Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

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

Pushed down 3 of these @ Oakmont Pub with friends last night. Served too cold to totally appreciate all the malty wonderfulness. Excellent finish.

Pours with a frothy, initially three-finger thick, brown tinged, tan colored head that leaves a tight lacing pattern on the sides of the glass and forms a modestly rocky surface as it slowly subsides. The beer is almost black in color, but has a touch of brown to it; if held up directly to the light I can just make out a ruby hue to this mostly opaque brew. The aroma smells of sweet chocolate extract as I am pouring the brew, but under direct observation this notes seems to take a back seat to the roast character. At other times though the chocolate note plays a more prominent role. Aromas of amply toasted grain, lightly roasted coffee, browned bread crust, sweet chocolate extract and chocolate liquor all mix together here in the nose.

The beer is fairly dry, lightly tart, but does have a touch of malt sweetness to it. This has a medium fullness to it and the beer finishes with a distinct, yet not overwhelming, roast grain bitterness. The long finish even has a touch of lingering, espresso-like acidity to it. Flavors of chocolate find there expression in the middle of this brew at it lingers on into the near finish; this corresponds to where the malt sweetness is found in this brew. This brew has a really nice, soft, creamy mouthfeel to it, especially as the initial full carbonation dies down a bit. The chocolate character & sweetness increases and the roast notes decrease as this brew warms up and loses carbonation too. It is actually much better after sitting around for 20+ minutes. At times notes of alcohol in the finish provide just a hint of warming and evoke thoughts of chocolate liquor.

With a name like Chocolate Indulgence I would expect this to be a little more decadent; perhaps a touch more residual malt sweetness would be just the thing. This does need a chance to breath, lose some carbonation and warm up a bit before it really comes into its own. Just out of the bottle it is a touch dimensionless and has a bit too much roast character (both roast notes and burnt acidity).

Pours out dark brown with a moderate tan head. Aroma is of some mild chocolate with some coffee. Flavor is of semi-sweet chocolate, roasted malt, some cocoa powder.

Mildly chocolately (nothing compared to southern tier’s choklat), sweet with an interesting sour character that was unexpected. Maybe it’s the Belgian-esque touch. Definitely more of a roasted malt character to me than chocolate. Not bad, though.

Nice dark brown pour; malty and roasty aroma with a hint of coffee. Very balanced flavor, chocolate is present but not overpowering or too sweet. Nice slightly bitter dry chocolate finish. Carbonation is excellent with good creamy mouthfeel, not quite full bodied enough at the end. I was surprised at the subtelty of the chocolate, but it works very well. This is a good solid beer although not a standout.

Nicely carbianted. Aroma not overpowering, chocolate/ dark coffee. So well balenced. No flavor in this beer was overpowering. DARK color, light brown head. not pitch dark. Very little lacing. Not too thick. Starts creammy, ends very light.

750, corked and baled. Pours jet black with a thick, rocky tan head that leaves intermittent cumuls lacing striated around the sides of the glass. Nice mild semi-sweet chocolate nose. Medium body with verrrry soft carb. More chocolate on the mid-palate. Clean dry finish. This beer wins no points for originality or complexity, but it’s well-done, very easy to drink, and shows its quality at every turn. No matter what, I’ll just keep coming out about in the middle for a score on this beer, so I’m gonna quit trying wrestle with figuring out exactly what I think of it. ’S pretty good. That’ll work.

On tap at the Blue Nile in Minneapolis. Very dark brown pour with a finger thick head that reminds you of hot chocolate. Roasted malt aroma with shaved dark chocolate and cocoa. Very smooth body. The flavor is not as strong in the chocolate feel as the aroma. There may be some dark fruit and maybe black walnut in here.