Rare Vos (Amber Ale) - Brewery Ommegang

LordAdmNelson

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was a pretty good beer though I guess that ambers and browns aren't really my favorite beers. The nose on this one was a bit weak, and somewhat boozy, though there was some nice malty tones to it. Flavor follows with a nice roasty, toasty, bready, and cracker-y malt profile. I'm not really getting the fruits that others are talking about, but there is a fair amount of yeast notes to it too. Overall, not a bad beer by Ommegang. Pretty drinkable with some pleasant flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2011 03:56:25 | More by LordAdmNelson

ktrillionaire

Florida

1.63/5  rDev -60%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

A - Pours a tawny amber hue with wispy white head that deposits a surprising volume of chiffon lace sheeting.

S - This smells suspicious at best, horrendous at worst; the nose seems to offer an impression of cheap jasmine fragrance atomized in an attempt to thwart rancid foot and body odor. No thanks.

T - Atop of the foul descriptors that construct the quantification of this brew's nose, just add hints of Raid bug spray and there you'll have it.

M - The feel is bad, but only because the experience of drinking this beer just feels so bad. Insert sad frog and snarky text line, that will suffice to define this brew.

D - I think this is so bad that it takes on comic (or tragic) proportions. Is this for real?

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2011 05:40:28 | More by ktrillionaire

smibroncos

New York

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. Poured a clear apricot copper color with a. Short white fizzy diminishing head. Good lacing on the glass.

S. Orange, hay, straw, rubber

T. Citrus, fruity. Sweet up front some spiciness, coriander, and grapefruit. Bitter and dry finish.

M. Medium bodied, fizzy carbonation.

D. Great brew, good balance. I could keep this brew and usually do, in my cellar. I am glad I live so close to the brewery that I never run out.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2011 00:34:22 | More by smibroncos

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this on 2010-12-08 at Rivermont Pizza in Lynchburg, VA.

A - Clear orange amber with a pillowy white head.

S - Mild grain, belgian yeast, oranges.

T - Sour bitterness up front, then the big yeast flavor, grass, oranges, more sourness. Finishes pretty dry and mildly bitter. A nice flavor.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Mildly creamy and effervescent.

D - More of a sipper than quaffable for me but quite enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2010 17:37:20 | More by Tucquan

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

A: Poured a hazy peachy amber color with active carbonation and a thick, persistent head.

S: Nose has crisp yeast scents complemented with fruity notes and a bit of peppery spice.

T: Light Belgian yeasy, some spice, clove and light booze sting

M: Alcohol warmth shows up more and more as the beer warms up. Nice feel, some bubblegum flavors

D: Very good

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2010 03:04:07 | More by barleywinefiend

ozzyCobblepot

New York

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Slightly hazy, bright copper color--brighter than expected for a dark ale, but looks like a refreshing summer brew that'll be perfect for ending a hot & humid day in Brooklyn. Brilliant citrus & pulpy fruit tones, with a slight hint of bitter hops rounding out the nose. Sweet, citrus, grainy malt flavors, vanilla(?). Great carbonation, moderate body rolls and lingers slightly sweet. A delicious, moderate-bodied summer brew that riffs on the style, adding something uniquely refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2010 23:49:24 | More by ozzyCobblepot

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear amber color with active carbonation, minimal head and little lacing. Scent is of sweet carmel malts, hints of nuts, apple and banana whiffs with a touch of spice. Taste is mostly the sweet carmel malts with touches of toffee, some fruit flavors present include the apple, banana, touch of cherry, a touch of white bread and only a kiss of peppery spice. Slightly muddled tasting. Lighter side of medium bodied, slight lingering sweetness. A slightly complex beer that comes across as muddled instead of flavroful.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2010 13:29:15 | More by rfgetz

kdawg105

Georgia

5/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had this beer at Taco Mac on tap. Wow an excellent brew. It had a perfect amber color with a smell of fresh hops and a slight sweet smell of malts. The taste was great man I was like this beer is actually worth $7 especially with the chalice. Thanks again Taco Mac. The mouthfeel was smooth and crisp and the same time which made for a wonderful drinkability. Man I would highly recommend trying this beer. I loved it though I have not yet searched for it in the store.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2010 21:43:03 | More by kdawg105

Cyberkedi

Georgia

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

Comes out of the tap a pretty clear amber with a fine off-white head. I did not get much, but this was doubtless a product of how it was poured. Sweetish aroma is malty and strong and has a subtle butterscotch undertone. Mouth-filling flavor is yeasty and malty and has a fruity undertone with a hint of butterscotch and a whisper of sweetness. Texture is tingly, fizzy and lively.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2010 00:26:25 | More by Cyberkedi

BeerNemesis

New York

4.6/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ommegang "Rare Vos". On tap @ The Gramercy Tavern

Appearance:
The body is dark amber, hazy, and streaked with intermittent streams of little bubbles. Presented in a 16 oz. pint glass, filled to the brim. No head as served. It produces a thin film of sparse lacing.

Aroma:
Malty aromas waft over subtle grape and blueberry fruity notes culminating in a spicy tinge of cloves.

Taste:
Biscuity and grainy malt flavor plunges into the mouth in a full bodied wave speckled with flecks of spicy yeast -- peppery, grassy, and pleasantly dry. Subtle fruity esters surface next, coalescing into a gustatory tapestry of chewy berries and and mildly bitter hops. Very well balanced and complex. The flavor progresses in a cascade of sensations from full bodied, to fruity, to bitter. Quite delightful really.

Mouthfeel:
Full bodied but not thick. Oily but not slippery. Somehow it maintains a pleasantly round and robust body. The moderate carbonation works well to give the beer some backbone.

Drinkability:
Very drinkable. No one flavor is that intense, but in conjunction they work a beautiful harmony, tugging and pulling on various aspects of the drinking experience.

Notes:
Top fermented. This is a sublime Belgian Dark Ale, really quite different from others I've tried. Well balanced and flavorful.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2010 03:03:17 | More by BeerNemesis

Pahn

New York

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at BXL East on 51st and 2nd, midtown Manhattan. BXL Cuvee is BXL Belgian Cafe's house beer, brewed exclusively for the cafe by Brewery Ommegang.

Poured into a Duvel Green tulip.

Appearance: 1 inch white head, dissipates quickly. Rings of lacing. Beer is a semi-translucent light amber.

Smell: Spicy and malty, with a strong note of orange peel and some licorice.

Taste: Mild licorice, orange peel, coriander, some pepperminty phenols, with a big bready finish. The taste delivers exactly what the (very inviting) smell promises, plus a bit more. The finish approaches yellow cake or pound cake. The beer is very spicy, with moderate carbonation and a well-balanced hop bite up front. Very nice.

Mouthfeel: Good, relaxed carbonation, spiciness, and a warm, clean finish.

Drinkabilty: Excellent. Supremely refreshing, decent complexity of flavor, and a well masked ABV.

I was very impressed by this beer. I had just stopped into the cafe to try Duvel Green, but ended up liking the house beer more. Great beer for relaxing at a bar.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2010 03:41:31 | More by Pahn

botham

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Sugar Maple in Milwaukee. Pours a hazy amber color with one finger of healthy white head, good retention and no lacings.

Aroma is of Belgian yeast up front with undertones of subtle banana and citrus along with a mild sweetness and some subtle spice, almost reminiscent of a wit, though dialed back in intensity.

Taste follows the nose with the profile of a wit, though a bit less citrusy and spicy than a typical wit. There is wonderful proportioning, with a character not much like a Belgian Dark. Goes down smooth with residual fruity yeast and a touch of malty spice.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth with a fruity yeast aura and a finish of residual yeast.

Drinkability is good. An easy going Belgian that does the right things well and holds back on the right things just as well. Nicely crafted. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2009 16:21:06 | More by botham

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Resurrection Ale House on 10/3/09.

A - Very hazy, peachy golden/orange color with one finger of fluffy, bright white head that retained well and deposited a fair amount of lace on the glass.

S - Initial aroma blends spicy, peppery notes with fruity esters suggesting apple and citrus fruit. Hints of clove and basement funk also emerge as the liquid warmed up. Malt base consists of toasted grains and bready notes.

T - Subtly complex with the typical saison attributes: fruity esters, spicy yeast and a hint of pepper and clove. While there is some earthy bitterness in the backend, the finish is actually quite Berliner Weiss-esque with a splash of sourness and a prevalent toasted grainy malt character.

M - Medium bodied with substantial carbonation and a syrupy texture. Slight sourness with plenty of residual sweetness and a hint of earthy bitterness on the palate.

D - A superb saison, Rare Vos is definitely an excellent representation of the style. I'm realy surprised it took me so long to try this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2009 12:12:48 | More by ffejherb

spointon

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap at the Ommegang Brewery on 5/6/2009.

A= This ale poured a slightly hazy amber color with a creamy tan head. The head retained well and left some sticky lace on my glass.

S= Lots of sweet malt in the nose, with a very slight toastiness, and some fruity esters present as well.

T= Definitely more malt sweetness than any other flavor. The yeast prodused a spicy, mildly phenolic character. Midway this ale began to dry out a bit, with an earthy dryness coming in. Finished dry with a nice aftertaste of yeast funk.

MF= Medium bodied with a slick mouthfeel.

D= Solid Belgian amber ale here. Nothing too extraordinary, but nothing to bitch about either.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2009 23:03:15 | More by spointon

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the local Taphouse. Kudos to the bartender for a great pour.

Amber in color with a nice creamy white head that had great retention.

The smell was predominantly a toasty malt with a mild fruity sweetness to it. There is a spiced finish to it.

There's a caramel malt nose and a tart finish to it. I detected a hint of orange-peel along the way but it faded quickly. There is also a mild peppery spice. This has a complex taste that changes gears rather quick.

Medium body with crisp carbonation. The tartness does leave it slightly dry and there is a little spicey bite at the end.

Very tastey and easy to drink. I wasn't eating anything with this beer, but I suspect it would pair well with quite a bit of different foods.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2009 17:04:39 | More by Vonerichs

glid02

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at the Porter Beer Bar in Atlanta.

Pours a clear brownish-amber color with a one-finger tan head. The head slowly dissipates into a thin pancake on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of booze-soaked green apples and pears with hints of spices and Belgian yeast. As it warms hints of bananas sneak out.

Tastes good. Sweet malt and flavors from the Belgian yeast hit first, followed by green apples and pears. Midway through the sip hops make a brief appearance before fading into mild spice flavors with a slightly dry ending.

Mouthfeel is very nice. It's not the thickness but how smooth it is. The carbonation is grainy and gently pushes the beer down my gullet.

Drinkability is good. This is a very drinkable Belgian Dark that I could have a few of.

Overall this isn't one of the most flavorful Belgian Darks that I've had, but it is one of the easiest to drink. Definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2009 18:10:20 | More by glid02

atsprings

North Carolina

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

On-tap at The Busy Bee served in an Ommegang chalice a crisp orange with a thin diminishing head. Aroma was sweet malt, spice and yeast. The taste was a nice dry blend of sweet fruits and a touch of spice. The beer is on the light side of medium with a nice dryness and low carbonation. This has always been an interesting beer and it holds up to that on draft.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2009 20:54:09 | More by atsprings

jlb307

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from the tap into a Chimay chalice.

A: Murky copper in color and nicely bubbly. Nice off-white head which retained for a few minutes, but it seemed to thin a little too soon. Some spots of lace on the glass.

S: Slightly sweet and pleasingly spicy aroma. Hints of citrus and ripe red fruits.

T: Spicy, sweet, and mildly nutty. Great balance with just enough of a light alcohol flavor.

M: Full body, but light feel. Clean finish and smooth.

D: Very good beer and great to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2009 15:26:03 | More by jlb307

cpn920

New York

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a cloudy amber golden hue with a thick creamy head that faded to lacing. Smell consisted of banana's and mild clove. Taste was very good and very smooth. Tasted banana with a mildly sweet finish. Medium bodied with good carbonation. Drinkability very high. This beer is really really enjoyable and I'm disappointed that I hadn't tried it sooner.This is one that will be a regular at my house!

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2009 15:00:46 | More by cpn920

UDbeernut

New York

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

What a treat, VOS on tap poured into a rare Vos glass

A: deep amber, slight haed with nice retention, does reduce to a lacing cap

S:spices slight yeast aroma... Clean

T: spice on the front, finishes clean with very slight bitterness

M&d: medium mouthfeel, good carbonation, still not a session beer, but a great example of the style for a reasonable price

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2009 22:28:25 | More by UDbeernut

LilBeerDoctor

New York

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

Reviewed on 4/21/08. On tap at the Colgate Inn. Pours an orange-amber with a small white head. Aroma of Belgian yeast, some light flowery hops. Reminds me of a witte- lots of spices (corriander and anise star)and light citrus fruits. Finish of a buttery roll, kind of salty (but in a good way). A great session. Very drinkable. 7/4/7/4/15 (3.7/5)

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2008 17:33:21 | More by LilBeerDoctor

rtepiak

Poland

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

amber orange murky with lace. smell is pineapple, apricot, pear. the nose carries over to the palate consistently. the hop is minty and it has a mild apricot sweet to it. straw yeasty and a light grapefruit finish with some buttery yeast malt quality. a well rounded brew. good american example. have had it before and it didn't turn out as good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2008 08:42:55 | More by rtepiak

kenito799

New York

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

Pints drunk in two Cooperstown establishments.

After touring the brewery we learned that bottle conditioning does not apply to kegs, so this is reallya different experience than this brew in the bottle. Maybe less complex, but a fabulously refreshinga nd gloriously tangy spicy brew (grains of paradise, it turns out). Very balanced. A winner.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2008 04:16:18 | More by kenito799

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

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

Amber body with a rapidly diminishing off-white head. A small cap is replenished by a steady stream of bubbles. Grainy, sweet fruity aroma. Fruity, spicy yeast is clearly present in the flavour, along with some bready malts. Seemed quite aggressively carbonated, and along with the yeast profile, it reminded me somewhat of Unibroue.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2008 16:15:15 | More by bobsy

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap in Cooperstown, NY moments before visiting Brewery Ommegang.

The beer came in the specific Rare Vos glass that Brewery Ommegang sells. It came with a thin but substantial head. Color was bright and deep amber with loads or red highlights. Slight Haze with some visible carbonation. Very Nice looking beer. Little lacing remained behind.

There was a light malt aroma along with some sweet fruitiness.
Aroma bit grainy as well

Taste was much lighter than I had thought.

Very interesting flavor.
I can taste the caramel malt of amber, but its all behind the Belgian yeast flavor. Slight white pepper, slight coriander. Hop bitterness is subtle at the end and lingers slightly. I do get a bread like sensation which plays nicely with the hop linger. Some real fruitiness here, but not really sweet at all.

Mouth feel was light to medium and I found this to be extremely drinkable.

I really enjoyed this beer.

(Did have another later with dinner.)

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2008 13:52:44 | More by Reagan1984