On July 9th, 2024, Odd Breed Wild Ales announced the impossible decision to close their doors at the end of the month. The logistics fueling brewery ownership have become increasingly difficult worldwide, and it’s seen some truly talented programs shut down as a result. Odd Breed owner and head brewer Matt Manthe is a true gem in the industry, emphasized by his incredible gratitude to all the support from loyal customers both near and far. In an effort to pay that generosity forward, he announced that the final bottle release that Odd Breed would conduct would be Relentless Perseverance, a massive barrel-aged barleywine created in collaboration with The Hallway Tap & Brew, in support of Alex Kidd and his family.

The Odd Breed Cause

Opening in 2017, Matt Manthe created Odd Breed Wild Ales to feed his passion for working with wild yeast and barrel-aging. He has a background in Microbiology, and an extensive resume at both Thomas Creek Brewing and Brewzzi Brewpub set him up to go off on his own and follow his dream. The name for his passion project stems from the yeast and bacteria that the team uses; they are not the typical microbes used in a brewery for fermentation. In a world of industrialized and mainstream beer, many other breweries would consider their brewery and process to be a bit… odd! But for Matt and his team, odd means different. And different is exactly what they always strived for.

In a heartbreaking post early last month, Odd Breed announced their closure. 7 years and over 240 beers later, Manthe’s experimentation on a commercial scale concluded at the end of July. But his passion about beer is as strong as it’s ever been, and he credits the support and enthusiasm of all of Odd Breed’s fans and supporters over the years.

The decision to release Relentless Perseverance as their last beer was not at all by accident. In conjunction with Luis Diaz of The Hallway Tap & Brew, Odd Breed brewed this beer for Alex Kidd, donating a portion of proceeds from bottles sales to help offset his medical expenses.

“Few people have had such an indelible mark on the beer industry as Alex, and there certainly isn’t anyone that can be credited more with the resurrection of Barleywine. His voice in the beer industry is wholly unique and appreciated.”

An incredible gesture and farewell from a truly impactful Florida staple. The team at PorchDrinking wish all the best to Matt, his team, and his family in whatever endeavors are next for the talented brewer.

Relentless Perseverance

Luis Diaz and King Fox Brewery originally brewed and released the colossal base for this beer in collaboration with Odd Breed Wild Ales and Shōjō’s Dojo. They named the 14% ABV barleywine DDBIL, crafted with a combination of imported and domestic malt and fermented with traditional English ale yeast. King Fox finished their version on oak spirals and vanilla beans, donating 100% of the profits to the Kidd family GoFundMe. Since this release, King Fox also announced their closure and will cease operations at the end of this month. Diaz and his wife now run The Hallway Tap & Brew, a taproom specializing in local craft beer. While their menu features a variety of IPAs, lagers, fruited sours, and big stouts, you can also occasionally find them brewing classic Old World styles.

Odd Breed took a portion of Diaz’s base barleywine to age and inoculate with their own house culture, and the result is truly massive. Ringing in at 16.2% ABV, this barleywine was sent to rest in freshly emptied Stagg Jr. bourbon barrels after primary fermentation, with Odd Breed’s house Brettanomyces culture. The beer released on Oznr on July 19th, with pickups immediately available at the taproom. This was such a selfless act of kindness as Odd Breed’s finale release. Matt was even generous enough to send us Relentless Perseverance as part of this ongoing series; we owe him a big thank you for the support while we continue to highlight the beautiful acts of generosity in support of Alex Kidd as he fights to beat Stage IV cancer.

The Review

Bottled and corked on 7/2/2024 in a 375mL.

The deep brown liquid cascades into its Odd Breed Willi Becher glass, agitating almost zero carbonation. After a few minutes settling, an ivory ring of foam rises up, framing the pool of liquid.

The nose is largely characterized by notes of rum raisin, dark chocolate, caramel candy, and leather. On the back end are very clear notes of vanilla-fueled whiskey and candied dates. If you’ve ever had the privilege of tasting any Stagg bourbons, you know how much influence the barrel treatment is playing here with those burnt caramel and vanilla notes surging into the finish.

While the palate is undoubtedly a boozy beast, great effort is taken to balance the profile. Hitting at the forefront are Raisinets and Milk Duds; rich and sweet. Quick to change hands is that barrel integration, a joint entry with notes of fig, baking cocoa, and vanilla bitters on a malty backbone.

The mouthfeel – while noticeably thin in appearance on the pour – actually has some nice weight to it. A touch syrupy, but with a present bitterness and soft carbonation to help cut and prevent it from feeling too slick. There are a touch of esters to accompany some residual heat and lingering bitterness.

Supporting the Kidd Family

Since the last installment in the series, Alex endured a very successful lung surgery on August 8th, seamlessly clearing yet another hurdle in this long, arduous journey back to health.

If there’s one thing we can always count on, it’s DDB still being DDB, even in the face of adversity. So take a seat. Enjoy some review of NA macros, luxury tank tops, and scroll through top-tier meme-age. Additionally, be sure to check out a recent article from the talented Andy Crouch at All About Beer Magazine, who published a great piece on the notorious podcaster, reflecting on life, laughs, and his legacy in the industry.

Collaborating for a Cause will continue as well! Jukes Ale Works, Jailbreak, and New Image are all expected to join the series in the coming months. Be sure to stay tuned, and as always, Stay Strong Alex!

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