Rare Vos (Amber Ale) - Brewery Ommegang

kylehay2004

Florida

3.35/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2 finger frothy head with excellent lacing on a cloudy orange with amber and brown hues body. Dark fruit, yeast, some citrus, caramel malts. this one is really bland actually. Flavor is the mosty unidimensional with some herbal and bland barley up front moving to orange peel citrus otherwise nothing else. Light to medium body and moderate to high carbonation. I was expecting a lot from this one and it was very disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 14:03:57 | More by kylehay2004

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. Pours amber with a long lasting white head and lively carbonation. Aroma is of funky yeast, caramel malt and ripe fruit. Body is medium and crisp. Funky yeast, vinous fruit, lemon zest, caramel and earthy hops fill the mouth. Finish is long, earthy and fruity. This brew grows on me with every sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 22:15:14 | More by mikeg67

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

today 12/20/2012. I opened a bottle that was bottled 12/2011. I had this beer earlier this year but now its aged to protection: as the bottle says best by 12/12.

A: amber with a light head
S: lost of fruity notes tangerines, oranges, citrus, with some sweet spices
T: has great citrus flavor that is sweet and not so tangy.
M: perfectly carbonated and
O: originally I gave this beer a 3.5 but now its in the high 4s. Beer has refined itself and also my pallet has probably changed as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:27:29 | More by King_KongDCO93

damndirtyape

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. Best before 09/2013, bottled on 28/09/12.

Appearance: Slow pour yielded a translucent orange amber beer. Thick light-orange foam on top, with lots and lots of lacing abounding on the glass. Looking at the bottom of the bottle after the pour some yeast sediment came along for the ride, but not a lot.

Smell: Yeast, fruity esters, apple & grape, maybe a barest hint of orange citrus.

Taste: Very complex. Malt, spice (coriander?), orange zest, grain, and all of it blended together such that the flavors run past the tongue in rapid succession. Not a muddled mess, but rather a quick lineup of wonderful flavors that work well with one another. Very tasty.

Mouthfeel: Airy carbonation, nicely coats the whole mouth though and leaves a nicely wet and cool coating. Thickness underneath just right. A pleasure to drink.

Overall / Drinkability: A very nice beer - I can see why people rave about it so much. Indeed very drinkable / sessionable as indicated on the bottle. I could polish one of these off easily over lunch with little problem, and would not mind having another one if I decided to not have a "session". Definitely one to get again.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 00:27:22 | More by damndirtyape

harrymel

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best by: unk

Pours turbid amber with a quilt of fine light cream foam. Smells of stoney amber malts, some herbal hops, some hints of metal and clay. Flavor is all crystal malts and belgian yeast. The yeast is sweet and dirty with a bit of apricot essence. Some biscuit in the malt with a tea flavor and some more metal. Medium on full bodied for the style with a soft, but persistent carb and a slime finish. Decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 07:44:05 | More by harrymel

GotWad629

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a light amber color with a thick white head of foam that lingers for awhile.

Smells of candy, yeast, spice, and I pick up a slight hint of bubble gum.

Tastes of bubble gum and spice with some slight bitterness to balance it all out.

This beer is heavily carbonated, which helps to explain the large head. The bubbles really come alive in your mouth.

This beer is crisp and refreshing. It would be great to have lounging outside on a spring day. I could easily put away 3 or 4 of these in one sitting.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 22:40:43 | More by GotWad629

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance –The beer is served an reddish amber color with a two finger white head. The head has a decent level of retention, with it eventually fading to leave a nice level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is a mix of yeast, fruit and spice. A light funky yeast aroma is mix with smells of banana, apple and orange. These are all complemented by some spice aromas of a peppery and spicy.

Taste – The taste begins with a light sour apple flavor upfront. This is mixed with some other fruit flavors of pear and orange as well as some bready tastes. A yeasty taste brings with it a bit more of the sour funk flavor. Grassy and citrus hop flavors enter the taste profile at this time helping to subdue some of the tart flavors. At the end very light peppery taste mixed with some notes of a wheat bread taste come to the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the lighter and thinner side with a carbonation level that is high. The thinner body and the higher carbonation are great for the taste flavors of the brew and allow it to still be very drinkable and favorable without being “tart” overwhelming.

Overall – Ah it was an alight brew and worth a try, but nothing to really go to on great occasion.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2012 01:26:14 | More by Darkmagus82

hardy008

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark amber with a 3 finger foamy white head with very good retention and lacing. The aroma has citrus zest, toasted malt, yeast, pepper, and floral hops.

The taste is sweeter than I would have guessed from the aroma, and has caramel malt, toasted malt, citrus peel, floral hops, pears, yeast, and pepper. The sweetness and bitterness balance each other out nicely.

More than medium bodied with soft carbonation. This is somewhat creamy and finishes dry. It is unusual to find both qualities in one beer. Very nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 03:03:31 | More by hardy008

fx20736

New York

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a chalice, served cool.

Turbid Honeyed amber with active carbonation and a thick creamery tan head that leaves nice lacing.

Aroma; sugar, yeast, orchard fruits, faint spiciness.

mouthfeel is supple, full and bubbly.

Taste: Thick chewy wheat bread slathered with apricot preserves and an faint spiciness like cloves or nutmeg. Long finish like a fruity white wine.

Notes; this beer is awesome. Tasty beyond belief. The fact that it is brewed 100 miles away and is cheap is just an extra bonus.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 20:57:15 | More by fx20736

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap in a pint glass

The beer pours hazy orange amber with a one finger white head. The beer itself defines styles. It is malty enough to be an amber ale, hopped enough to be a pale and has wheat characteristics that make me think witbier. The beer has a lot of wheat characters, its somewhat floral and grassy. The Belgian yeast strain really adds a lot of personality to the beer, it gives is ginger and spicy clove flavors. The has the perfect balance of malts and a slight bitter and floral flavor from the hops. It drinks very easily and has plenty of feel to go around.
Overall, I cant say enough good things about this very approachable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2012 21:22:36 | More by TwelveOunces

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into Weyerbacher tulip. Best by 6/2013.

A - Pours a rustic copper with a one and a half finger everlasting head. Very hazy, allowing very little light to pass through. Sticky rings of lacing remain on the glass. This is what I think a beer in this style should like.

S - Smells of belgian yeast, banana, pear. Spices riddled throughout, black pepper and corriander. Good balance with some floral hops. Very dynamic aroma with all the components of a great BPA.

T - The first thing that I notice is how tart this is. Sour apple, tart pear, and a touch of funk all contribute to this. Sweet and rich banana bread undertones with just a slight grass hop bitterness on the finish. The tartness dies down after a few sips and enhances the other flavors. Good stuff.

M - Effervescent with a light-medium body. A nice drying finish.

O - This is easily one fo my favorite examples of the style. Tart, crisp, and complex. It remains fruity and light and lacks the rich bready malts I don't care for in a belgian pale ale. As a bonus it is perpetually available all over the place. This is a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 21:06:42 | More by NoLeafClover44

xabyss

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a beautiful honey orange with two fingers' worth of quickly-dissipating head. Opaque body that, upon close examination, is teeming with carbonation. Not much in the way of lacing sticking to the glass.

S: Very fruity, very spicy, very Belgian. Lots of yeast in the aroma, as well as some caramel and sweet malt notes. Slightly peppery. Almost getting a hint of honey. Pretty interesting, but doesn't blow me away the way I want it to.

T: Again, quite spicy and fruity - like a semi-bitter apple flavor. Again, big yeast. It's weird - the same notes, more or less, as the nose, but I can't quite say the taste was expected. Light floral hops, especially in the finish, along with a touch of the ABV heat, though not much.

M: Medium bodied with a high amount of carbonation. Goes down easy enough. Feels a bit overcarbonated, but spot on for the style I suppose.

O: A solid example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 00:15:26 | More by xabyss

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Bell's tulip on 10/14/12

Pkg on 01/20/12
Best by 01/2013

The color is a robust golden amber with a good deal of haziness. The head is massive, taking up several inches of the glass. The foam collapses slow, becoming uneven. Large patches of lace.

The aroma strikes me as odd, like a uncomfortable blend of light fruits, soap and perfume. Apple butter and a mix of fruit jams. Spicy citrus rind. Hints of grass. Smells floral as it warms.

Rare Vos lead off with a kick - near tart fruit and a healthy dose of hops. Notes of ripe oranges and apples. Faint spritzes of spice mingle with the zesty hops and prairie grass tones. Toasted grains and soft breads are supportive without coming to prominence. Yeasty at times.

The feel matches the liveliness of the hops and such. Medium-light body with ample carbonation. The finish is rather clean; just a few residuals linger.

I was a little concerned about how the aroma started off, but Rare Vos has come together nicely. Yet another Ommegang beer I've waited too long to try.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 00:31:29 | More by Ryan011235

fank2788

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle served in a tulip
Hazy amber in color with a thick and creamy off white head that doesn't appear to want to go anywhere. The smell is somewhat mild but pleasant with peppery spice, belgian yeast esters and a touch of light fruit as the main contributors. Malt aromas a muted but a mild bready character is there as well. The taste is also largely dominated by the peppery spicy character with some definitive hop bitterness and floral flavors in there as well. The base of the beer is built on a solid, somewhat sweet caramely malt which provides good balance for the rest of the flavor profile. The mouthfeel is also quite nice with just the right amount of carbonation, bitterness and a dry finish that leaves just a touch of the peppery tingle. Overall this is a very good Belgian pale ale, while I feel the smell could be a bit more assertive and the the taste may be just short of great, this is still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 01:46:15 | More by fank2788

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A very nice offering from Ommegang. It's somewhat of a crossover Belgian/Amber - something I've been dying to try from a brewery like this. Ommegang showcases some excellent fruits and spices with just the right amount of Belgian yeast. It's a bit tart and finishes dry. The reddish orange hue is also quite nice. The uniqueness of this beer takes it to another level, for me. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 04:08:28 | More by TheRealBigC

acevenom

Louisiana

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass, decanting properly so as not to disturb the yeast sediment. Pours slightly hazy copper with a tall, soapy eggshell colored head. The head dissipates slowly. There are lots of noticeable tiny bubbles in this beer. The Belgian yeast aromas hit the nose first, delivering fruity notes of banana and apple. I can pick up some biscuit aromas from the malt. There's also a touch of citrus. The flavors follow the profile of a typical Belgian amber. The yeast brings the fruit flavor profiles from the nose like that banana, apple, and citrus. There's some mild spiciness. The malt provides a nice backbone for this beer without being too heavy. The shot of beer left at the bottom of the bottle really had some nice Belgian yeast flavor. The body is light to medium with moderate carbonation. The finish is clean. The drinkability is very high. This is a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 00:18:48 | More by acevenom

BuckyFresh

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Enjoyed with zoso1967 and TCHopCraver.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, muted orange color with a two-finger off-white head. Great retention and decent lacing as well. Carbonation is not really visible due to the level of sediment in the glass.

Smell: Good malt body and a decent dose of a Belgian yeasty funk. There is a grainy, grassy element there as well, and a touch of citrus and pear to balance things out. I'm also picking up a slight plastic aroma.

Taste: Quite peppery and the yeasty Belgian funk shines through as well. Dark fruits are present, but to a lesser degree. Fairly light in texture - almost a bit watery in my opinion. It is easy to drink and finishes clean.

Mouthfeel: Light and smooth. An easy drinker with a clean finish. Just enough carbonation.

Overall: Good overall, but a little on the spicy side. I would have enjoyed a little more fruit influence and a bit more body as well.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 13:28:30 | More by BuckyFresh

UCLABrewN84

California

3.63/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Haven Gastropub in Pasadena, CA.

Pours a clear amber with a foamy tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, caramel, and some fruity aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is pretty tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2012 00:57:07 | More by UCLABrewN84

Alextricity

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Really nice brown color with a very noticeable haze to it. The head on it is really full and creamy.

Smell: It just smells Belgian. I get the Belgian yeast, maybe some prunes/raisins, and what really reminds me of olive brine in the background. It should be off-putting, but it isn't.

Taste: Just like the smell. I'm not used to the style, so it's very different for me, but it's oddly enjoyable. The yeast gives it that sourness you'd expect, and there's also, like I said, a briney taste to it.

Mouthfeel: Really the best part of it all. The creaminess/smoothness is very nice.

Overall, this isn't a bad beer at all ... it IS however very interesting for a newbie like myself. Quality stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 22:30:44 | More by Alextricity

Beer_Runner

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

No enjoy be date on the label.
Slowly poured into a standard pint glass.

A: Poured to a huge, light, and foamy head that disapated to about one finger of tan foam that was robust and long lasting.

S: The aroma was very mild and consisted of bready yeast and some caramel sweetness.

T: The flavors were Belgian yeast funk (but not too much), a little bit of bready yeast that combined with a sweet caramel malt; and, there were some hints of dried fruits such as prunes and raisins.

M: The body was medium to heavy and very smooth; and it had a very clean finish.

O: A very good beer. This is a different take on Amber Ale. The Belgian yeast funk is at just the right amount to compliment the breadiness and the sweet caramel malt. The dried fruit flavors were also a pleasant suprise. This beer has a complex flavor profile, but all of the flavors work together to create a very pleasant beer drinking experience.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 22:16:57 | More by Beer_Runner

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle

A- A nice bright golden, slight bronze look to it out of a Ommegang glass. A nice frothy white head sat on top looking rather thick. Once the foam faded into nothing a few swirls would bring it back. Tight lacing.

S- Deep caramel from toasted malts and some bittering hops giving off a rather earthy aroma. Some biscuits and bread with faint fruit like apple. Rather straight forward but gets better as it opens up.

T- Not a whole lot going on but I get a nice blend of malts and apples, with a nice bitter hop taste to make it a nice quaff. Sweet caramel is up front and makes a dent while lasting on the tounge for a bit. nice floral and earthy notes from this.

M- I did not care for this cold but as it warmed the flavor came out on the mouth more. Medium bodied with not over the top carbonation. Goes down easy and big gulps can be taking without being over whelmed.

D- Extremely drinkable with low alcohol, making it even easier to drink a lot. Vos tasted kind of bland to me fresh off the tap but 10 or so minutes in the flavor just came together making me smile. A good Belgian Pale Ale of which there are alot.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 03:37:22 | More by onix1agr

billab914

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into my Russian River tulip. It poured a murky, light caramel color with a foamy white head filling the top inch of the glass. Decent head retention to it.

The spicy, earthy, Belgian yeast flavors are immediately noticeable in the aroma. I get some sweeter malty flavors with some crisp fruits as well as a little caramel coming through. The crisp, light fruits seemed to dominate a little as it warmed though.

The crisp, lighter fruits are there throughout the taste. I get some notes of apple mixing with the spicy yeast profile. There is some malty, caramel sweetness, but it feels a little hidden and overshadowed by the fruit and spice flavors.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being towards the higher side. Overall it's a pretty good beer, but not one of my favorites from Ommegang. The crisp, sweet fruits and yeast spice dominate a little too much making it felt a little overly sweet and almost apple juice like at times. Pretty decent tasting and easy drinking overall, but I like their BPA a lot more.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 23:40:46 | More by billab914

One2Remeber

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Honey Orange with a reddish hue. Slightly hazy. Thick bubbly head turns thin quickly leaving a healthy stickily lacing.

S: Soapy, phenolic, spicy, hints of pepper. Abundance of sweet malts.

T: Spicy as could be for a yeast cake, I mean beer. Light and refreshing like a saison yet full of hoppy good ness of a pale ale.

M: Creamy smooth with subtle carbonation for a lively body. A perfect touch of hop bitterness compliments a bitter spiciness.

O: A true pale ale. Usually the Belgian characteristics are so dominant I can not enjoy the hops or malt backbone. At 6.5% this is great thirst quencher to start out on a hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2012 02:58:23 | More by One2Remeber

Jesse13713

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bomber at the Lake Cable Fisher Foods for around $4.49. Poured into De Koninck chalice glass.

I paired this Belgian Amber with cheddar/bacon bit hamburgers that I doused in Brooklyn East IPA and Trader Joes Kentucky BBQ Sauce. Grilled asparagus and stuffed hot sausage banana peppers were also part of the meal.

Appearance - A deliciously fresh heavily carbonated amber ale. Opaque with a watery/syrupy look. The ale is a grapefruit orange and ambery red color. A bit of yeast is still noticeable from an easy poor.

Smell - A light yet complex yeasty Belgian smell. Sweet caramel notes from the malt, Light fruits with a bit of tartness.

Taste/mouthfeel/drinkability - Banana and apples are noticeable right away. A sweet, medium-bodied, delicious Malt profile that compliments the light Belgian yeast front. Pairs perfectly with the bacon-bit cheddar burger that sat in the Brooklyn East IPA. The light spiciness does wonders to reset the palate from the burger and the smokiness of the spicy sausage wrapped in banana peppers. This ale is light as it spritzes on the tongue with a bit of acidity. Toffee-like malt is noted in the aftertaste. The taste of Belgian yeast conquers the fruity notes as the beer warms up. The ethanol is well-balanced and completely hidden. Not nearly as dry as some other reviewers have mentioned. It leaves me satisfied with every drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 00:51:20 | More by Jesse13713

tdm168

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - orangish amber with a big mountain of dense, bubbly, white head that has decent retention

S - caramel, baked apples, faint yeast

T - caramel, dough, apples, faint yeast in the finish

M - medium bodied, crisp, a little heavily carbonated

This is a nice offering from Ommegang. It doesn't have that overpowering Belgian funk that often accompanies this style. It has a nice flavor and is easily drinkable. It's worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 02:43:04 | More by tdm168