Ommegang Ommegeddon

1 pint 9 fl oz bottle (Batch 2, March 2008). Similarly to other Ommegang selections, the aroma is quite subtle yet none the less quite enticing and interesting. Ginger spice is evident right away as well as the good amount of herbal, leafy hop presence in the scent that surprised me in a good way. Other aroma notes of butter cookie, light olive, and very minor alcohol. Once again, a stunningly pretty Ommegang pour. Huge banana cream, thick bubble cloud-like head, and an opaque body with a nice butterscotch color. Keeping an Ommegang trend with subtle aromas, gorgeous pours, this one is similarly great feeling and smooth with just the right amount of zip/power behind the flavor. The profile of the flavor is great and quite unique, almost similar in some aspects to Orval with some notes of olive/grape malts and exotic spices. Ginger, zest, woody/leafy hop bitterness, mild fruit sweetness, and bit of a acidic sour fruit are also present. This sourness actually contributes and blends quite well with other aspects of the beer, almost tying pieces of the flavor together. The finish is quite dry and nice. Balance is great and everything works very well together. Another interesting and high quality piece of exceptional brewing from Ommegang, Ommegeddon could be their finest. Superb.

Batch 1. Pours hazy gold with a puffy white cap. Aroma is tart, brett, zesty citrus and funk. Flavor is a bit of a letdown considering the aroma. Lemon peel, fizzy, fairly dry and tart. Pretty easy drinker, but wanted more. Maybe this is over the hill.

Shared a 750mL with a friend. Pours a cloudy golden orange with a pillowed white head. Aroma is full of mainly citrus fruit with an herbal funkiness. I’m picking up some spices and yeast as well. Flavor consists of citrus, spices, a grassy herbal taste, and some hoppy bitterness. Some yeast with a sour funk notes. A little bit more alcohol comes through as it warms. This is highly carbonated and dry. For an 8% beer this seems very refreshing.

Bottle, Batch #1 from Armanetti’s in Chicago (I think). Pours a hazy orange with a fluffy head. Nose is lemony and earthy from the brett. Also notes of some light stone fruits. Taste is super clean and fresh. Earthy yeasty notes again pop out with a nice lemony tartness as well. Batch 1 is drinking really good...

Aroma is very earthy, with notes of pine, grass, straw and yeast. Flavor is spicy and earthy, with the typical "funk" of the Brett coming through in the end. Hops are also present in the flavor, particularly the floral notes of Tettnang. Pretty drinkable overall.

Bottle. Aroma is of ripe fruit and yeast. Hazy orange-yellow body, substantial white head. Flavor is surprisingly light, but not inconsequential. Sweetness, fruits, some spiciness. Very pleasant.

Sampled in a 22. Big beer with big flavor. Pours light brown and a little cloudy. Overall there is a strong bite, but if you take your time it is very nice. Serve at room temp. Very earthy and lots of spices.

Bottle into red wine glass. Pours hazy gold with a huge, fluffy, luxurious white head. Head thins out into a thin white cap fairly quickly, with spotty lacing and a clingy ring of foam around the edges of the glass. Nose is citric, lemony, crisply acidic, with a nice barnyard note underneath. Light sweetness underneath hints at green apples. As the head sinks into a thin cap, more of the musty, barnyardy funk comes out, and you get some grassy hop notes from the dryhopping as well. Big, active carbonation up front, with light flavors of lemons and citric tartness, some musty barnyard funk, and a grassy hop note that hints very slightly of mustard when blended with the funk. Some biscuity pale malt is blended in as well - adds body, but never emerges fully. Finish is lightly sour, funky, with a bit of lingering bitterness. Mouthfeel is very fluffy, light but effervescent carbonation, medium-light bodied. Would have no problem drinking this one all night long. Sourness is crisp but not overwhelming, more funky than sour.