What a year 2020 has been! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking forward to this year’s Beer Advent Calendar as a bright spot to help count down and celebrate this holiday season. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced how I’ve picked beers to feature each day; every beer on the list is available in cans and/or bottles for safe at-home consumption. Many of the breweries have also provided personal notes or other extras about the beer as a fun bonus.

And since the pandemic has kept us largely isolated much of the year, I feel it’s only fitting that Isolation Ale from Colorado’s Odell Brewing Company kicks off this year’s calendar. As a classic English-style Winter Warmer, brewed to 6.1% alcohol by volume and 29 IBUs, it’s the perfect comfort beer to have on hand as we isolate through the season. The description says:

A funny thing happens here around summer’s end—our eyes start searching the skies for those first fall flakes. As we welcome autumn’s first snow, we celebrate the return of Isolation Ale—a sweet-caramel malty ale balanced by a subtle crisp hop finish. Whether you ski, shred, or shoe, it’ll inspire you to make first tracks.

Odell Brewing was founded in 1989 by Doug Odell with his wife Wynne and sister Corkie. It was the first brewery in Fort Collins. I reached out to the brewery about Isolation Ale, and received a note about the beer from Doug:

We first brewed Isolation Ale in 1999. We wanted to brew a hearty Winter Warmer for the late year holidays and took inspiration from beers like Pyramid Snow Cap and Deschutes Jubelale. In the age of IPA’s, this full bodied malty English style ale holds up nicely.

Find Odell Brewing Isolation Ale on:

• Odell’s Beer Finder
• Untappd
• BeerAdvocate
• RateBeer
• Facebook

Image credits: Odell Brewing website, marketing