Fort Collins, CO — On January 25th and 26th, Odell Brewing will celebrate the much anticipated return of Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout, a hearty Imperial Stout brewed with milk sugar (lactose) and milk chocolate.
Named for the local dairy farmer that has hauled away the brewery’s spent grain for nearly two decades, Lugene is brewed with 250 pounds of chocolate per batch. The chocolate, a mixture of milk and dark, is added directly to the wort in the kettle where it melts into the boil. The result is a rich and creamy brew that drinks like a cold glass of chocolate milk.
Lugene was recently named one of the best new Colorado beers of 2013 by the Denver Westword. Editor Jonathan Shikes writes, “Lugene drinks like the best chocolate milk you’ve ever had — richer, creamier and with a smooth mouthfeel that belie its 8.5 percent ABV.”
The beer’s namesake, Lugene, uses the spent grain as feed for his dairy cows. Guests of the brewery may have seen Lugene’s beat-up old blue Chevy, which carries the grain to his small local dairy where it’s mixed with organic alfalfa hay, organic grass hay and silage to create complete feed for his very happy “girls.”
Odell Brewing will celebrate the return of Lugene in the Tap Room the weekend of January 25th. The brewery has partnered with another beloved local dairy, Cozy Cow, for the release. On Saturday January 25th, guests can sample Lugene beer floats with Cozy Cow ice cream (beginning at noon while supplies last). Then on Sunday, meet Lugene’s calves and enjoy live music by The Longest Day of the Year from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Local food truck favorite, Common Link, will be onsite both days.
Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout will be available in 4 packs and on draft through April within the brewery’s eleven state distribution footprint. To learn more about the story of Lugene, please visit the brewery’s blog.
About Odell Brewing: Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Twenty-four 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 minimizing its environmental impact, sourcing local raw materials, and through its charitable giving program known as Odell Outreach. Odell Brewing was named a “Best Company to Work For” in 2013 by ColoradoBiz Magazine and is an award winning brewery, nationally and internationally: 2013 Great American Beer Festival┬« – gold medal for 5 Barrel Pale Ale, 2012 Brewers Association Recognition Award, 2011 Great American Beer Festival┬« – gold medal for Friek, 2008 World Beer Cup┬« — gold for IPA. 2007 Great American Beer Festival┬« — gold medal for IPA.