Ommegang Three Philosophers

I should like tart finishes a lot more than I seem to do. The concept is perfect--take a break from bitterness and end some good malt flavors with a sour snap. I do like them in lighter beers like Gueze, but the flavors here come across like Otto von Bismark--Blood & Iron.

Appearance: Pours a clear, mahogany-hued body with a small, though diminishing white head. Smell: Malts drenched in cough syrup and blended with a strong, repellent alcoholic scent like taking a big sniff of rubbing alcohol. Egads! Taste: Vague upfront maltiness with a sugary sweetness. And while some tartness it coming through, I’m not getting much cherry flavor. Stray bitterness. Splash of Dr. Pepper on the otherwise warm, tart finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Sticky mouthfeel. Drinkability: I wasn’t overly enthralled with this one, no.

Bottled, pours dark brown and has a light colored head. Smells of alcohol and malts. This beer tastes a little fruity, but I don’t really taste the cherry flavor that everyone else does. Still an excellent beer. I’m very curious about the cave aged version.

12oz bottle, 2007 vintage.. hazy amber with a fine beige head. Yeasty, alcoholic, and sweet-tart aroma. The flavor is quite sweet, malty and alcoholic, with a tart cherry fruitiness. Syrupy, medium thick body with typical belgian style bottle conditioned carbonation. The sweetness, in combination with the tart bite, becomes a little one-dimensionally intense, though its a nice blend of flavors. Interesting stuff, though seemingly not for consumption in larger doses.

12 oz bottle. lots of foamy light-brown, though quickly dissipating. alcohol aroma, maybe some (dark) fruit mixed in as well. good amount of carbonation (leaves a foamy tingle on the upper-lip when consumed). Can’t really say what it tastes like; a mixture of dark fruits but is also tart, puckering the mouth in an odd fashion. Good beer, but not something I’d pay $4 for again. Not a personal favorite.