Ommegang - Gnomegang

"Little" did I know that Gnome Week was from Jun 6-9, 2012!  Here is a small press release that explains it better that I can.

Brassiere d’Achouffe Gnome Week Celebrates 6,666 Years of Enchanted Brewing

Be Part of the Magic, All Across the USA, June 6-9, 2012.

A larger and clearer picture can be found here.

(COOPERSTOWN)  Belgian brewery Brassiere d’Achouffe is going tastefully small while celebrating the 6666th anniversary of gnome-style brewing during Gnome Week. The celebration kicks off 6/6 and continues through 6/9 The four-day event features a release of Chouffe ‘Biere de Soleil’ as well as the return of Brewery Ommegang‘s ‘Gnomegang’ collaboration ale. On the final day of the event ‘the world’s smallest toast’ will take place with tiny Chouffe mugs and fittingly tiny coasters at 6:66pm, at 190 participating locations across the nation.

The myth and magic behind Chouffe is that it began 6,666 years ago (the postal code in Houffalize, home of Brasserie d’Achouffe is 6666). While Chouffe opened as a brewery only 30 years ago, it was 6,666 years ago that ancient gnome ancestors discovered the magical Chouffe brewing water. The present-day gnomes passed the source of the water and the Chouffe recipe on to Pierre Gobron and Christian Brauweraerts in 1982, and pledged them to keep the Chouffe tradition alive.

Gnome Week is being celebrated in a variety of ways including 190 in-bar promotions, an interactive Facebook page www.facebook.com/LaChouffe.beer, and the World’s Smallest Toast. The Facebook page includes a schedule of events, a countdown to the World’s Smallest Toast, links to participating venues, an amusing Gnome-Thyself photo app, a Twitter feed, and beer descriptions with beer locator.

To commemorate the week is an iPhone and Droid application called: Chouffe Little Gnome. When each of the Gnome Week coasters is scanned by a smart phone, they immediately spring to life in full animation. The app is available for download at the Apple App Store or Google Play store searching “Chouffe”. For a demonstration of this engaging technology, download the app and scan the coaster images.

(Taken from:  | Beer Nut http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/beernut/2012/06/01/gnome-week-is-upon-us/#ixzz1xJUZaKeX)

Since I have such a high respect for d'Achouffe, I wasn't about to let this anniversary go past unmarked!  I quickly dug up my only remaining bottle depicting a gnome and threw it in the fridge.  That bottle is collaboration between Brewery Ommegang and Brassiere d'Achouffe is a wonderfully punny brew named "Gnomegang."  Now, Gnomegang was originally in production in early 2011 and hasn't been seen since.  As you read above it's finally BACK in production (though again likely to be a limited edition), but the bottle I'll be reviewing today is from the original release in 2011 (thereby aged just over one year).  Let's pour!

Hell yeah, cork & cage!

Aroma 12/12
Good gracious!  This is fantastic!  The smells come in waves after the beer is first poured.  First is a thick malt, but it is hard to get a grasp on because it is quickly overcome by a very floral Belgian yeast.  Oh, what a treat!  Just when you're getting used to that the smell of candied cloves arrives!  I don't even know if it's possible to candy a clove, but if it is I'm sure that this is what it would smell like:  sugary, cloves, and hints of vanilla.  This just keeps getting better and better.  The malts then become more detectable and they are a bready, dense, caramel-drizzled lot.  As the beer warms, the 9.5% ABV can be picked out at times as can hints of honey.  If there's anything else you'd want in a Belgian-style golden ale, I certainly can't think of it.

Appearance 3/3
The head is a pure white generous two fingers of fluffy, light, and tightly packed bubbles that seem to dance when the glass is jostled.  The brew itself is a wonderful, bright golden (imagine that) hue that is only slightly hazy.  This is an unfiltered beer and there's a bunch of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but only a few crumbs sneak into my tasting glass and settle on its bottom.  The light this beer lets in truly help it to shine and show off a variety of light and dark gold alloy colors.

Flavor 20/20
This is lighter than the aroma would have us believe, but still a ridiculously good beer.  It begins with a wash of Belgian yeast flavors, which are quickly joined by a caramel.  The caramel then begins to turn dark and blend in a very complimentary way with an alcohol warmth.  Things then become a bit spicy as the cloves come forward ever so slightly, but the spiciness is truly limited because a strong fruitiness take center stage.  This lighter fruit is definitely the featured flavor and is akin to apples, honey, and a lighter floral note.  These more delicate flavors are much easier to detect when held in the mouth.  On a quick swig, the stronger Belgian yeast and cloves tend to take over.  I strongly recommend letting the lighter flavors do their thing.  You will not be disappointed.  The finish is a resurgance of the beefier flavors and they intend to remind you that this is not a light, sissy beer.  It's full of strong cloves, a much more detectable warmth, distinct Belgian yeast banana goodness, and even a left jab of balancing hops.  What an impressive beer!  The aftertaste is mostly a boozy bitterness that quickly leaves the mouth dry.

Mouthfeel 5/5
Considering this brew has a 9.5% ABV the warmth is largely undetectable unless the brewers want you to detect it.  This is a nice feat when brewers do this and especially when they allow that warmth to blend well with other flavors.  The beer itself is very full-bodied, but never heavy thanks to the abundant carbonation and its large foaming action.  Even though the carbonation is very full, it never becomes prickly or intrusive.  Great job!

Overall Impression 9/10
This beer sets itself apart from the lighter Belgian varieties by utilizing a nice alcohol warmth (especially as the beer itself warms) and an aggressive clove.  It tastes like a much larger, stronger version of the style. However, there is more than meets the eye.  The beer hides away its lighter flavors to those who would bother to search for them.  Top marks in aroma, head, and mouthfeel.

Total 49/50
While I certainly appreciate the complexity of flavor of this brew and it's seeming ability to please all comers by offering an aggressive side when quickly gulped, and a more nuanced side when held in the mouth, it did was not a "wow" moment when I first drank it.  I think that's the only thing holding it back from an otherwise perfect rating.  This beer has it all, big body, huge/gorgeous aroma, pleasing mouthfeel, complex flavors, and all the brewing prowess of two amazing breweries.  Is there anything that I can name that is bad about this beer?  Not really.  The cloves and alcohol tend to be more aggressive if the beer warms too much, but as the recommended temperature for consumption  on the label is 40F/5C, I certainly can't fault them for that.  I suppose if anything, I'd want the stronger flavors to be the banana-y Belgian yeast and the floral notes from the golden ale.  I know that this is a variety of Belgian strong, but must "strong" always equal distinct alcohol?  Why can't the other flavors be the strong ones?  In any case, thank your lucky stars that they're producing this again.  Don't screw it up this time!  Buy a bottle or two.  You won't regret it.  What a great beer!  Happy Gnome week everybody!

Ommegang - Rare Vos

I realize that somehow I have not yet reviewed a bottle from Brewery Ommegang.  This is not because I haven't been drinking it, far from it.  I've been drinking their beer at festivals (especially their BIPA), bars (Gnomegang, anyone?), and buying bottles to share with friends because I am supremely confident that even those new to craft beer will enjoy a brew from Ommegang (their Witte seems to go over especially well).

For those not familiar, Rare Vos is the Belgian-style amber ale from Brewery Ommegang.  Their bottle description reads as follows. "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."  That's all I need to hear.  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12
The Belgian yeast is strong, sweet, and a delight.  I've always associated Belgian yeast aroma with bananas, but this bottle clearly let's me see why others say bubble gum.  The Belgian bubble gum aroma is strong enough to make it difficult, though not impossible, to smell the amber ale behind it.  Any of the amber malts sweetness is overcome by that of the yeast, but the malts do still add a toasty, lightly earthy note to things.  As the beer warms, a surprising citrus arrives with the previously absent malt sweetness, which also helps loosen some of the yeast's stronghold.

Appearance 3/3
I'm on my first glass, so there's still quite a bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but currently this beer shines like a new penny.  A bright, high-clarity copper color that absolutely glows as it sits in the glass.  It also enjoys a column of ascending carbonation and a superior head.  The head pours generously without threatening to overflow the glass.  It's so thick and tighly packed that it mutes the sound of the pour.  I love that.  It retains this head for, what after a while seems like just showing off and eventually as the bubbles join each other, the sides of the head turn soapy and leave a delicate lace around the glass.  Full marks!

Flavor 18/20
The beer slides immediately into its primary flavors with no introduction.  I was concerned after smelling the beer that it was going to be a witbier with a bit of amber malts.  Not so.  This beer's flavor is that of an amber ale all the way and what an amber it is!  It has everything that an amber should, but also adds a clean citrus behind it, which I can only attribute to a hop presence.  Holding the beer in the mouth, allows the Belgian sweetness to make an appearance, but it never comes close to stealing the show.  Slurping this beer brings out the toasty notes from the malts and bits of the yeast.  The finish is again more amber than Belgian, by being crisp and clean.  Well, clean minus a final good-bye from the toasted malt and a hint of spice (nice!).  The aftertaste is also clean, but leaves whispers of the earlier citrus.

Whoa!  Ok, so I just got down to the bottom of the bottle where all the sediment (a.k.a. the good stuff) was resting.  I stirred it up a bit and it gave a whole new cohesiveness to this beer!  Obviously the appearance became much more translucent and hazy, but the flavors now seemed more in tune with each other.  Instead of having an amber ale with a Belgian yeast "witbier" note in the background, this beer is now a wondrous blend of amber malt grain flavors and toastiness plus a dull, darkened Belgian yeast note that now seems more inclined to wrap itself in the amber ale instead of being placed along side of it.  Oh, and a increased bitter in the finish.  Very cool.

Mouthfeel 4/5
The carbonation is appropriate even toward the end of the bottle.  It's tiny and far between, but what is there is quite lively and adds to the refreshing, clean nature of an amber ale.  The medium-full body is more substantial than an amber ale requires, but the Belgian yeast flavors allow that body to not seem out of place.  There is not detectable warmth in this 6.5% ABV brew, but sometimes the yeast aromas can make it seem otherwise.

Overall Impression 9/10
I'm pretty pleased with this.  It's a substantial beer, but never lost the refreshing, crisp nature that makes the amber ale so popular.  I love that it shows you its different faces at different times (when cold/warm, in aroma,  etc), but when utilizing the sediment at the bottom of the bottle, everything comes together in a very nice and unexpected harmony.  It's like when chords finally resolve in music; it is both a relief and pleasing.  Being from Ommegang, it should come as no surprise that the technical aspects (appearance, mouthfeel) of the brew are top notch.


Total 45/50
As I mentioned earlier, I was initially worried that this beer labeled as a "Belgian-style Amber Ale" would end up being a Belgian yeast laden ale, with touches of amber ale just to be able to sell something different.  Allow me to say that Ommegang is delicious even with my foot in my mouth.  This truly turned out to be a craft beer that proudly emphasized the amber ale and only gave hints at a Belgian influence.  True to form, this beer not only satisfies the experienced, but would also please the novice.  If you're looking for something crisp, but a more substantial that the light, citrusy spring offerings, then you should definitely pick up a bottle or two.  It's definitely worth sharing.  Cheers Ommegang!  You've done it again.