Chocolate Indulgence Stout - Brewery Ommegang

gr0g

New Jersey

3.15/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black with faint reddish-brown highlights. Head is typically Belgian, meaning it's got great retention and is several fingers high. There's some lacing, though it's sparse. The nose is chocolatey as you'd expect, though a fairly sizable component of ripe plum is also apparent. The Belgian-style yeast also leaves its mark with a bit of phenolic character (powdery aspirin-like note).

Chocolate is not as apparent on the palate as on the nose. As such, it comes across as a Belgian dark ale with a malt profile tipped toward the roasty end of the spectrum. Mouthfeel is not up to stout standards, being kind of thin and "watery," for lack of a better word. Ommegang kind of stumbles a but with this offering; it's still good, but not up to their typical level of excellence.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 22:35:42 | More by gr0g

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a deep brown/ruby color under light - otherwise black. 2 fingers of tan head leaving behind some great amounts of lacing in the glass. smells of roasted malts, figs, birch, a grape-like sourness. the taste is slightly hoppy up front.. grassy hops. following the hops comes the toasted grain bitterness, flavors of tobacco, rust, dirt.. not getting any chocolate from this one, which is honestly ridiculous considering most stouts are overall pretty chocolatey and this one even has it in the name. medium body on the lighter side, with medium carbonation and a slightly creamy mouthfeel.

i was kind of misled by this one from the name.. don't get me wrong, it's not a bad beer - it just wasn't chocolatey enough.. err at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 02:20:08 | More by facundoCNB

PoopChute69

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Jet black... tons of creamy mocha lace.

Chocolate, cream, coffeehouse bits, pretty damn smooth. I wish the Belgian chocolate would show itself.

Boring. Mild cocoa and coffee... some vanilla? Meh.

Don't go out of your way for this.

It's well intended but less than stellar.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 05:16:54 | More by PoopChute69

SHODriver

California

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured into a snifter to a deep black with a dense light tan head and good retention
S: smells of chocolate, fruity esters and slightly roasty malts
T: roast malt, chocolate, slightly fruity esters, a bit of yeast flavor. swallow is a little bit of coffee and more roasty malt
M: full but not overly heavy with soft but lively carbonation
O: An interesting beer that's kind of an oddball. Definitely the malt bill of a stout but a belgian yeast strain. Good flavors and it meshes pretty well. The fruity esters provide a nice contrast to the dark roast malt and chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 04:17:18 | More by SHODriver

rlee1390

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not sure on the age, couldn't find a bottle or best buy date, but still glad to try.

A-Black in the glass, one finger tan head, yeast accumulates at the bottom.

S-Roasted malt, some smoke, dark chocolate and slight coffee.

T-Dark chocolate, that is almost faint compared to other chocolate stouts, a good deal of roasted malt, slight coffee and smoke and no bitterness.

M-Lighter for a stout, not much carbonation and thin.

O-A decent beer, fresh it might have been better, but being a want, it was great to try it.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 02:38:31 | More by rlee1390

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2010 Vintage

A: Pours an opaque extremely dark brown to black in color with some very slight hints of amber when held up to the light. The beer has a quarter finger tall dark beige head that quickly reduces to a thin film covering about 80% of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of carbonation.

S: Aromas of cocoa along with some milk chocolate. As the beer warms up, there is a light presence of alcohol. Additionally there is a light presence of dark fruit sweetness (mostly plum like).

T: There is a lot of chocolate in the flavor of this beer, both the presence of a milk chocolate along with the dry cocoa powder. Additionally there is some light dark fruit (plum) sweetness and a light presence of alcohol as the beer warms. Very light amounts of bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Smooth, slightly thin, and dry in the finish.

O: Very enjoyable but there is just a little too much alcohol presence in this beer after it warms up to room temperature to be an easy drinker. The dryness in the mouthfeel combined with the light sweetness make this a sipping beer. The bitterness of the beer definitely mellowed with age (I had this fresh and remember it being considerably more bitter).

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 17:21:02 | More by dbrauneis

Bung

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750 ml. Poured a dark brown. Very small amount of tan head. A bit light for a stout.

Aroma, Fragrant cocoa, malt, yeast spice.

Taste, A little bit of coffee, red fruit to complement the cocoa. More tartness than I care for. Belgian yeast in stouts just rarely works for me.

Medium bodies, more carbonation than I like. Really not bad, an enjoyable drink, but not worth the $16.
As a side note, I wish rhey would seperate Belgian stouts out on their own.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 02:34:04 | More by Bung

Dope

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A very dark brown pour with a huge frothing mocha head atop it. Head retention is incredible, it barely fades at all, even after several minutes. Heavy lacing too.

S: Some nice roasted malt and creamy milk chocolate. Belgian yeast comes through with cloves as well. A touch of coffee once it starts to warm.

T: Roasted malt, coffee and a bit of bittersweet chocolate. Lots of cloves from the belgian yeast. Maybe even a touch of banana? Hint of cream in the aftertaste.

M: A touch thin for a stout but honestly it's not very big ABV either so it's understandable.

O: Roasty stout with some belgian yeast. Pretty simple and tasty. Not as much chocolate as the name would imply which was a bit disappointing but otherwise a good beer. Wish there were a category for belgian stouts, this certainly isn't a typical "belgian dark".

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 04:12:37 | More by Dope

Kbogac

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown with about a 1/2 inch if tan foam. Looks like some light colored yeast floaters settling to the bottom. I get some light Belgium aroma. Maybe banana and a little chocolate. Taste is sort of fruity with a chocolate finish. Chocolate is more intense when colder and gives way to the fruit as it warms. Makes me wonder if it was more chocolatey when younger. Creamy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Overall very nice beer. Not too much chocolate, well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 22:09:04 | More by Kbogac

flagmantho

Washington

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: entirely black with two thick fingers of frothy tan foam. Nice retention and a very nice lace. Beautiful.

Smell: lightly fruity yeast character with a hint of banana. A little bit of chocolate comes through. Decent, but it is a pretty run-of-the mill dubbel type smell; I was expecting something more chocolatey.

Taste: rich malt with a nice yeast character. More chocolate than in the aroma, with a bit of roasty tartness at the end. Quite satisfying; I like it.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good carbonation and creaminess. Good.

Overall: an interesting beer. I could do with a more chocolatey and less, well, basic aroma. Overall, though, a tasty beer which makes a good sipper.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 18:05:28 | More by flagmantho

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice lacing, khaki head. Brown body.

Nose has a bit of leathery funk, but not much else.

This is a bit old... but there's no chocolate here. It's kinda raisiny.

Nice and smooth still.

If this used to be chocolate, it has turned into raisinets. Interesting, but for people looking to try this in its original form, you may already be too late.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 04:08:03 | More by zaphodchak

SLeffler27

New York

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Four fingers of creamy dark coffee ice cream head looms over a dark brown, almost black, beer that passes no light. The head turns to sea foam as it gradually recedes, leaving big patches of lace on a tulip glass. Each swirl leaves a film on the glass.

Rich roasted malts with roasted coffee and cocoa powder dominate while some background notes of ash are detectible.

The flavor is anticipated from the nose with sharp roasted bitterness. Chocolate is in the background with an almost burnt note of espresso. Pumpernickel bread comes out with warmth as does baker’s chocolate. The lingering finish has a hint of sweetness.

Ommegang’s offering is smooth with a full body, almost syrupy with soft carbonation and light alcohol.

This is a no-brainer with dinner and would easily add to a sirloin steak.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 22:27:40 | More by SLeffler27

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours almost like chocolate. Deep brown body. Head is quite large and and nice khaki/tan/brown in color. The head falls slowly and becomes rocky. As it does, strong lacing remains.

S - Again chocolate/cocoa very strong on the nose. There are some dark fruits on the back end like dates. It is sweet.

T - Way more bitter chocolate in taste than the cocoa in the aroma. Some milkiness on the finish though. It is good, but I was expecting more sweetness based on what I smelled, so a little disappointed.

M - A little weak in body and carbonation is just ok. Could use a little more to hold up the flavors.

O - Good chocolate beer. I would say it has a few highlights, but otherwise pretty standard.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 03:41:53 | More by RuckusDu

womencantsail

California

3.48/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown in color with a small off-white head. Decent chocolate with sweet malt and dark fruits. A little bit of oxidation, too. Sort of a bland aroma overall. There’s a good chocolate flavor and a bit of caramel and toasted bread. The flavor is also a bit of oxidation. Overall just kind of sweet and chocolatey. I guess that's the point. Medium body and carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 19:57:48 | More by womencantsail

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a Shiner pint and the brew is sooo dark that no light enters nor exits and it has a massive 2 finger dark tan frothy head that reminds me of a root beer float. The head hangs around for quite some time and leaves mounds of head upon the brew. The lacing is heavy and literally covers every inch of the glass.

The aroma is sweet chocolate and dark malts.

The flavor follows the nose with very forward semi sweet chocolate and dark malted grains. There is no bitterness to speak of and the mouthfeel is slightly above medium. There is just a smidge of alcohol in the throat but I think it helps balance out the sweetness to an extent.

Since the style description seems to be a catch all so to speak, there is no sat in stone parameters. This easily fits within the loose definition, the sweet and malty. My first brew of this style, me likes. For a Belgium, I like (no Belgium candied sugar flavor detected). A nice sipper, I'd do this again with no hessitation.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 23:43:32 | More by RedneckBeerz

iBeer16

New York

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed out of a pint glass from a growler

A: Pours a mahogany brown color that' has about an inch of head of a cream color. Lingers for a a few minutes and the. Leaves no lacing

S: chocolate is obviously the most potent scent, but there is a undertone scent of coffee, also overall a slight roasty scent.

T: great taste, chocolate malts, similar to a milk stout without the intense creaminess

M: carbonation is not too intense so it is very smooth sensation while drinking. Coats the palate very evenly making it very refreshing to drink.

Overall, a really well done chocolate stout, it is just a shame that it is more than likely the last time I will ever have it.

Serving type: growler

12-28-2011 04:21:08 | More by iBeer16

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served unto a flute (Ommegang signature glass). Bottle labeled 10th Anniversary (2007). Poured Christmas night 2011.

Appearance: A Superior dark ale, comes a opaque black with a dark tan bubbly head. Head comes off 2 fingers but after a sip or 2 you're good to go.

Smell: Obviously chocolate, a smell of wine that is hovering my nostrils like smoke at a barbeque.

Taste: Bitter chocolate, the feel of molasses, and raisins. Beer doesn't come off bitter but perfectly offset balance bitter chocolate.

Mouth: Light Medium carbonation which looks heavier than what it really is. Looks Heavy carbonation but feels very easy to drink.

Overall: Incredibly finished and not hard to "indulge" in, you don't need to be a heavy beer drinker or some crazy connoisseur to love this beer. Cheers to all and Merry Christmas!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 05:37:48 | More by BlurryVisi0n

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this into a snifter, and then I saw on the label that I should have used a goblet. Then I poured into a goblet... which yielded three fingers of foam. The coloring stayed consistent (duh!).

This beer smells very good. I like the mix of coffee roast and chocolate in the smell. This transfers well into each sip as well. I think this is a very good example of a chocolate beer.

Overall, this is a good stout. In the chocolate category, I would put this at the top.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 02:15:22 | More by ummswimmin

jifigz

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: This beer pours a jet black with a huge off-white head that refused to disappear. The beer and head left quite a bit of lacing.

S: The beer smells chocolaty and almost like a milk shake.

T: The beer is slightly bitter and the chocolate is quite evident in the flavor. The malt bill kind of fades away under the bitterness of the chocolate.

M: The MF is smooth and creamy and the low carbonation feels very good on my mouth.

O: I think this is a very solid beer. I love the chocolate flavor and smooth mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 23:11:53 | More by jifigz

BigPlay1824

New York

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a pint glass

A: pours a perfectly clear mahogany brown with a finger of creamy head that lingers for a bit, leaves no lacing
S: sweet chocolate scent with a bit of milk to it
T: great taste, chocolate malts, similar to a milk stout without the intense creaminess
M: real gentle carbonation, smooth, refreshing, not heavy
O: a great brew, really hits the spot and is unique for the style

Serving type: growler

12-03-2011 22:26:44 | More by BigPlay1824

wspscott

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle in Duvel tulip
can't read the date, been in my fridge for ~9 months

I am reviewing this as a stout vs. a BDA. The bottle says stout, why is this classified as a BDA?

A: Looked light as I poured it, but it is completely black in the glass. Very thick, 1 finger, tan head with a ton of lace.
S: Very light roasted malts along with some chocolate. RElatively muted even as it warms.
T: The chocolate is very apparent, it is obvious that there is real chocolate here vs. chocolate malt. Not sweet at all, more of a dark/bitter chocolate than milk chocolate. The roasted malt is very much in the back, more of an aftertaste with the chocolate out in front. No hops at all.
M: There seems to be a "grittiness" almost like there is cocoa powder still in the beer. Since I poured gently, I assume that even if there was some in the bottle it has settled with the very obvious yeast cake in the bottom of the bottle. Other than that, this seems to be dancing the line between a dry stout and a milk stout, i.e. very dry on the tongue but slightly creamy. This is definitely not into imperial stout territory. Low to medium carbonation make this more of a sipping beer.
O: Very nice beer, very glad I tried it, but I probably won't buy again. It seems to be stuck in the middle, too big for an easy drinking stout and too small to be something I want to truly savor (like a RIS). The chocolate is a nice touch, but I would like a little more malt character. I am starting to think this would have been better as a BDA with chocolate vs. a chocolate stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 01:44:28 | More by wspscott

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 750mL bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 10/16/11
*From notes

A: She's a beaut. Liquid cocoa in color. A hearty pour yields a big and dense 2.25 finger head and some solid lacing.

S: Baker's chocolate. Not sweet mind you, merely a touch burnt around the edges, showcasing an overly roasty quality.

T: Slightly green. At first it's a bit like wet dirt. As it warms, the yeasty quality comes out on the fore, which eventually matures into a rounded chocolately finish.

M: Rich and thick. I dig the texture here. It really sellls this one as a dessert beer.

O: Ommegang's Chocolate Indulgence Stout wasn't nearly as good out of the bottle as it was on tap. The chocolate feels much more muted and pushed to the back as a role player. In the end, this is an average beer, something I don't feel all too compelled to have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 23:07:22 | More by Rhettroactive

osusullins

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really enjoyed this beer. However, I do agree with alot of the other reviews in saying that this is pretty much only a dessert beer.

Pours black with dark, almost red head. Very nice appearance.

The nose is dark fruit and dark and bakers chocolate. Well balanced aroma on this beer.

The taste is extremely sweet and rich, and oh so good. I would compare it to chocolate covered cherries. Delicious. The estery taste comes through immediately as does the chocolate. Subtle notes of candy sugar. Full bodied and heavy. This beer is worthy of the name "indulgence". Very good for dessert.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2011 07:19:52 | More by osusullins

MsRif

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle...black with a thin tan head. Minimal lacing. Aroma of MILK chocolate...sweet, creamy, cocoa...smells like dessert. Taste reveals loads of chocolate, some dark fruits and sweet malts. Sort of tastes like a chocolate covered cherry to me.

Full-bodied with very little carbonation. This is a THICK brew...very heavy. I would only recommend it as a dessert beer due to the richness of it. Very yummy...I do wish it was a little more complex, but for what it offers, it is very balanced.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 03:07:00 | More by MsRif

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This was bought completely on a whim; I guess it was the name “Chocolate Indulgence.” Good job, marketing department. Though I just saw this on a “Do-Not-Sit-On List,” I’m still excited.

Brewed for Ommegang’s 10th Anniversary in 2007, approximately 4 years before the date of this tasting. I’m pretty sure there’s a date on it that says “BEST BY 10/2012,” but it’s a little tough to see.

A: Pours a very dark brown, almost black. Quite thick-looking. Excellent lacing and a full tan head, coming to a thick two-fingered foam. Slight film of retention leaves this one looking pretty good so far.

S: What do you know? Chocolate! There’s quite a large amount of bittersweet cocoa aromas up front, coupled with toffee, caramel malts, and a little coffee. There’s a nice showing of Belgian scents coming up, slightly fruity and estery. I’m finding a great deal of hoppy fruitiness in there, too; not strong and bitter in the normal sense (which isn’t surprising because it’s so old), but with a somehow-fresh lightness of fruits.

T: Fruity, acidic, and estery on the front; very Belgian. Lemony, with a strange minty hint. Good amount of roasts, as well, combining with a taste a char and (wait for it) chocolate. The chocolate is, like cocoa powder, very chalky and unappealing by itself. There’s a bit of breads on the end, but the aftertaste is actually rather dry, lightly hopped and alcoholic. I’m not sure how to put it; it’s just not very…good.

M: Creamy, though a little thin. It has a bit of warmth to it, but comes off as lifeless overall.

O: I’ve got a feeling I know why this beer isn’t a regular release; it’s a little hard to love. Underneath, it’s a lovely Belgian, something I know Ommegang can do well; however, it’s overshadowed by a ham-handed attempt at “chocolate indulgence.” Too bad – a chocolate Belgian stout seems like a decent idea.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 02:46:56 | More by BarryMFBurton