Fast forward a month. Problem solved.
Ommegang
Duvel Rustica
Sampled:
Nov. 16, 2012
The devilish
brews of Belgium now have an American cousin. This ale has a label Duvel could
only produce in shadow, with the devil imbibing and a goat desperate for a
taste of the evil brew in his goblet
Ommegang takes its own spin on the
Belgian classic, which is brewed with pale malts and has lager character to
complement its Belgian nature. Ommegang substitutes his own yeast to move in
fresh directions.
An immense aroma
profile emerges from a head of medium thickness. Cream and esters dominate the
nose. Tropical fruit prepares to burst
out. Plenty of passion fruit follows across the palate, with mango, peach and
even papaya popping in.
The finish is rough, more in line with saison and
pilsner, the latter due to the noble hops (I believe Duvel leans on spicy Saaz .
Spices rush in, with some herbs (chamomile, spearmint, perhaps) to balance them
out. A finger or two of cream continue all the way through.
Duvel’s rustic
relative proves that the original American saison has plenty of untapped
farmhouse potential.
Ommegang
Scythe & Sickle
Sampled:
Nov. 17, 2012
Another new Ommegang?
The beer gods smile down. This harvest ale bears some similarity to Ommegang’s
flagship ale, but goes in wildly different directions.
Born from rye, barley,
wheat and oat malts, Scythe and Sickle succeeds with its grain bill. Those
textures and a fine effervescence build a superb autumn afternoon ale.
Rich with
cream and esters, Scythe and Sickle exhibits some banana and clove on the nose
and early palate. Some amber notes, a little pear, a little lemon zest and more
burnt orange.
A lot of brewers experiment with Belgian session ales, but few do
more than dangle them for a brief season.
Scythe and Sickle’s flavor could fit
any month. The finish brims with herbs and spices fluttering on that
effervescence.
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