In December 2019, things were looking pretty promising for Odd Muse Brewing. A couple of weeks before Christmas, the Farmers Branch craft brewery, located on Spring Valley Road just west of the Dallas North Tollway, opened its doors and welcomed a throng of customers that kept the industrial-but-comfy taproom packed for much of its first Saturday in business.
Founders Bobby and Nickie Diaz, along with co-founder Charles Roffino, had every reason to feel like their great start would only swell into something bigger and better. But before Odd Muse could barely start building its spring calendar of events, the COVID-19 pandemic ran its tentacles across the global landscape, bringing uncertain clouds of concern where rays of bright hope once shined.
Like many other local craft breweries, Odd Muse got to pretty quick work, implementing an online ordering system for to-go crowlers to be sold curbside, outside of the brewery’s front doors. As the spring and the pandemic rolled along, Odd Muse ramped up the amount of beers they poured and began selling four-packs of 16-ounce cans to go along with the previously offered 32-ounce crowlers.
All along, Odd Muse kept its adventurous spirit intact. The overall selection of beers represents a well-balanced spectrum, but for the most part, the brewery continued forward by experimenting with bright, vibrant hop combinations for some uniquely bold, satisfying IPAs.
As the summer gave way to fall, Odd Muse began construction on an outdoor patio. Situated between the building and Spring Valley Road, it’s a large, comfortable space. A small business grant from the City of Farmers Branch helped fund the patio, making Odd Muse a prime candidate for safe, outdoor social-distanced day drinking.
On a recent sun-filled Saturday afternoon, we found the patio to be bustling without ever feeling unsafe. Appropriately spaced wooden picnic tables sat in shade provided by large trees in a way that hid the fact we were in the middle of a suburban industrial park. With drinkers and leashed dogs scattered around the grassy yard, it was tempting to try and think of that afternoon as just a normal ol’ sunny day, if only for a few moments before returning to reality.
The beers certainly helped in the effort to distract myself. As Odd Muse nears its first birthday, the beers have continued to be of stellar quality. Seeing as the leaves were turning colors, it felt right to give Gourdy Spice a shot.
At an easy-drinking 6% ABV, the light copper pumpkin spice ale gave off only a slightly spicy aroma, with a far lighter, brighter sip than many other beers boasting pumpkin spice flavors. Similar to the pumpkin choice, Odd Muse’s blonde ale, Mystic Work Horse, is an exceptionally smooth example of the style while not betraying the malty weight that gives blonde ales its character.
While we’re slow to say that you could waste a visit to any local brewery, a trip to Odd Muse without grabbing a couple of IPAs might mean you skipped out on the star of the show. Brewed with citra and mosaic hops, the 6.7% ABV Silver Spaceship is a satisfyingly dry, hazy New England-style IPA. With a strong pineapple scent, the beer isn’t a juicy IPA, though there’s a touch of natural sweetness to balance out the dry overall finish. Another successful IPA, the 8% ABV Land Lover, dry-hopped with Galaxy hops, poured a mango color before giving off a citrusy smell and a slight, yet pleasantly funky hop flavor.
The Odd Muse menu veers into the darker end of things as one of the many breweries taking part in the game-changing Black is Beautiful program. Craft breweries around the country have joined the effort to work with minority brewers, then sell their own variant of an imperial stout, with proceeds going to toward racial equality efforts.
Odd Muse’s Black is Beautiful entry is an admirable imperial coffee stout. Coming in at 9% ABV, it’s not a hefty sort that many imperial stouts tend to be, yet the roasty, toasty coffee notes, when added to the typically roasty, toasty stout characteristics, give this beer a robust flavor bigger than its ABV, which is always welcome.
Almost a year into its existence, it’s a safe bet Odd Muse Brewing would’ve liked to have an easier road to get where they are now. But judging from a thoroughly enjoyable, safe experience, drinking some well-crafted beers, it seems this Farmers Branch jewel knows how to shine even in the roughest of circumstances.
Odd Muse Brewing is located at 4488 Spring Valley Road, Famers Branch. oddmusebrewing.com. The brewery occasionally hosts food trucks.
