Odell Brewing Co: A Passion for Beer, A Passion for People
The dream of Odell Brewing Co. started in the late 1970’s, when Doug Odell discovered his passion for brewing in San Francisco. After getting married, Doug and his wife Wynne continued to homebrew and explore successful small breweries, honing their craft and learning about beer. They were extremely inspired while honeymooning in the UK and decided it was time to act on their passions.
After exploring a handful of college towns, Doug and Wynne chose Fort Collins, and the city welcomed the brewery in 1989. What started in a 1915 grain elevator turned into the country’s 22nd largest craft brewery. Today they distribute beer to 18 states, and their flavors represent the British styles Doug and Wynne found on their honeymoon.
In addition to producing a successful product, Odell has also cultivated a gravitating and inspiring employee culture. The company really began to bloom from this strong family dynamic and their effort with community collaborations. In 2015, the Odell family sold their company to its co-workers, making it an employee-owned company and an experimental playground for beer-centric people.
With their growth, Odell’s traditional vision of charitable giving has always remained a natural part of who they are. Constantly involved with community outreach, they are passionate about supporting and empowering others through creative philanthropy. The brewing company created three pillars of giving, Humanitarian, Environmental, and Educational, and they are constantly striving to give back in these areas.
In the spirit of the three pillars, Odell also developed a seasonal partnership program that enables them to engage even more with nonprofit organizations and to find new opportunities to give back. For the spring of 2019, they are partnering with a Northern Colorado organization named Sproutin’ Up.
With nearly 43,000 people who are food insecure and struggle in Larimer County, Sproutin’ Up started to help children within these families thrive. The program focuses on helping kids learn to farm, cook the food they have grown, eat healthy, and apply their program experiences to their personal lives. By partnering with generous companies like Odell, Sproutin’ Up is able to make a large and local impact with many younger and disadvantaged generations.
Along with these seasonal partnerships, Odell also donates a portion of proceeds from all the beer they brew to nonprofit organizations.
Odell Brewing Co. has not only brought Fort Collins a sweet spot to sip and hang out, but they have become a compelling example of community leadership by making it their responsibility to aid and to wholeheartedly serve. With their active voices, loving employees, and giving nature, Odell makes a difference beyond 18 states… With one craft beer at a time, they are changing the world.
