FORT COLLINS, CA – On June 8, 2012 Odell Brewing will release Pond Hopper Double Extra Pale Ale, a new beer crafted with the UK’s Thornbridge Brewery. The collaboration brew will debut this year at SAVOR: an American Craft Beer & Food Experience in Washington D.C.
The project was inspired several years ago on one of Doug Odell’s frequent trips to the UK. In 2008, Doug landed at the Thornbridge Brewery of Bakewell. Intrigued by stories of UK craft breweries creating unique and hoppy styles, Doug found himself in the company of kindred brewing spirits. Two years later, Doug returned to Thornbridge and brewed a collaborative batch of beer, similar to Odell’s Red Ale, there. The recipe, dubbed Colorado Red was brewed with English malts and intensely aromatic English hop varieties.
Fast forward to February 2012 to find a reciprocal collaboration brew at Odell Brewing. Caolan Vaughan, head brewer and production manager of Thornbrigde, ventured to Fort Collins to brew Pond Hopper with Doug and the Odell Brewing crew. Brewed with English malts, and American hops (plus one Australian hop in honor of Caolan’s homeland), Pond Hopper features the best ingredients each country has to offer.
“This beer has a rich golden color with aromas of grapefruit, orange pine, and ripe melon,” said Doug Odell. “The overall impression of the beer is balanced with accentuation of hop flavor and aroma over bitterness.”
Pond hopper boasts a 8.9% ABV and is bottled in 750mL cork and cage finished bottles. It will be available throughout the brewery’s ten state distributor region and in the UK. Watch the Pond Hopper video:
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: 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.