Regal Ommegangs, Feisty Victory Start 2011

Bask In Its Glory: Ommegang Adoration Special Winter Ale
Sampled: January 1, 2011

The stable of Ommegang’s Belgian inspiration has expanded to include some devilish new brews in the past few years – stout (Chocolate Indulgence), Belgian pale ale (BPA), brown sour with cherries (Zuur), among others. The Cooperstown brewer added its winter ale several years ago. Limited editions from Ommegang rarely reach Tennessee, and a trip to Atlanta netted an Adoration, its “special winter ale.”

Special is ingrained in its every facet. As leery as I’ve grown of special and limited edition, Ommegang again refuses to disappoint. Adoration might be the best winter ale I’ve tasted in years. Bucking convention and carving out new territory, Adoration shows how far a brewer can build on strong dark ale.

Adoration sports a creamy nose with licorice, dates and an incomparable bevy of spices, some more exotic than most winter warmers. The coriander and grains of paradise I expected, but cardamom and mace make a pleasant introduction.

That sweet orange peel asserts it self on the finish, with the other spices rolling forward. The citrus never overwhelms the darker flavors but adds brilliant flares of sweetness and fruit. Instead, it works in concert with roasted coffee and vanilla tones which lead back into the spices.

The spice overcomes the trap often sprung by winter beers – they bog down in their own maltiness. It owes a great deal to its Belgian yeast strain, which clears away the clutter and pushes out unique flavors. I detect hints of anise seeds slightly covering the alcoholic pepper of a 10 percent ale that swims within Adoration.

Despite being dark and strong, Adoration never comes across as heavy.

Adoration wraps up complex elements of strong stouts, winter ales and strong Belgian darks such as Gulden Draak to plot a wholly different course for a winter warmer. It might not rank with gold, frankincense and myrrh, but Adoration serves another mighty winter gift from Ommgang.

Ommegang Tripel Perfection
Sampled: Jan. 2, 2011

For another brewer, Ommegang’s choice of superlatives could be problematic. “Rare”, “Indulgence” and “Perfection” cannot be tossed off if the ale falls short. With its range of Belgian ales, a Tripel felt overdue for Ommegang.

The golden-burnt orange body shines. After the monstrous head settles into comfortable lace, cream, biscuits and courtesy of the yeast strain, B vitamins. That nose emanates strongly, and the tiny bubbles sparkle among the tongue. Tripel Perfection has a smooth run of orange and complementary citrus – shoots of lemon. Grains of paradise push out on the finish, where a cluster of bitterness drifts among the stiff maltiness.

Perfection? Close, but no. Westmalle still brews the dean of Belgian tripels. That said, Ommegang has the domestic Belgian-style tripel market cornered. This tripe would taste excellent on any continent.



Victory Wild Devil
Sampled: January 2, 2011

No beer born of brettanomyces can hide its nature for long, and Wild Devil’s nose quickly exposes its rebellious creator. Many of these ales parade around as Orval clones (not a bad choice if copying a beer recipe). Victory’s version chooses to increase the hop presence to give it a more American feel.

This Wild Devil was bottled Sept. 21, 2009, so time should have mellowed the brett. In this instance, it’s as lively as ever. At 6.7 percent ABV, the same level as Orval, it’s nearly impossible not to compare Wild Devil with the Trappist masterpiece. I don’t help separate the two by drinking Wild Devil in an Orval glass, but the undeniable tart nose, the billowy head condensing into a creamy slick and the dark orange body call for that chalice.

The sour orange of the brett romps throughout this ale. As the finish nears, Wild Devil’s hops assert themselves, creating leafy and piney textures. I’m not sure of the hop strain, but Victory definitely chose hops capable of matching with the brett-generated citrus. They impart a bitterness on the tail end that only momentarily moves past the yeast’s strength. Brettanomyces doesn’t play well with other ingredients. With Wild Devil, I would almost prefer the brewers added more hops to collide with the brett. Time has diminished the hop brilliance to some degree, not the overall opulence of Wild Devil.

The raw leafiness does grow more prominent in time, dropping in some bitterness to combat the brett. Wild Devil opens a new niche for brett-produced ales, avoiding the Orval clone problem so common in American craft brewers. Brett might produce a highly identifiable flavor, but brewer like Victory wisely manipulates ingredients to produce challenging beer.