Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

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

Warning: unavoidable joy to rate this beer... impenatrable black body filling out a Victory HopDevil nonick glass... substantial brown head laces as close to perfection as my pencil will allow.... thick, dense chocolate aroma reaches out from the table in front of me... fresh malts are also present.... soft milky toastedness settles the nostrils--I could SMELL this beer all night.... intense heat at the throat retreats, allowing a medium-bodied, slightly effervescent body to present comfortably... chocolate taste indeed--with subtle dairy and toasted flavors--some light esthers lift the weight... these Ommegang brewers do little wrong--I’ve ordered enough glassware from them to prove my appreciation!--and the Chocolate Indulgence is what it promises... for 7.0% ABV, unbelievably drinkable and character-laden...

750ml corked and caged. Pours dark brown almost black with a thick creamy, frothy dark head that left behind perfect lacing. Aromas of roasted malts, vanilla, and a bit of chocolate. Flavors are sweet malts, lactose, and some chocolate up front with a semi bitter roasted malt finish. Full bodied.

750 ml bottle purchased at Central Market in Mill Creek. Pours a dark brown with a tan/light brown head. Flavor: Roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate (duh).

(bottle) A big head of tiny, densely-packed, brown bubbles eventually forming rocky peaks and lots of lace. A dark brown body. Sweet, roasty malt aroma with lots of chocolate, and espresso. Dark chocolate flavor has a lot of acidity, nuttiness, some sweetness. Medium to full bodied.

2007 bottle (Original release... not sure what the deal is with the 2nd release...?) Pours a dark decently thick near black with a small/medium creamy smooth beige froth. Definitely smells like a Belgian stout, lightly grassy and seems a bit peaty, roasted munich malts, hint of coffee, fruity and lightly grassy. Took a few sips to get used to the taste... at first I thought my bottle might have gone bad as there was a bit of sourness and a weird vegetal finish. Now that I’m used to the flavor I’m going to go ahead and say this beer is indeed delicious and definitely seems Belgian. This beer is perfectly sweet for a stout, a tad sweeter than off-dry, some mellow acidity or funk that adds beautiful character, smooth creamy bitter-sweet chocolate that isn’t detectable at first sip, lightly fruity without being annoying. Medium body with very smooth soft carbonation, creamy.

2007 bottle. Dark dark brown with a big puffy tan head that settles quickly to a lasting cover leaving nice lacing. Aroma is soy, roasty, light chocolate. Taste is dark baking chocolate bark, big roasty body with a finish of light soy sauce.

I thought this was a near perfect beer. It was so light and smooth, velvety. Hints of belgian sugars, light cocoa. So easy to drink and enjoyable. Not overly sweet at all, just perfectly balanced. I enjoyed every sip of this one. Truly wonderful.

Sample from January 24, 2009 Beer Club meeting. This sucker is SOLID black. Talk about dirty oil... Thick, dense brown head. Forget chocolate... the aroma is of straight up cocoa. Flavor is very smoked, more chocolaty. Palate is surprisingly thin, but altogether a strong, hefty beer. Gorgeous chunky bits at the bottom of the bottle makes a fine dessert.