Ommegang Abbey Ale

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

For the price, this is a great value. It has a very complex taste that unfolds easily. It’s not the best Belgian available but it is still better than almost everything out there.

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.

Bu au Mondial de la Bière sous le nom de "Abbey Ale". Rousse super foncée, beau collet. Arome légé d’épice. Goût épicé réchaufant et légèerement caramelisé.

Corked bottle. Awesome abbey ale that is complex throughout and tastes better with each sip. The 8.5% is well hidden and the head retention is amazing. This brewery is worthy of being down the street from the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown!

Freakishly big bubbles in a matrix. One of the best Beligan ales I’ve tried so far. Great complexity and balance. Not acidic or cloying like many beligans.

Large bottle. Malt and fruit aroma with notes of dried fruit and spices. Deep amber with a frothy tan head. Flavors of roasted malt, figs and rasins. Some caramel and chocolate notes. Strong and lively carbonation with a creamy palate and dryish finish. This beer is like a mild version of a quadruple. Not overly alcoholic or strong. Easy to drink but rich and well balanced. Very good.

If you like dark Belgians in general you will probably like this one. It is very typically Belgian-dark in its attributes (in my experience) yet above average as well. Pours out with a substantial tan colored head. In your glass it looks amber but when held to the light it has a ruby/copper glow to it. A great appearance. The smell instantly gave me raw sugar. It has (again I’ll say) very Belgian strong, dark characteristics in the smell. It is that, somewhat sweet, sparkly light (champagne of beers) attribute. Second I got the smell of toffee and subtle fruit undertones. The taste is malty fruity and light. This is a unique and confusing taste. I LIKE THAT! It tastes like sugar but it is not sweet. I concurred with another BA friend that it is the dryness of this beer that troughs you off. Similar to champagne (which may be sweet) the sweet taste is only right up front, and then it’s the dryness that you notice. So it does not drink like a very sweet beer. The mouthfeel is very light, and crispy with an intriguing fruity after taste. It is very carbonated so you feel the tiny bubbles on your tongue. It is a quite refreshing beer. It is very guzzleable. It’s remarkably easy to put down, maybe because of the light refreshing mouth feel or maybe because of how light the beer sits in your stomach. Regardless, if you are looking for a beer that you’ll hardly notice, that won’t get you full or sit in your stomach this maybe the one you looking for. I would definitely consider this beer to be Recommended. Hope this is helpful. Cheers!

I’m not a fan of Belgians, but I really liked this one. Flavor is slightly tart, but with a solid yeasty-malt bread backbone. Nicely spiced, with sweetness of caramel and toffee. Finish is pleasant and dry. Very drinkable, alcohol well hidden. I will get this again, its restored my faith in Belgians.