Elaborate hop-spiced cork dryness subtly lingers across tart cherry jubilee/Lambic blend, picking up amiable honeyed orange nudge while staying less fruity than Ommegang’s more herbaceous Hennepin. Terrific highly alcoholic Belgian knockoff gains moderated white wine souring as buttery caramel, floral yeast mold, and prune undertones re-affirm calming medicinal warmth to exquisite cider-wooded barleywine finish.
All posts by John Fortunato
OMMEGANG STOUT
Unexpected peat-mildewed earthen ash aromatics invite fertilizer comparisons whisked away by wood-smoked black chocolate linger and mildest espresso tease of deceptive cola-hued Irish dry stout. Powdered cocoa dryness gets peppery respite at thinning hop-toasted oats finish. Could use richer lactic resonation and more aggressive bittering.
OMMEGANG ROUGE
Well-built Flemish Red medium body lathers leathery sour cherry parch with unripe fig, oaken vanilla, and green grape souring. Tart vinegar-y white wine aridity subsumes brimstone treacle.
OMMEGANG RARE VOS BELGIAN-STYLE ALE
Brewed to the specifics of Belgian recipe, spicy-scented ale with web-like Brussels lace offers flowery citric sweetness, prune souring, and soft-hopped carbonation to tingling fruity wine effervescence. Given proper time to breathe, herbal adjuncts plus clove-allspice accents appear. Flows down the throat like pure silk.
(OMMEGANG) OMMEGEDDON FUNKHOUSE ALE
Silken-spiced straw-hazed Belgian-styled Saison gains white-peppered spearmint-basil momentum and grassy barnyard hop dryness to counter floral grapefruit-pineapple-apricot tartness overriding lemon-bruised orange peel bittering. Mellow butterscotch-marshmallow creaminess sweetens ginger-clove-dabbed herbal center and earthen mineral-grained bottom.
(OMMEGANG) HENNEPIN BELGIAN-STYLE ALE
Though made in the States, minty farmhouse ale (with fluffy eggshell head, cloudy amber hue, flowery spiced hop fragrance and white wine appeal) definitely succeeds as first-rate Belgian-derived knockoff. Yellow grape esters contrast sugary banana riffs as earthen mustiness conveniently hides metallic alkaline esters. Also in the mix, sweet coriander-allspice-ginger melange, lemon meringue tartness, sweet orange peel tang and mild peppercorn jab add further complexity to voluptuously fruited vanilla creamed effervescence.
OMMEGANG CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE ALE
Impressive Belgian-styled 10th anniversary celebrator slurs collars of tan spume across glass above proud mahogany hue. Lactic malt-smoked cocoa-powdered souring boosts creamy dark chocolate froth and latent cappuccino luster. Hop-roasted burnt coffee skulk advances as cinnamon-teased vanilla spicing, dry fig-date slink, and hazelnut tinge crimp cherry cordial wisp.
OMMEGANG CAVE AGED ABBEY ALE
Cave aging gives dramatic bottle-conditioned copper-hued ‘aromatic burgundy’ ale a strangely convincing dank mildewed earthiness and mushroomed vegetal smidgen sidestepping dried fig-raisin frontage. Purple grape esters aid mild spiced grain finish as resinous hop bottom swells.
OMMEGANG BELGIAN-STYLED ABBEY ALE
Luxurious dry burgundy-like Belgian dubbel pleats spicy citric sweetness with dry earthen dankness, securing tofutti dessert profile. Sweet orange peel zest coats advertised licorice root and cumin herbage. Sugar plum, bruised banana, coriander, fig, date, anise, and ginger illusions pep up medicinal candied cherry finish of beige-headed red-wined elixir. Suitably fruity, moderately creamy, and always elegant. Barleywine fanatics will be pleased. On tap, sharper hop spritz envelops mustier dried fruited affluence.
OLFABRIKKEN PORTER
Could the best Baltic-styled porter be brewed in Denmark despite competition from the usual suspects such as Poland, Czech Republic, Russia or Lithuania? Never oily, slick, or plastic like lesser Eastern European competition, this lactic full body retains rich brown-sugared molasses-chocolate-vanilla creaminess and benefits from being un-pasteurized (enlivening the doughy yeast). Chocolate liqueur sweetness, plum wine acerbity, and vinous port tartness sidle oncoming licorice, raisin, prune, and black cherry souring. Fudge brownie finish embittered by dry tar-like black coffee counter-punch. Leathery tarp and earthen bottom fortify robust conqueror.
OLD WORLD NEW YORK STYLE WINTER WHEAT FEST ALE
Candied chocolate, cola nut, and mild prune sufficiently seduce elegant wheat-wined barleywine luster. Roasted barleymalts fade at creamy finish while waning wintry spices and lack of proper wheat punctuation hurts its ‘style.’ Brewery defunct: 2006.
OLD WORLD NEW YORK STYLE HARBOR ALE
Hearty brown ale with brawny mocha aroma, moderate grain appeal, syrupy malt texture, and slightest spiced fruit hints. Though lacking sufficient overall character (its flavor flattens by finish), delicate chocolate notes enliven bland aftertaste. Brewery defunct: 2006.