Biere D'Hougoumont - Brewery Ommegang

TexIndy

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml corked and caged bottle into a pint glass. Really like the new Ommegang labels - cool graphics along with brewery and beer stories plus serving temp on the label. Also on the neck was the packaged on date (5/29/12) and best by date (5/2015). Kudos!! It was rich amber color with good carb streams and a good sized white head. Mild, slow sliding lace with none sticking.

The aroma was malt heavy with caramel and biscuit leading the way. Also, good doses of oak, light yeast and banana. Not as spicy as some recent Biere de Gardes I've had but still good. The taste follows the aroma but there is an increased sweetness to go along with the other elements. The oak and maple taste really good but the overall sweetness is a little high for my tastes. The mouthfeel was light and a little watery. Also needed some more carbonation as it was a little flat tasting.

Overall, a good Biere de Garde that nicely highlights the wood elements but is a bit too sweet for me. Do recommend though. Available here in TX. Rotation - liked it but one bottle was enough.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 01:40:45 | More by TexIndy

zillo043068

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%

05-18-2013 03:19:10 | More by zillo043068

kscaldef

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-17-2013 23:32:40 | More by kscaldef

Emkehr

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

05-17-2013 17:26:23 | More by Emkehr

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.06/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In a tulip glass this beer was a cherry amber color, very bright. There was a tiny tan head. I thought it was a rather pretty beer.

Sweet malt aroma, some fruit.

More malt in the taste, mostly caramel, maybe a little toffee. Pear taste.

Malt forward. Very smooth and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 22:01:44 | More by lordofthewiens

kingmaker

Louisiana

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

05-10-2013 03:50:31 | More by kingmaker

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.14/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Dark orange in color with some bronze/copper colors coming through. Fairly murky body that allows some light to shine through, but no visibility. Off-white head that does not hang around for too long and leaves just a ring of bubbles. Not much in the way of lacing.

S- Toasted bready malts, caramel, oaky wood, slight hint of tree fruits, a bit of spicy yeast. Overall very pleasant nose.

T- The bready malts come through a lot, but about half way through the wood and the Belgian farmhouse yeast kicks in. The bready caramel flavors give way to oak and pear, along with some peppery flavors.

M- Medium carbonation, medium bodied, pleasant carbonation tingle at the end.

O- Very nice beer. Have not had too many Biere de Gardes, so this was a nice experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 22:56:03 | More by stephenjmoore

djs467

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

04-30-2013 16:07:46 | More by djs467

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

04-26-2013 23:37:08 | More by Dave_Treat

superspak

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled on 5/25/2012. Pours lightly cloudy orange amber color with a 2 finger fairly dense cream colored head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big grape, pear, apple, caramel, brown sugar, floral, pepper, wood, biscuit, light clove, light nuttiness, light toffee, and yeast earthiness. Fantastic aromas with great balance and complexity of malt, fruity/spicy esters, and wood aging; with nice strength. Taste of grape, apple, caramel, brown sugar, pepper, wood, clove, biscuit, light nuttiness, light toffee, earthy yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of light fruits, caramel, brown sugar, pepper, clove, wood, biscuit, light nuttiness, light toffee, and earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity of malt and fruity/spicy esters with the wood aging; with a solid malt/spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a moderately slick and lightly prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent Biere de Garde style! Great complexity and balance of all flavor notes; and very smooth to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 03:49:57 | More by superspak

MightiestBeard

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-22-2013 15:28:07 | More by MightiestBeard

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.11/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Corked 750mL bottle from the brewery, shared at a recent tasting - cheers daryk77!

Poured into a Duvel tulip - nice amber ruby colour, which was a surprise for the style. Good crown of foam that leaves streaks of lacing and a sturdy head. Nice retention on this.

Malty to the nose, which I suppose is the maple, alongside some oaky notes, grape, banana, clove and other spices. Almost like a wee heavy biere de garde. Very nice.

Tasty biere de garde that melds about two different stylistic themes into one mellow, balanced whole. It's malty and sweet, with that maple component, but has those classic Belgian flavors lingering in the back. Easy to drink, very smooth. Carbonation is a touch high for my liking, but the brew is surprisingly light and airy.

This would be nice to keep on hand in the cellar. Nice brew from Ommegang, from whom I expect nothing less.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 22:30:21 | More by JohnnyBarman

bwarren82

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

04-20-2013 22:54:29 | More by bwarren82

abex44

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

04-16-2013 02:27:45 | More by abex44

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +29.5%

04-15-2013 22:57:44 | More by AmandaSchaefer

Shatter

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-14-2013 00:06:00 | More by Shatter

Jspriest

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-13-2013 23:05:04 | More by Jspriest

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

An amber pour wih a finger of head which dissipated into a small ring. No lacing. Smell is of vanilla, honey, caramel, maple. Flavor is of light barrel.. Vanilla, maple, oak. Very sweet and delicious beer. A lighter medium body. Low carbonation. Glad I got to try it. Nothin too special but definitely a nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2013 22:40:21 | More by facundoCNB

beernads

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%

04-11-2013 06:44:00 | More by beernads

Supergenious

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

03-30-2013 23:50:41 | More by Supergenious

tedho21

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%

03-30-2013 12:36:25 | More by tedho21

Squidly

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

03-27-2013 14:37:48 | More by Squidly

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.31/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Though I've had some Biere de Gardes, this looks like it'll be my first one to review:

From 750 ML to a tulip and a chalice (light pop from the cork, oh boy here we go, I better not screw this up):

A: dark orange/brown body yielding a two and a half finger head in the chalice and closer to a one and a half finger head in the tulip, lightly clingy lacing in the chalice eventually spiderwebs after a good three minutes, closer to a minute of lacing spider-webbing in the tulip

S: clove, subdued Belgian yeast/banana thing goin' on, fruit, spice, combined maple/wood/syrup thing goin' on startin' to come out as the beer warms, noticeable pear as it continues to warm, honey - hmmm... unsure, alcohol not felt

T: mainly sweet through previously mentioned flavors, slightly oaky and floral at different times, slightly bready as well

M: medium, slightly sessionable - mostly smooth, sticky sweet aftertaste and finish, adequate carbonation is felt, alcohol not felt

O: though I've had some Biere de gardes before I don't have much to compare to - as I continue to explore this style, very complex smell, I'm hopin' I'm doing this its due favor as I review this and say I like this for me, slightly wishing I would have saved this for Easter as I think I would have been absolutely awesome with my meal

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 13:47:19 | More by kangarooAdam59

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle: Poured a clear deep copper color ale with a very generous head with great retention and some very good lacing. Aroma of solid caramelized malt is very dominant with light residual sugar notes also perceptible. Taste is a mix between some caramelized sugar with well balance level of sweetness with some woody notes clearly identifiable and forging a well rounded finish to this beer. Body is full with a smooth texture and good carbonation with no apparent alcohol. This is a very good take of the style and the barrel-aging is apparent by smoothing out the taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 19:11:36 | More by Phyl21ca

mcsauter82

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

03-24-2013 10:47:26 | More by mcsauter82