, hand-crafted, innovative brews. As a regional craft brewery, Odell Brewing is committed to serving the communities in which it distributes by sourcing local raw materials, and through its charitable giving program known as Odell Outreach. Odell Brewing was recently named a “Top Company of 2010” by ColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2012 Brewers Association Recognition Award, 2011 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for Friek. 2010 North American Beer Awards – gold medal for Woodcut No. 3. 2009 BrewNZ Awards – gold for 5 Barrel Pale Ale. 2008 World Beer Cup® – gold for IPA. 2007 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for IPA.

Follow Odell on Twitter @OdellBrewing

Okay, so I haven’t been going to the Great American Beer Festival for nearly as long as most of my colleagues in the beer industry — but, this doesn’t mean that I don’t have the scoop on the best events surrounding the big fest. Some events are more exclusive than others, and some events are definitely more expensive than others. But, it is my mission to share the wheres and whens to be during GABF with my fellow beer geeks.

GABF Event Radar

Oak-aged Extravaganza

The Who: Firestone Walker & Odell Brewing

The What: After last pour at Friday’s GABF session, Freshcraft will be tapping some amazing beers from two world class with breweries, Firestone Walker & Odell Brewing, that boast some of the best barrel aging programs in existence. Come out and meet some of the folks that make these beers happen.

The When: October 12th

The Time: 10pm – close

The Where: Freshcraft

The Address:1530 Blake St.

The Beers:

• Firestone Walker Parabola
• Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary Ale
• Firestone Walker Reginald Brett
• Odell Deconstruction
• Odell The Meddler Oud Bruin
• Odell Leopold Fernet Barrel Aged Porter

See you there!

Are you curious about the men and women “hiding” behind Twitter avatar of the world’s most beloved craft breweries? Well, you are not alone. The Wench has gone behind the scenes to reveal and introduce you to the individuals who possess the ever coveted social media positions in the craft beer industry.

Behind the Twitter Avatar: @OdellBrewing

Amanda Johnson-King

Brewery: Odell Brewing
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Personal Twitter Handle: @ajbeergirl

What is your “official” position with Odell?

I am the Marketing and Branding Manager…I do a lot of the communicating type stuff like PR, Social Media, and copy writing.

What is your favorite beer from Odell?

Yikes…it’s really hard to pick just one. I usually bring home the hoppy brews; IPA, 5 Barrel or Myrcenary.

What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

IPA and Pad Thai. Yum!

If you were a style of beer, what would you be and why?

Hmm, I would have to say a Lambic/Framboise (like our Friek)…complex yet still light-hearted and bubbly, sometimes a little sour but also sweet.

And last but not least, what does craft beer mean to you?

Craft beer means so much to me. My husband and I both work for Odell Brewing, so it is a very big part of our lives. We met here and brewed our wedding beer here. The brewery is like an extended family. The beer itself is a creative, social, collaborative, expression. It is an art, a simple pleasure in a glass meant to be shared with others.

Really awesome chick with a passion and love for craft beer? OMG, Amanda and I are destined to by BFFs for life. (Plus, everyone once in awhile she sends me something special from Odell. Hello, total BFF material)

Odell recently announced the release of the latest edition to its Woodcut series — an oak-aged double Märzen-style lager. Does this confuse, yet intrigue anyone else? This is the first time I’ve heard of someone making a double Marzen as well as the first time I’ve heard of someone aging a lager in wood. It is either a brilliant idea or an absolute disaster.

Unfortunately for me, Odell does not distribute in California. So unless I orchestrate some sort of bribe/trade … I will probably never see this beer. Which makes Wenchie a sad pupppy. If anyone wants to trade me for a bottle, shoot me an email. Otherwise, I look forward to hearing feedback from all those who get to taste this rather peculiar creation.

Here is the official press release:

Fort Collins, Colo. – On May 17, 2010, Odell Brewing will release Woodcut No. 4, an oak aged double Märzen-style lager. This is the fourth release in the Woodcut series of beers from Odell Brewing, but it is the first lager.

“Our first three Woodcut offerings were fermented with ale yeasts,” said Brendan McGivney, head of production. “We wanted to stretch our innovation by creating a small batch strong lager.”

Originally from Bavaria, Märzens were brewed during the cooler months, and then stored in a lager (cave or cellar) during the summer months. Woodcut No. 4, best described as a double Märzenbier, boasts a malty body with a clean, refined finish. Hints of toasted cedar, vanilla and almond are created by lagering the beer in new American Oak barrels.

Each Woodcut offering is packaged and bottle conditioned in 750ml Champagne style bottles with a cork and cage finish. Once released, the recipe and label are retired making these beers truly limited-edition.

Odell Brewing will celebrate the release of Woodcut No. 4 on May 22, 2010 as one of many weeklong events honoring American Craft Beer Week. Brewery guests can enjoy samples of the beer paired with artisan cheeses and chocolates.

Woodcut No. 4 will be available throughout the brewery’s nine state distributor region, and will retail for approximately $24.99 per bottle.

Odell Brewing was named a “Best Company to Work For” in Colorado and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2010 World Beer Cup® – bronze for Red Ale. 2009 Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival – silver medal for 5 Barrel Pale Ale, bronze medal for 90 Shilling. 2009 BrewNZ Awards – gold for 5 Barrel Pale Ale, silver for 90 Shilling, and silver for IPA. 2009 Australian  International Beer Awards – gold for IPA, gold for Extra Special Red, bronze for Isolation Ale, bronze for 90 Shilling, bronze for Cutthroat Porter. 2008 North American Beer Awards – gold medal for 5 Barrel Pale Ale. 2008 World Beer Cup® – gold for IPA, silver for Double Pilsner, silver for Cutthroat Porter. 2007 Great American Beer Festival® – gold medal for IPA, silver medal for Easy Street Wheat, bronze medal for Extra Special Red.

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