Ommegang Abbey Ale

Deep, deep red, like some cursed Amazon ruby. Light skin of foam on top (I followed the pouring directions on the bottle). Aroma musty like Venice, with cherry and grape wine overtones. Taste comes on sweet and full, like a cold egg cream, then fades out with a heat that is both winelike and whiskeylike. Delicious woody aftertaste, just bitter enough to balance out the sweetness. I can see how that lingering bitterness might make this a 2nd or 3rd tier Belgian, rather than 1st, but I’m pretty happy with this beer, especially at the pricepoint. Will definitely throw this guy into the rotation for a bit.

Pours a darker brown/burgundy with a frothy/fluffy brown head. Aromas of sweet and sour malts, honey, and fruits. Flavors of caramel, light toffee, light chocolate, slight alcohol that comes through, and honey at the end. Delicately sweet the whole way through. A decent abbey ale purchased at a local Wegmans.

Aroma of prunes , candis and caramel. The flavor is also full of prunes, candis with an aftertaste of coffee.

My love for Belgian beers is no secret. If I can try a Belgian brew or a Belgian inspired craft American brew, I am ready and willing with glass in hand. Today I have yet another spectacular example of a traditional Belgian Abbey Ale from the brewery Ommegang. Based in Cooperstown, NY, one would imagine they had stepped into another country if they were to visit the brewery. The architecture, styling, and set-up are just as it would be if one were at a brewery in Belgium.
My Abbey Ale poured a deep burnt amber with some light brown hues. A thick fluffy head tops her off, then fades into a soft layer on top while brussels lace trails the sides. I lift my glass to my nose to partake of the amazing bouquet of flavors. Sweet, caramelized sugar. Rich dark fruits such as figs, cherries, and prunes. Tender notes of herbs and a bit of apples and spice. As I enjoy my first quaff I am struck by how full her mouthfeel is. While still pleasantly effervescent, overall a heavier body. Smooth and sweet at first, a citric bitterness of lemon and grapefruit refreshes in the finish and brings me back for more. Up front are the dark fruits I smelled in her nose with prunes, dried cherries, and raisins being the predominant flavors in my Abbey Ale’s palate. A light layer coats my mouth and lingers long after each quaff. Already well balanced, there isn’t too much change in her overall temperament as she warms. If anything, a bit more malty and rich with the citric hop twang fading a bit further into the finish.
As rich as my Ommegang Abbey Ale sounds, she is actually very well-balanced with just the prefect amount of delicate sweetness which relies on her natural fruit flavors. Not artificially cloying or overpowering. An excellent abbey ale from Ommegang and a good started Belgian ale for those who are curious, but not ready for some of the darker richer Belgians such as a dubbel or a quadrupel.

Poured clear burgundy in color with a bubbly light brown head. Aromas of caramel malts, alcohol and black cherries. Complex flavor - mostly honey, black cherries, maybe a little chocolate, more alcohol than I prefer. Finish is slightly dry.

Reddish brown body with a good sized light brown head. Fruit, spice, malts and some alcohol in the aroma. Complex flavor. Starts off sweet and then you taste the spice and malts followed by a lighly astringent warming alcohol finish. Pretty well balanced.

Pours a really tan head and a dark reddish brown body. Strong fruity aroma with some burnt sugar thrown into the mix. Heavy thick and dark fruit taste. Has some notes of oak and there are a bunch of subtle hops. Spices and malts abound. The palate is a little syrupy and there is a sweet sugary finish, but not excessively so. Taste sticks to your mouth afterward. This was a really tasty dubbel.

750ml bottle purchased at Total Wine Pembroke Pines, FL for $4.99 Very good.