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Biere D'Hougoumont
Brewery Ommegang
- From:
- Brewery Ommegang
- New York, United States
- Style:
- Bière de Garde
- ABV:
- 7.3%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.85 | pDev: 11.43%
- Reviews:
- 83
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 28, 2017
- Added:
- Jul 03, 2012
- Wants:
- 16
- Gots:
- 35
Our Limited Edition Biere d’ Hougoumont is brewed with traditional French ale yeast, eight malts, French Strisselspalt hops, and aged on white oak and hard maple wooden staves. A traditional Biere De Garde style, this malty French-style farmhouse ale is brewed to be aged. The name honors the Hougoumont farmstead at the pivotal center of the Waterloo battlefield. Napoleon repeatedly failed to take the fortification, he then lost the battle and “met his Waterloo.”
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by axeman9182:
Reviewed by axeman9182 from New Jersey
3.38/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.38/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
750 mL bottle, received in Amanti Vino's Beer of the Month program for August. It was poured into my Duvel tulip.
Biere D'Hougoumont pours a burnt orange, with a few lighter orange highlights and a little bit of clarity through the glass. Four fingers or so of bone colored foam rise up and crown the beer. Head retention is decent, but there's not much lacing left behind at all. The nose has some maple and straight oak notes, as well as the aroma of toasted bread. There's also a very subtle background peppery phenol character. It's all a bit muted though. The flavor has most of those same elements, but it's all somewhat muddled. The toasted, almost biscuity maltiness leads things off nicely and it's followed by a little bit of oak. The finish though suggests at spiciness and maple, but neither end up standing out at all or making an impression in any way. The body has a nice subtle sturdiness to it, while still being on the lighter side. I find the carbonation to be just slightly wanting though, wishing it was a little more lively. Biere D'Hougoumont is an alright Biere de Garde, but "alright" seems to be how I'd some up most of the more recent releases from Brewery Ommegang, and I know they're capable of so much more.
Sep 04, 2012Biere D'Hougoumont pours a burnt orange, with a few lighter orange highlights and a little bit of clarity through the glass. Four fingers or so of bone colored foam rise up and crown the beer. Head retention is decent, but there's not much lacing left behind at all. The nose has some maple and straight oak notes, as well as the aroma of toasted bread. There's also a very subtle background peppery phenol character. It's all a bit muted though. The flavor has most of those same elements, but it's all somewhat muddled. The toasted, almost biscuity maltiness leads things off nicely and it's followed by a little bit of oak. The finish though suggests at spiciness and maple, but neither end up standing out at all or making an impression in any way. The body has a nice subtle sturdiness to it, while still being on the lighter side. I find the carbonation to be just slightly wanting though, wishing it was a little more lively. Biere D'Hougoumont is an alright Biere de Garde, but "alright" seems to be how I'd some up most of the more recent releases from Brewery Ommegang, and I know they're capable of so much more.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
4.02/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The appearance had 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. The smell had 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 noted. The taste was mainly sweet through previously mentioned flavors, slightly oaky and floral at different times, slightly bready as well. The palate sits about a medium, slightly sessionable - mostly smooth, sticky sweet aftertaste and finish, adequate carbonation is felt, alcohol not felt. Overall, very nicely done Biere De Garde.
Jun 28, 2017Reviewed by Impetuous from Montana
4.01/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A medium brown red blending into some rusty amber hues at the fringes. Beautiful big billowy head.
The complexity from the malts mingling with the yeast is fascinating. The sour and the bread and malt sweetness are both layered and unified. Quite carbonated it really does a good job bringing the complexity alive.
It's a real shame they're not producing this anymore.
Dec 16, 2016The complexity from the malts mingling with the yeast is fascinating. The sour and the bread and malt sweetness are both layered and unified. Quite carbonated it really does a good job bringing the complexity alive.
It's a real shame they're not producing this anymore.
Reviewed by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York
3.99/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Note: I remember really liking this beer when I purchased it almost 2 years ago. See if it holds up to memory.
Look is a reddish brick color and hazy. Head is thin and dissipates quickly.
Aroma is sweet toasted malt with sour dark fruit notes with a spicy honey note at the end.
Body is thin herbal hops stand up to the age mixed with honey and fruit.
Wish the body had been more bold. Some wonderful highlights though. Not quite the beer I remember but good.
Aug 30, 2015Look is a reddish brick color and hazy. Head is thin and dissipates quickly.
Aroma is sweet toasted malt with sour dark fruit notes with a spicy honey note at the end.
Body is thin herbal hops stand up to the age mixed with honey and fruit.
Wish the body had been more bold. Some wonderful highlights though. Not quite the beer I remember but good.
Biere D'Hougoumont from Brewery Ommegang
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
351 ratings
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