If I had known that in getting through my backlog I would be doing such a concentration of Ommegang reviews lately I might have just dedicated the entire month of January to them. I would have needed to grab a few others to fill out the lineup of evaluations, but that would certainly not have been a bad thing. With that thought, I think February may just have to be dedicated to a brewery or kick off something different for the site. Stay tuned!
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)
Name: Rare Vos
Style: Belgian Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge and served in my Ommegang glass (tulip-like). $5.99 for 1pt. 9.4oz.
Aroma: Slightly sweet malty aroma with a bit of citrus present. Some spiciness in the background.
Appearance: Light copper to amber in color. Four finger, cream color head with large, quickly dissipating bubbles that leave some trail. Very clear with visible rising bubbles.
Flavor: Smooth malty flavor with light spiciness. Some (orange zest-like) fruit flavor. Slightly dry finish with a hint of hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with very noticeable carbonation that gives some early bite. Smooth and very drinkable with the slightest hint of warmth.
Overall Impressions: Very easy drinking and perhaps a bit lighter in body than some other Belgians tried recently. A bit higher in alcohol than typical for style (4.8-5.5% via BJCP). Quite good and probably is only graded this low because my palate favors other Ommegang brews.
Grade: B to B+ range
Brewery Ommegang - Rare Vos
This morning I realized that the first written review I did was on January 31st of last year and I cannot believe how fast the time went by. So now I am posting purely by date to get the older posts out of the way before going forward with the most recent ones. I have an idea for another brewery themed month in February, but I may have to see how large the backlog is before doing that. Maybe the frequency of beer reviews will increase this month?
Here is another from a favorite brewery of mine. It seems early on I stayed somewhat within my comfort zone and went to many familiar breweries for evaluations.
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)
Name: Chocolate Indulgence
Style: American Stout (?)
ABV: 7.0%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.
Aroma: Roasted malt aroma with a slight chocolate-like sweetness. Very, very low hop nose.
Appearance: Black (dark brown) color. Tall, persistent, light brown head with wide range of bubble sizes. Completely opaque.
Flavor: High roasted maltiness with a hint of burnt coffee-like flavor. Bittersweet toward end with a slight sharpness at finish (not lingering). Low hops?
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with medium (close to high) carbonation. Slight hint of astringency with low warmth noticeable. Smooth and creamy on palate.
Overall Impressions: Enjoyable stout that I would like to do with a flight of others for comparison. Expected more chocolate flavor from label/name. Flavors open up and are better as it warms. Good, but far from my favorite Ommegang.
Grade: B+
Brewery Ommegang - Chocolate Indulgence
Even before starting my written beer evaluations I knew that this one was one of my favorites. When asked about which beers I enjoyed most, this was the one that I generally responded with. The strange part is that I couldn’t explain exactly why I like it so much and even after my official review I cannot put my finger on it. I can only say that you should try it for yourself if you haven’t had a chance to already and if for some reason you don’t like it, send the leftovers to me!
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)
Name: Three Philosophers
Style: Belgian Specialty Ale (Quadrupel – 98% Ale & 2% Ale with cherries)
ABV: 9.8%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in my Ommegang glass.
Aroma: Medium malt aroma with a good amount of hops. Dark fruit nose with low alcohol noticeable.
Appearance: Medium brown color with a slight red hue. Solid beige/reddish head with excellent retention and a good trail. Clear with tiny bubbles visible rising in center of glass.
Flavor: Excellent (pretty complex) malty flavor with low hop notes. Slight dark fruit (cherry) flavors and a low to medium alcohol warmth at the finish.
Mouthfeel: Extremely smooth with a good amount of carbonation. Excellent hold at finish with the slightest sourness.
Overall Impressions: Generally one of my favorites and it only gets better as it warms. Fantastic for relaxation as it drinks like a wine (in a way). Would be excellent paired with food.
Grade: A (or better)
Brewery Ommegang - Three Philosophers
This is one of my favorite breweries. I suppose it is in part that the brewery’s location is close to where I grew up, but it’s mostly because they specialize in really good Belgian-style ales. As it says on my Ommegang glass, it is “Where brewing is an art and partaking is a passion.”
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)
Name: Hennepin
Style: Belgian Ale (Saison)
ABV: 7.7%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in my Ommegang glass (almost a tulip)
Aroma: Not a huge aroma overall. Low hop nose with some citrus (orange) and a hint of spice (coriander?). Maybe even a faint floral note?
Appearance: Golden in color with a yellowish-orange tint. Very tall, white head with good retention (slow dissipation) that leaves some trail on the glass. Somewhat cloudy, but rising bubbles are still visible.
Flavor: Crisp citrusy hop flavor with some spice notes (seems to be ginger). Maybe a bit of light maltiness and yeast flavor present? Very slight bit of alcohol in background.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with a very enjoyable, smooth finish that doesn’t linger too long. Enough carbonation to feel it on your tongue.
Overall Impressions: There is quite a bit going on here that I cannot quite put into words (this was one of my early reviews). Very refreshing Belgian that is not too heavy. Gets better as it warms a bit. I could and would drink this beer everyday.
Grade: A to A+
Brewery Ommegang - Hennepin
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