BREW REVIEW - Ommegang Abbey Ale

I’m gong to go ahead and make a bold statement: Every single red-blooded American should know about Cooperstown, New York. This is because Cooperstown, New York it is home to a truly great American establishment.
No, I’m not referring to Cooperstown’s Farmers’ Museum, or to the wonderful Fenimore Art Museum. I’m not even referring to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The reason that I so firmly believe that every red-blooded American should know Cooperstown is that it is the home of the wonderful Ommegang Brewery!

The Ommegang Brewery has been making great beers for over a decade with a quality over quantity attitude. They make their beer in the traditional styles of Belgium Trappist Monks and they repeatedly deliver with all five of their standard styles, as well as their five seasonal brews. Now, I don’t plan on making a habit of reviewing beers that I commonly drink, or of picking personal ‘favorites’ for my BREW REVIEWs, but as my blog has just gotten off the ground, I decided to treat myself to an American oldie-but-goodie.

So, without further ado, here is my BREW REVIEW of Ommegang’s signature Beer, Ommegang Abbey Ale:

Complexity and balance are two of the most important characteristics that I look for when judging the overall quality of a beer (or wine or food for that matter), and Ommegang’s signature ale excels in both categories. Much like traditional Belgium beers the alcohol level is substantially higher that the American norm (approx 8.5%ABV) but the heat and flavor of the alcohol never come through on the palate.
The color is a beautiful rich, dark crimson and the beer appears almost opaque. It has great clearity, free of yeast and other sediments, and has a creamy tan head.
The first flavors that come to mind when I take a sip are that of pear, Macintosh apple, and quince. After these bold flavors subdue some of the richer complexities start to emerge. The barley and malt flavors are ample and lead into more rustic (hearty) flavors like dried fruit, spice, and chocolate. One of my favorite things about this beer is that each sip seems to reveal something new, different, and interesting. Now I remember why I like this beer so much!

So, by the numbers, I give this beer a solid 8 out of 10. It's and excellent beer, and at at under 8 dollars for a fifth, it's a great value! [Flavor: 8/10, Balance: 8/10, Complexity: 8/10].

Prost!
-D.Lux