Ommegang Abbey Ale
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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“The most profound joy has more of gravity than of gaiety in it.”
– Michel Eyquem De Montaigne (from the Ommegang label)
Ommegang’s Dubbel is called, simply, Ommegang Abbey Ale. It was the brewery’s first beer and, as you make have guessed, namesake. But that simple name belies a rich and deliciously complex beer that would stack up favorably against any true Belgian Dubbel.
And though this won’t make the news channels, I’m also pleased to report this Dubbel gives me the first opportunity to use my Ommegang chalice with an Ommegang beer!
Ommegang Abbey Ale poured a reddish brown, filling my Ommegang chalice with a bubbles and a thick, rich, almost tan head that faded quickly but reformed with the slightest swirl. The aroma was as intoxicating as its 8.5% ABV source — rich with dark fruits, spice (clove) and an almost chocolatey sweet malt. It’s a brooding aroma, floral and dark.
And the taste — toffee and sweet malt (clearly caramel, not chocolate) melded with dark, sticky-sweet prunes and plums; all cut through with spicey hops and a peppery finish that warms both your throat and your belly. That warmth is really the only indication of the strength packed by this Belgian-style Dubbel. Sip, enjoy, and contemplate!
The Ommegang website provides some background and description:
Meditate on this dark ruby elixir. Breathe in its deep emanations of fruit and spice. Is that clove you smell? Licorice? Fig? Sip serenely as revelations of honey, toffee, chocolate and dark dried fruit delight your senses. Can a beer be holy? you wonder, and Where can I get a grail on-line?Ommegang, our first brew, was inspired by the centuries-old brewing practices of the Belgian Trappist monks. This burgundian brew gives off a variety of aromas, including plum and cinnamon, and packs in flavors such as caramel, toffee, and licorice. At 8.5% abv, it is known to cause spontaneous meditation.
This beer is a new favorite — better than Chimay Red, more drinkable than Westmalle Dubbel, and almost (but not quite) in the realm of Chimay Blue. I recommend it to anyone who wonders if an American brewery can compete with its Belgian counterparts. This is a great beer!
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