Ommegang Aphrodite - Brewery Ommegang

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a snifter. Body is ruby with a touch of pink. Moderate head and retention. Fluffy bubbles, soapy lacing. Aroma is raspberry, cranberry, tart apples, brett, champagne and light cherry. Taste is a lovely helping of citric tartness with some cranberry and wispy light funk. Champagne like mouthfeel, nice carbonation. Delicious and very easy to drink for experts or beginners. Genious.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2011 03:55:10 | More by KickbacksSteve

jdavren

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I loved this beer.

Very pretty off pink color with the slightest pink tinge to the head.

Reserved nose, not too indicative of what will follow.

Lively carbonation. Great fruit taste over a reserved sour base. I get mostly raspberry, and it's very pleasant. Slightly reminescent of another favorite, the Duchesse de Bourgogne.

Great effort by one of my favorite breweries. Hope to see it again soon

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2011 23:44:02 | More by jdavren

scootny

New York

4.6/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I just love this one. A lovely lightly cloudy pink with a pink rose colored head that leaves a touch of lacy streaks and spots here and there. Carbonation is evident and quite pretty. Smell has a goodly
amount of fruit as the berries sit on a yeasty bread malt backbone. Taste is an superb. A perfect balance of raspberry flavor and dry wine like palate. Whole grain malt and bread. Not quite a sour and that's a good thing. So close to a five in taste I may have to come back and up the score. No trace of alcohol anywhere. This is the beer equivalent to a white zinfandel as the fruity persona is so artfully balanced that it appeals to dryer preferences. Crisp to drink and perfect weight. A touch of creaminess as well. Top notch drinkability as I could go through several bottles of this without batting an eye. Add some cheese and crackers and it becomes an all night brew. The sunrise will only look better with a plate of brie, bread, and Aphrodite. Would also go well with a brie omelette and whole grain bread. A truly great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 03:48:03 | More by scootny

allengarvin

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a New Belgium chalice. The pour leaves us with a dark red, very hazy beer, with a medium-small, tannish head. Oh! The nose is very appetizing, with plenty of tart raspberry notes, together with a deliciously acidic tartness, and nice Brett horseblanket funkiness. In fact, I just had some kimchi about an hour ago, and it reminds me of that; I never realized kimchi had a brett-like character before.

Very good flavor as well. It has a good malt character, but it is so well-attenuated that no sweetness at all comes through, which makes it quite unique. There's a hint of roastiness to the malt character as well. Bitterness is moderate, but also slightly unusual because most of the sour beers of Belgium used hops past their date. Fruitiness is a key component of the flavor, but it's not as strong as I expected. The malt, hops, and raspberry are well-balanced and highly interesting. The finish is very dry, in the dry-wine sense (not the hoppy dry sensation).

What a unique beer! I will be buying several more of these. I'd really like to see it age a year or so out.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 01:45:15 | More by allengarvin

Brent

Kentucky

4.47/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a wonderfully understated beer. Poured an interesting color - somewhere between raspberry and ruby, with a bit of haze. Berry fruit in the aroma and up front, quickly followed by a slightly drying cidery sour note, well balanced against the sweet berry character. Body is light and easy to drink. I was able to decant the entire bottle, as the sediment clung tightly to the bottom of the bottle. Alcohol was not in the least prominent. Since pork goes so well with sweet and sour, I would think this a great companion for a dish of roast port.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 15:45:41 | More by Brent

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap in a chalice at Northdown.

Appearance: This arrives in a chalice with a deep cherry color with a light brown tint. A soft off white head fades quickly and leaves just a bit of lace.

Smell: The aroma is ripe raspberries and a touch of pear. Just a touch of funk in the background.

Taste: Up front, the flavor is a little bit sweet, with raspberries controlling the flavor all the way through. Some nice barnyard funk in the middle, and the flavor turns tart toward the end. The pear begins to push through onto my taste buds right at the end, complementing the now-tart raspberry flavor quite nicely.

Mouthfeel: This is smooth, creamy, and lightly acidic. There is no trace of the alcohol, impressive for a 8.9% raspberry beer. Although it starts sweet, it definitely ends dry, with some light tannins at the end of the sip.

Overall: This was not the most complex beer I have had, but it had some good character to it. The change from sweet to tart was nice, and I would imagine that the sour and funky aspects of this beer would only grow over time. It is probably worth putting a bottle or two in the cellar and seeing how it progresses. In the past I have not really been impressed by what I have had from Ommegang, so this is probably my favorite offering from them. Looking at some of the other reviews has confused me a bit because I enjoyed this beer so much. Maybe it is the raspberries; a well done tart raspberry beer gets me every time.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 17:46:15 | More by KickInTheChalice

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A big ol' man sized pour at Gulu-Gulu during our Hurricane Irene walkabout.

Willy Wonka-esque purple-pink color with a Benadryle pink head. No retention or lace left by glass bottom but bonus points for brewing a beer that looks like it was created by Care Bears.

Aroma smells just like Juicy Juice fruit punch.

Tastes like a fruit cocktail: peach, plum, raspberry, artificial Kool-Aid cherry, maybe even a little watermelon. Yeast influenced strawberry banana finish. Mouthfeel is part lambic fizz and part regular beer - a combo that works well.

Up there with Berkshire Raspberry Barleywine and Smuttynose Pumpkin (off the top of my head)as one of the best fruit beers I've ever had. Too sweet for multiples though.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2011 00:38:02 | More by donkeyrunner

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

nice light pinkish hue to it with a foamy off white head that left a light lacing on the sides of the glass.

i am a sucker for a good fruit beer and this hit me off just right. a near perfect aroma of berries and sweet fruit notes came through the air, really just wonderful and opened my eyes instantly. smooth flavor, raspberry, strawberries, light peach and plum notes with a hint of light citrus and a spike at the end. a wonderful mix of fruit flavors and light body that is balanced to near perfection. light dry finish

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 06:17:56 | More by mikesgroove

bjtr

Tennessee

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle purchased at Midtown Wine & Spirits, Nashville, TN. Stored at ~ 45 - 60 degrees F at home for ~ 1 month. Consumed from refrigerator poured into Stella Artois glass (Stalla is not my favorite beer by far, but it's nice glassware, especially when it's a giveaway for winning a trivia night :-) ). Sipping as I write and pay half-attention to the AFC championship game.

Appearance: Pink, turning to reddish brown as the glass fills. Color is absolutely beautiful and different from anything else I've had. Even the head is tinged with a faint pink. Head dissipates quickly but leaves long-lasting lace.

Smell: Champagne dryness and sour fruit off the cork continues in the glass. Not a strong smell of alcohol given the 8.9% ABV.

Taste: Sour raspberry and sour cherry dominate a slight bitter undertone. At first might have thought of citrus peel, but definitely more sour red fruit. Some astringency and the tartness keeps this from being an overwhelming one-note fruit flavor. Tart and a bit sweet while avoiding becoming beer lemonade. Fades slowly to a dry champagne flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin. Goes well with the tartness.

Overall: For someone like me who really like Flemish reds and other sour ales, all I can say is "Wow!" If you are not into fruit / tart flavors in your beer, this may not be for you, though.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 21:17:09 | More by bjtr

avalon07

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a brilliant red color and a hazy consistency. There was an inch and a half of creamy, pinkish, long-lasting head. Average lacing. A beautiful-looking beer.

S: A lot of funk in the aroma - more than you'd expect - with some fruit and malt as well.

T: Tasted of raspberries (not overpowering), malt, yeast, and a little pear in the finish. An incredibly vibrant, flavorful beer that actually gets better as it goes along.

M: A highly carbonated beer with a somewhat smooth finish. Light-bodied.

O: A completely drinkable and surprisingly complex beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 12:10:21 | More by avalon07

hop4RE

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap in a pint glass consumed with grilled ahi tuna served rare.
A great compliment to seafood. I ordered a second pint after dinner and enjoyed it as a stand alone beer.Take your time and allow this beer to warm a bit to be able to savor the fruit flavors. This beer is describe as a sour, but raspberry and pear flavors give it more of a sweet taste. The alcohol taste is light for an 8.5% beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2011 06:39:14 | More by hop4RE

AmericanGothic

Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 25.4 oz bottle into a Unibroue tulip.

A: Pours a slightly hazy, medium brown color with copper hints. One finger of pink head. Good retention and lace.

S: Sweet malt aromas predominate, not much fruit but good impression.

T: Light raspberry nectar up front, light tartness in the middle that lasts through the lingering finish. About half way through the glass, the pear starts to emerge. Very good flavor profile.

M: Quite light and refreshing with a slight creaminess.

O: I enjoyed this thoroughly. The subtlety and balance of the flavors is really wonderful. Here's hoping Ommegang decides to bring this one back again-- it's a keeper.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 03:16:43 | More by AmericanGothic

fmccormi

New York

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Straight pour from C&C 750ml bottle to a Bruery tulip. Packaging date of June 9, 2011 and Best By date of June 2014 printed on the neck of the bottle (PKG ON 06/09/11—BEST BY 06/2014)

Appearance (4.0): One-finger of off-white, slightly pinkish head settling down to a nice ring around the edge, actually somewhat coarse bubbles; the body is like a dark magenta, some sort of burgundy, and almost looks like some sort of hazy Kool-Aid when held up to the light. Very pretty!

Smell (4.0): Raspberries, slight funk, very modest malt base. Lots of berries, nothing overly sweet about it—cool, maybe not-quite-ripe raspberries.

Taste (4.5): After the nose, raspberries! The funk isn’t the “horseblanket” kind, but more of the tart, bretty kind. This is not sour. In fact, this is really made up of moderately tart raspberry and maybe some cherry flavor, suspended over some relatively neutral malt backbone. Very, very nice—brett is intertwined with the fruit perfectly. More tartness coming through on the back of the palate. No alcohol heat to speak of.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth, on the light side of medium, but a good mix of velvety and coarse, champagne-like bubbles (though more restrained).

Overall (4.5): Boy, would I love to see what this does in two years. It’s great now, and very interesting—tart, refreshing, and unique. The fruit would settle down, I’m sure, and it’d turn into something very interesting and funky. Frankly, I’d call this a win-win. This is a beer to try if you can get your hands on it.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 03:43:29 | More by fmccormi

drperm

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle briefly cellared for a few months, poured into a white wine goblet.

Appearance: like a dark rosé wine (or framboise lambic) with an ample light-pink foamy head.

Smell: tart, fruity, and Flemish-sour, with a pleasant grassy finish.

Taste: more up-front sourness and tartness than in the nose, with a pleasant lining of pear and pomegranate, also hinting at cherry, strawberry, and raspberry notes without being too sweet. Incredibly well-balanced.

Mouthfeel: Refreshing and thirst-quenching with a champagne-like spritz. Dangerously quenching, given the 8.9% punch it carries.

Overall: another winner from Ommegang. Different but worth seeking out, especially if you're a fan of Lambik styles or Flemish sours. Try with cheese, or seafood dishes.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 20:26:00 | More by drperm

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours an almost clear ruby-red with a finger of frothy white head with a touch of pink. The head fades down fairly slowly leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of strong raspberries with some Brett and a bit of funk. There is a bit of wheat and pale malts, and just a hint of vanilla.

T - Starts off with some sweet raspberries with some some wheat and pale malt and a bit of acidity. Through the middle, some more tartness and funky Brett flavors come through. The finish is a mix of raspberries and other berry fruits with some funky Brett and yeast flavors and a bit of pale malts.

M - Medium bodied with moderate-lively carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, sweet, and tart finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nice tart raspberry flavors with some good funky flavors from the Brett. Nicely balanced.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 06:34:39 | More by ngeunit1

Gavage

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: dark purple-tinted reddish color with a short 1/4" head that lasted only seconds before breaking apart.

Smell: loads of raspberries with a hint of sourness.

Taste: the first sip was a blast of raspberry with some strawberry sweetness in the background. The sourness was very mild but arrived late. Alcohol was barely noticeable here.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Crisp from start to finish with some drying late.

Overall: this was very enjoyable and somewhat refreshing - like a bowl of fresh berries with a light tartness / sourness. One glass is enough in a session. I had this as a dessert beer and it was a nice way to end a meal.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2011 13:46:49 | More by Gavage

TexIndy

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml corked and caged bottle into a NBB snifter. "Pkg on 6/10/11 and best by 6/14" lasered on the neck. It was a clear ruby color with lots of carbonation. It had a large white head that slowly settled into a constant 1/8" foam cap. Great sheeting with good amount sticking.

The aroma as expected was heavy on raspberries with slight pear and a bit of brett funk. Not as good as NG Raspberry Tart in aroma but better than any other raspberry beer I've had to date. The taste follows the aroma with loads of raspberry augmented with the bear and then some sour brett to offset the sweet. Very tart especially if you do a bigger drink. Light to medium mouthfeel with good carbonation. The brett mixed with the raspberry takes good during the drink but it leaves an odd aftertaste that hits shortly afterwards.

Overall, a really good raspberry beer that has the unique mix of the sweet fruit and sour brett that makes it rather interesting. A glass is enough for me as it does get to be a bit much so it's a good sharing beer. Also good to showcase with friends what beer can be besides the usual fare. Avail here in TX. Rotation - gonna get on to age and maybe another for now. Would like to try on-tap as well. [O;Y]

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 01:09:32 | More by TexIndy

SoonerNY

New York

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a chalice

A: Aphrodite poured a dark-pink with a 2+ finger head showing lots of carbonation.

S: The Brett is present but not over the top as you might expect from a bottle speaking of the funk. There is some fruit and maltiness in the nose as well.

T: The taste to me is more fruity and tart than sour. Raspberries and tart cherries are there with good carbonation like maybe a wine spritzer but with the extra Brett and grains of paradise finish.

M: The mouthfeel is light , dry, and tart like champagne.

O: Overall, this is another delicious brew from Ommegang. It's one to share and talk about and convince some wine drinkers that beer is worth the effort. It may not be one to blow you away but it's deliciously complex though not overwhelming .

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 02:54:28 | More by SoonerNY

NuclearRich

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz into a pair of snifters.
A. A very ripe raspberry red hue, opaque but sparkling through the haze. A lovely pink tinted white cap forms, receding into a small collar that laces like soap, which slides back onto the collar once the glass is upright.
S. A definite funk comes upfront, yeasty and musty. Raspberry floats around the brett aroma. As it warms, the faintest of pale malt comes through.
T + M. Fruity, tart and sour. Rasperry, pear, sour apple. Although rather dry and champagne-like (perfectly so), a lingering sour sits on the back of the tongue long after tasting.
D. Quite nice. A great brett introduction and something I will be happy to drink again when looking for something in the sour range.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 22:17:08 | More by NuclearRich

Tschnab

New York

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- This one pours a pink, almost ruby hue. The head is a beautiful pinkish, off white, about 2 cm high, and the lace rings are thick, but don't cling.

S- tons of cranberry, rasberry, and a tiny hint of pear, as well as a soft brett like funk, kind of like wet hay.

T- cranberry and rhubarb, rasberries, vinegar, tiny funk notes. Very, very tart considering this isn't a wild ale. Delicious.

O- not quite a wild ale, instead this is a sour fruit beer that is delicious tasting, and gorgeous to look at. The tartness isn't very balanced, and is the dominating flavor. That would be my only criticism.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 02:11:12 | More by Tschnab

OutFox

New York

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml caged and corked bottle. Vintage 2011 bottled on 6/9/11.

A - Poured into a Saison Dupont glass. Cherry red wood finish in color with a very minimal pinkish white head. Doesnt retain at all and theres no lacing. Reminds me of a cherry soda with the head that exists and then quickly dissipates. Looked exactly like soda.

S - Smells of raspberrys and Brett. Has a great sort of tart smell. Characteristics of red fruit are in the nose as well.

T - Same as the nose, but the beer comes off almost syrupy. Its fantastic though. Grains of paradise is a great spice for brewing and really shines here. The Brett is under control and not the dominating flavor. Love the tartness.

M - For how quickly the head dissapears it has a good carbonated feel in the mouth. Was really suprised. Love the sort of acidity and small bubbles that cover the tongue.

O - Great beer. Another hit for Ommegang. Keep the good beers coming.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 03:49:19 | More by OutFox

kbnooshay

New York

4.22/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a cranberry red color with a huge fluffy bight white foamy head. This smells like fruit punch and cranberry juice! Tastes like cranberries with a slight sourness. This is very refreshing, but barely tastes like beer. By the end the sweetness almost started to annoy but this was very cool. There is the slightest hint of champagne. Finish is dry and slightly fizzy.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 23:56:25 | More by kbnooshay

paulozanello

Brazil

4.2/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a ruby red hazy color with a pink creamy head with great retention and average lacing.

Aroma is a very interesting fruity and tart combo that finishes a little sweet. Fruity notes are mainly raspberry, passion fruit, pear and strawberries.

Taste starts slightly sweet with dark caramelized malts and it soon shifts to nice tart fruity flavors of raspberries, pears and passion fruit. Finishes fairly dry with low astringency and mild to low residual sweetness. Alcohol is extremely well hidden.

Body is medium to low and carbonation is high. Highly drinkable and refreshing at 8.6% abv.

I really liked this beer, good balance of sweet and tart with fruits thrown in the mix. This is a close second to Three Philosophers in the Ommegang lineup.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 00:59:25 | More by paulozanello

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.2/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter at the J. Clyde in Birmingham. From notes. Reviewed 24 October 2011.

A: A glowing amber interior. Little head. Clearish and pretty.

S: Tart raspberries remind me of Blushing Monk, which brings back a wave of memories. A bit sour, but very pleasant.

T: Interesting. Puckery and a little funky, but the sourness is not that of a lambic. Lots of fruit (raspberry), especially on the endtaste.

M: Lightly carbonated and quite pleasant. I enjoy drinking this Ommegang.

O: An excellent beer. I'm perhaps not crazy about the style, but the execution is spot-on. Highly recommended. I would drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2012 20:25:15 | More by AgentMunky

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a corked & caged bottle into a Duvel tulip

A- pouts a cherry red with a two finger pink head. Looks pretty nice and interesting

S- light raspberry aroma coming out of this, but overall, not a whole lot of anything

T- the brett gives the raspberry flavor a nice kick. The flavor isn't overly tart, but there is a definite distinct flavor to this, and I really like it.

M- the champagne yeast used gives the beer a nice effervescent quality, and the body of the beer is on the lighter side of medium, but extremely well balanced

O- how you feel about this beer really depends on your expectations. If you're looking for a tongue-buckling sour, you probably won't enjoy this, and by the same token, you won't like it if you're looking for a fruity, New Glarus style beer. If you go in with an open mind though, you'll probably enjoy this. Fantastic stuff

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 19:42:35 | More by bigfnjoe