Ommegang Rare Vos
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“A morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable.”
–Thomas Jefferson (from the Rare Vos label)
Ommegang week continues with Rare Vos, a Belgian-style Amber Ale.
According to the label:
Rare Vos is Flemish for “Sly Fox” and the name of one of Brussels’ great cafés. It is also the name of our cunning Belgian-style Amber, which sports a mellow, fruity character and an elusive spiciness.
My 12 oz bottle of Rare Vos poured a very pretty sunset red-orange color, creating a pillowy, white head redolent with a yeasty, fruity, floral aroma and a hit of clove-like spice — easily the best smelling amber ale I’ve had all year! This beer is so unlike the other ambers, it makes me question the label’s “Amber Ale” designation.
The taste amps up the aroma — a nice blend of fruit (apple, plum, the suggestion of banana and grape) with clove spice and peppery, herbal hops blended with citrus peel bitterness. Each sip draws you in more fully — lured by a deliciously unique taste and aroma.
Rare Vos is a beer that grows in complexity as you sip and enjoy. For a bit of background on Rare Vos, the Ommegang website lends us the following details
Named after a Brussels bar made famous as the starting point for bicycle and pigeon races, our Rare Vos Amber Ale is also a great place to begin your virtual taste test. As you pour, you’ll notice the beautiful coppery-amber color and the rich creamy head. Lift the glass to your mouth and enjoy the aroma of spicy orange blossoms. Taste, and the pleasant mellow flavor of caramel malt glides easily into a dry, hop finish. Once you’ve finished, start again (after all, this isn’t a race). Intended for the café as well as the dinner table, Rare Vos is an amber ale of medium color and strength. It sports aromas and flavors of caramel, orange, hops, plus an elusive fruity-yeasty flavor which will have you tasting in circles.
I found it quite fitting that I drank a beer named for the Sly Fox today. My wife was joined in her gardening by a curious fox this afternoon, who chased her away, sniffed the new flowers, and curled up for a nap in the afternoon heat.
After drinking this 6.5% ABV beer, you may find yourself as relaxed as that fox — but I hope you have better hygiene habits.
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