Two new Ommegang brews in one year? Please, don't wake me from this dream. While I have yet to sample Ommegeddon Funkhouse Ale - the bretts need time to mature a little - I had no qualms about popping this cork as soon as I chilled it slightly.
Big surprise here - chocolate emanates from every facet of this stout celebrating the Cooperstown, N.Y. brewery's tenth anniversary. The roasted aromas go beyond just the chocolate - inklings of raisins and dates creep in. These malts didn't merely pass close to a fire -- the roasted character permeates from nose to finish. Its intensity falls only a few grades below rauchbier.
Chocolate Indulgence shares more with the strong stouts of Russia and Scandinavia than anything from Ireland or the U.K. The frothy head exhibits all the qualities of the ale expected to lie within. Somewhat chalky in its closing bitterness, the finish could have been trouble but quickly dissipates.
If it hasn't already received the green light, Ommegang should introduce Chocolate Indulgence into its main rotation. It's better with the winter, but a beer of this complexity can be tasted anytime. The malts, cocoa powder and relatively tame alcohol by volume (7 percent is tame for Imperial Stouts) make this more than a dessert beer.
As with Obscura's Mild Stout, breweries steeped in Belgian brewing techniques have no difficulty creating a stout with a strong Belgian look. Given Belgium's reputation for chocolate and beer, it's baffling why Belgian stouts are such a new sensation. With its myriad native beer styles, what's one more?
Rating: 9/10
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