Topic Archives: Ommegang
SEASONAL RETURN: Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence
Chocolate Indulgence was first brewed in 2007 as a 10 year anniversary release. Due to overwhelming popularity, Brewery Ommegang brewed it again 2008, & again in 2009. It’s 2010 & this tasty Belgian chocolate treat is back.
Commercial Description:
The taste continues with the intense Belgian dark chocolate gliding across the tongue; starting sweet up front but giving way to rich cocoa flavors at the back. Through it all, a subtle fruitiness from our special Belgian yeast gives the beer brightness otherwise foreign to a beer style normally associated with gray foggy skies. Lingering chocolate entices the drinker to taste more. Go ahead. Dessert is good for the soul.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale
Hops: Perle
Malts: Unknown
Taste Expectations: Dark chocolate nose. Taste is dark malts, cocoa, roasted malt. Bit of dark fruit from the yeast. The chocolate isn’t overwhelming.
Availability: 750ml, Corked/Caged. Some draft offerings
7% ABV
SEASONAL RETURN: Ommegang Adoration
Another great winter offering is back, Brewery Ommegang’s Adoration. This festive beer is a flavorful spicy Belgian style ale comes around in the late fall, drinks well now, and cellars well too. If I’m correct, this is the second release of this beer.
Commercial Description:
Ommegang Adoration, brewed in the authentic style of Belgian winter, or noel beer, is dark, strong, malty and assertively spiced. At 10% abv Adoration is not a lightweight beer, and is best sipped before a roaring fire, or on a sleigh ride over the hills to Grandma’s house. (But let someone else drive.) It would also be a tasty accompaniment to dark roasts and wild game. Even at the strong abv, the beer is well-balanced and not at all hot or fiery. The dark malts give it lush, malty flavors and aromas, strongly complemented by the five spices, including coriander, cumin, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise. Hopping is modest, as befits such a beer.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Spices: Coriander, Cardamom, Mace, Grains of Paradise, Sweet Orange Peel
Taste Expectations: Dark fruits. Spicy with flavor complexity. Belgian yeast shines throughout. Orange & coriander.
Availability: 750 ML Corked & Caged. Draft. Late Oct-Dec. Unless it sells out earlier.
10% ABV
NEW RELEASE: Ommegang Cup O Kyndnes
The next brew in Ommegang’s Limited Edition Series has arrived, “Cup O Kyndness.” Kyndness follows Zuur, a flanders red ale collaboration between the Cooperstown, NY brewery and Liefmans Brewery in Belgium.
Commercial Description:
The Belgian-Scotch brewing connectiondates to World War I when thousands of Scotsman spent years in Belgium. To satisfy their new customers, Belgian brewers learned to brewe Scotch-style ales, and the styles became a new and significant part of teh Belgian brewing tradition. This fine Ommegang ale uses heather tips and a wee bit of smoked malt to bring the taste and aroma of Scotland to the forefront.
Style: Scottish Ale. (With a Belgian flair)
Taste Expectations: Smoky and roasty. Scotch malt flavors with a definite Belgian flair. This beer is caramelly, nutty, smoky and complex.
Availability: 750 ML Corked & Caged. Draft. Limited one time brew. (For now)
6.6% ABV
“An wil tak a cup o kyndnes yet, fir ald land syn.” — Robert Burns
NEW RELEASE: Ommegang Zuur
Zuur means sour. Ommegang Zuur is Flemish Sour Brown Ale and is a special release by Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY.) The back story to this beer is a little complicated, hopefully this is explanation is simple enough…
Zuur is collaboration between Ommegang and Leifmans Brewing out of Belgium. Zuur is a blend of two beers from Liefmans Brewing. The Belgian brewer has been in existence since 1679, and produces Oud Bruin, Goudenband, Lambic and Cuvee and was recently acquired by Duvel Moortgat Brewing in Breedonk, Belgium.
Leifmans is unique, as they use a blending process in their brews. Blending was a method of beer preservation before the onset of refrigeration. Older beers were blended with younger beers to liven up the flavor. The brewery uses a mix of fermentation methods (open fermenation, spontaneous fermentation, and bottle fermentation before blending the younger beers with older beers. Most of Liefmans brews will aged up to 2 years before being blended with a younger counterpart.
Zuur is a blend of Leifmans Oud Bruin, and Liefmans Cuvee Brut. Brut is the newest brew out of Leifmans. It’s Oud Bruin with cherries added and aged for 1 year. Then its blended with younger Oud Bruin and blended again with Goudenband, a Belgian brown ale. (You almost need flowchart to keep up. )
From the Label:
“Zuur — or Sour — is our collaborative Flemish sour brown ale. A beer whose style arises from the mists of brewing history. It uses mixed fermentation, real fruit, significant aging, and master blending.
All of these are ancient and revered Belgian techniques. This unique Flemish sour brown ale is complex, tart with a touch of sweetness, lightly malty and gently hopped. Zuur is a unique blend created in collaboration between Brewery Ommegang and Brouwerij Liefmans.”
Availability – 750 ML Bottles, Corked & Caged. Draft.
6% ABV
