Ommegang Abbey Ale

Brewed by Brewery Ommegang (Moortgat)
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Cooperstown, New York USA

From a 750 ml. caged corked brown bottle with a blurb along the left side of the front label and serving instructions on the right side, no bottling date I could find, sampled at cellar temperature in a Ommegang chalice. Poured a elegant ruby hued brown with a foamy tan head that settled into a thin sudsy lacing, very minor amount of sticking. Aromas of honey and caramel malts, fruity and spicy, with a touch of licorice. Good carbonation and a crisp, dry, velvety smooth lightish medium bodied mouthfeel. Delicious tasting and malty at first, caramelized sugar, honey with a light toffee, earthy spices, dark tropical fruits, a nice chocolate licorice flavor, the alcohol is well masked and provides a smooth warm in the palate, and a dry yeasty and malty finish with a flavorful licorice lingering in the palate. This is a really nice Belgian dark ale, tasty and balanced, well worth trying.

Same rating for cave aged and not. Pours mahogany into a tulip. Well retained, medium-sized head. Cherry and bread notes. Full with spicy cherry/vanilla and fig flavors. A dry, lingering hay finish. "Burgundian" is a very good descriptor.

From a 750mL Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy, brilliant sunset ruddy fire with a tall layer of frothy off-white head. Big, fruity aroma with some notes of raspberry licorice, toffee, and sherried green raisins. Marachino cherry, caramel, and a subtle touch of clove spice. Not too much phenolic spice in the nose; the fruity dimensions are the clear focal point. Medium bodied, heavily carbonated texture that lightens up the palate weight enough to make it remarkably easy to drink. Huge flavors, however. Rustic, well toasted pumpernickel bread crust, mild chocolate licorice, and prune flesh create an intense flavor layer. Behind the dark malts, some spicy yeast chracters follow closely. A little bit of plum and dark toffee linger into the final smack, before finishing cleanly with a smidgen of minty herbal hops.

A dense lasting tan head over a burgund colored body. Pleasant and complex aromas. Belgo-yeast and a range of inviting fruits; mainly sweet apples, plums and berries. Whiffs of caramel and flowers. Taste is fruity-sweet, malty, light yeasty and very well rounded. Medium to full body. Mild bitterness and warming alcohol in the finish. Excellent. (750 ml bottle @ RBNAG’07)

Dark rich black brown color with a beige long lasting creamy head. Deep sweet caramel toffee smell witha floral hint. Taste was sweet and full of caramel and chocolate flavor.

Carmel colored head with good lace and tight foam. It is more of a sipper, with the flavors capable of overloading your tongue. A good beer for a cold day, drinking more like a red wine than an ale.

750 ml- Will’s front porch. Poured a caramel / coffee color, with fine head. Smooth throughout, with a lot of complexity and even a little chocolate at the finish. I wish I had made this last longer. Paired with a great burger ~ what a start to a holiday weekend.

No date. Beautiful pour, head and body; body is deep, dark brown with ruby highlights and accents. Head is full, creamy, tight, and a tan-beige color with excellent lasting ability and nice consistant lacing. Nose is very delicate and somewhat complex; floral hops over the top with plenty of rich malt tones of toffee, caramel, light honey, light yeast, and a bit of date. Flavor is nice but nothing compared to the nose; not as fruity as I would have thought. Honey and chocolate are dominant with lighter notes of yeast, toffee, anise, and faint toast note; decent bitterness and dryness to go along with a minimal fruit note, apricot maybe. Palate is decent, just over medium, round, creamy, and lively. Finishes all dry and somewhat short with toasty notes, chocolate, and anise. Nice American-made Belgian with a wonderful pour, and nice nse. A bit more fruit in the flavor and less dryness and this would have been great.