 brewandbbq (226), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
Jun 23, 2008
Batch #1
Pours hazy gold with a one-inch head of fizzly white.
The moderately porous foam retreated quickly, leaving behind zero lacework and a placid, bare surface.
Aromatics lead off with lemon zest, quanine, fresh cut hay, and grapefruit pith.
Hints of musty cedar, pine bark, crushed orange seeds, and menthol follow through.
Medium bodied, with a drying and lightly tart mouthfeel. Crisp and quenching.
A tonic-like dryness starts the pallet, with lemon pith, pepper-laced menthol, bitter orange rind, and clove-studded apple skins.
A drying bitterness picks up, and the tart, citic bite continues.
Some faint dried pineapple skins and tannic white grape flesh follow through.
Finishes with lingering crushed juniper on wet hay, spritzed with lemon oil.
The Brett has really started to take hold, but the base beer is faded, and I’m missing the vibrant hop character and freshness that I enjoyed a year ago.
I guess the trick is to get the Brett kicked in while the beer is still young. Orval seems to have figured that one out!
thewolf (3979), Kolding, Denmark
Oct 11, 2008 Bottle. [thank you, drmatt]
Pours light hazy yellow with a great, frothy, white head with super lacing. Aroma is malty, clear brett, apples, oranges and some hops. Great, dry mouthfeel. Flavour is pleasantly hoppy, vanilla, hops and oranges. The brett is nice, and never interferes with the overall experience. Nice.
Brigadier (905), Chagrin Falls, Ohio, USA
Oct 8, 2008 750 ml bottle
I have been sitting on this for about a year now waiting for the brett to do its thing. With another bottle in the cellar I figured I would crack one open during a cool fall evening. It was actually pretty good though as far as Ommegang goes a slight disappointment. I may drink my next bottle fairly soon just to clear some cellar space for more interesting beers that need time to age.
Aroma / Appearance - A huge foam rushed from the bottle almost as soon as I opened it. Sitting in the glass it eventually settled to a blend of about half foam and half liquid. The suffocated body possessed a bronze hue. The funk had begun to take over though in a subtle way. Dry straw, wheat, and a bready base made a nice combination. Overall though it was not as sour or funky as I was hoping it could have been.
Flavor / Palate - Toasted white bread with a drizzle of honey flowed lightly over the tongue before fading in the throat. Even though this is not super bretty it has begun to make an appearance towards the middle. Tart at first it soon moistens the throat. While a very solid saison I’m not sure I want to pick up more; the price would have to be pretty low to consider it.
The_Epeeist (980), Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 5, 2008 25.4 oz bottle. Batch 1, June 2007. Clear burnished gold with a creamy white haze. Nose is light yeast, honey and pine. Soft and dry with a refreshing effervescence. Taste is mild sour apple, lemon zest and vanilla yoghurt. Delightful.
jerc (3217), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Oct 3, 2008 2008-10-02. Hazy light pastel yellow body, large fluffy white head. Lovely aroma is perfectly balanced - light funk and barnyard, muted sourness. (8+) Flavour is similar with a light funk and sourness, a mild pale malt base is reserved in its presentation. (7+) Smooth average plus palate. Really rather good. More simplistic, and less sour than I expected but its just exceptionally drinkable with just enough going on to make it interesting. Are you gettin it? Yes Ommegeddon it! (What no Def Leppard fans out there??? Well I tried.) Batch 1 Bottle, approximately a year old. From Premier Gourmet, Buffalo
AndrewKScott (410), Lemont, Illinois, USA
Oct 3, 2008 Batch #1, June 2007. Pours a cloudy golden with a big pillowy head. Aroma is grass, pineapple, dust, tart apples, funk, cheese. Flavor is a bit funky, dry with the impression of hops. Some spice, some grass, some hay, a bit more funk, and some sour apples and citrus. Maybe a bit of leather. Mouthfeel is light and soft, yet satisfying. Finish finish is a bit sour. Easily one of my favorites.
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