Biere D'Hougoumont - Brewery Ommegang

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.06/5  rDev +4.9%
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

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.14/5  rDev +7%
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

superspak

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +8.5%
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

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.11/5  rDev +6.2%
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

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.31/5  rDev +11.4%
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%
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

kojevergas

California

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

7.3% ABV confirmed. 750ml brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap (aka a "cage") over a cork served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Expectations are fairly high given the brewery, but the style is difficult to execute. "Ale aged o Maple and Oak wood staves." Sounds tasty.

Poured slowly per label instructions. Served chilled.

Yields a satisfying pop upon removal of the cork. No issues with beer surging out or anything.

A: Pours a four finger beige colour head of nice cream, nice thickness, and pretty good (6+ minute) retention. Body colour is a clear translucent pale copper-gold. Vibrant and appealing. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Typical of the style, yet surprisingly vibrant and appealing. A fine appearance for a biere de garde.

Sm: Soft. Not a harsh or invading aroma. Clove. Banana from the yeast. Bright fruit. Spice. Sweet maple wood & syrup. A bit of subtle oak - but not particularly evocative oak. Light fresh floral hops. Cilantro. Pear. Maple is dominant. Quite light in character yet moderate in strength. Appealing and inviting. No alcohol is detectable. Intriguing.

T/Mf: Hm. Maple sweetness and wood is there, but it's incredibly subtly done. That's impressive, and mixes well with the subtle-but-too-light oak character. Clove, cilantro, and light pear fruit. A bit of banana from the yeast - as well as more clove. The spicing is organic and cohesive, blending well with the light vibe of the beer. Lightly bready. A touch of green apple. Thank god there's no caramel/caramel malt here - that would ruin it. Light lemongrass. It's definitely farmhouse in character without any funkiness or heavy brett character; that's remarkable. I quite like it for what it is. Balanced well.

It has good body but it's shockingly light on the palate - especially for the incredibly well concealed ABV. So light and soft for a biere de garde; it's marvelous. The maple is very well integrated here, but does flirt with crossing the line into too sweet. Luckily, it never quite crosses it - but it comes uncomfortably close. I'd certainly call this one spicy. Orange rind. Light white pepper. A hint of vanilla. Green apple skin. I'm liking it more and more as it warms. Maybe a bit of honey? Brown sugar. Light biscuity yeast. Light fig.

Perfectly carbonated. Lightly dry and coarse on the climax and into the third act; that's incredibly well done. Thickness is perfect; it's never overbearing. Light on the palate and refreshing, enabling a lot of flavour to come through without ever overwhelming. The mouthfeel comes off custom-tailored to the flavour profile. This is a surprisingly well done beer. Delightful stuff.

Some fizzy crystal malt. Light yeasty dough-like character; I don't usually find that in beer. In this sense, it's one of the most bready beers I've ever tried - and I'm sure bread made with it would be great. Lightly cidery. This would pair marvelously with damn near any food out there. Would be a great table beer.

Very complex and very subtlety, yet still approachable. I tip my hat to the brewer.

Dr: I have to admit, this one really took me by surprise. I expected a pretty good beer, but this blindsided me with its quality and execution. This is probably my new benchmark for the biere de garde style. Bravo, Ommegang. Obscenely drinkable and very enjoyable. I'll definitely be picking up this one again, and I'd recommend it to friends. Great stuff, if a bit pricey. Hides its ABV well.

B+

Serve slightly chilled and allow to come to room temperature.

Would pair well with any moderate food. Strong stuff like chocolate is out of the question.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 04:56:36 | More by kojevergas

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

750ml bottle - $12.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a hazy, coppery body with a medium-tall, but brief, off-white head.

Smell: Sweetish, moderately toasty nose teamed but not teeming with fruity esters, thin sprinkling of dried herb, a pinch of spice, maybe some dried orange peel, and a touch of wood.

Taste: Gently toasted bread and biscuits dosed with, well, a flavor akin to candy corn. Maintains a fair sweetness throughout. Then, some competing tastes of coriander, green banana, cherry, apple, and two drops of Cointreau. A light spiciness, slight oakiness. Not much bitterness. Semi-dry, malty, fruity finish with a lingering yeastiness and warmth.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Fairly decent, if a bit over-priced.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 00:41:06 | More by ChainGangGuy

gr0g

New Jersey

4.11/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Color is revealed as an orange-amber after a pour into an Ommegang tulip. Moderate cloudiness. A 2+ finger head shows good retention, but only some sparse lacing is left behind. The usual farmhouse ale aromas are present along with some oak character picked up from the aging on oak staves. Though this beer was also aged on maple staves, I'm not able to pick up any maple. Some chalky yeast and plenty of toffee malt. The oak adds a very nice complexity to the aroma.

The flavor profile features a very nice interplay between malty sweetness, tartness, bitterness, and oak. While generally dry, the underlying malt body is allowed to showcase a slightly sweet butterscotch note. A slight tartness throughout leads to a bitter finish. A slight vanilla note is lent by the oak aging. Carbonation is lively but still somewhat soft.

Ommegang impresses me more often than not, so I'm not surprised at how good this is. The wood aging imparts a very nice complexity. Despite the price premium, this is very much worth picking up. I'd definitely like to see this brewed again.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 20:04:05 | More by gr0g

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an Ommegang flute glass. Pours a coppery amber with a nice two finger off-white head with great retention and lots of lacing. Spicy aroma of orange rind, caramel malt, Belgian yeast and light grassy hops. Flavor an interesting, well integrated caramel malt, maple syrup, oak, vanilla and stone fruit. Finishes drier with lingering maple and pleasant wood. Light to medium bodied, but excellent mouth feel from active carbonation. This is definitely a bit sweet for a biere de garde, and does not have a strong wild yeast element, but I found it delicious. The deviation from a biere de garde were all towards my taste. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 04:50:22 | More by LiquidAmber

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.51/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark amber with white foam. Hazy look to it. Sunny citrussy smell. Light fruit otherwise malty. Smooth and subtle malt taste. Background yeast and light sugar taste. Cherries. Toffee. Hugely flavorful with a perfect carbonation that blends in. Subtle booziness.There is an oakiness in the background. This is a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 13:12:12 | More by KTCamm

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.03/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Opens with a resounding Pop!

Pours amber/honey colored with a thin cream colored head. Sme floaties early on, no head retention or lacing

S: Pears, peaches & sourmash; appleskins (green) as this warms

T: Folllows the nose, a touch of honey & dryness up front. Pears & appleskins as this warms, slight boozey honey flavors, some brown sugar & passion fruit notes & some floral notes . Finishes with Golden Delicious apple sweetness, & dryness

MF: Light/medium bodied with near zero carbonation, become even thinner as this warms

I usually like ommegang, but this one is meh at best

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 05:13:13 | More by russpowell

nova009

Kentucky

3.79/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a caged and corked bomber into my Ommegang glass

A- pours a clear dark copper color with a slight red hue to it, a big fluffy two finger head appears and sticks around for a long time, a steady stream of bubbles races to the top

S- malty and a bit earthy, some funk mixed in, definitely some oak, figs and other dark fruits, dark cherries, slightly noticable belgian yeast notes, slightly sweet as well

T- malty and earthy just like the nose, some hop bitterness mixed in, some woodiness as well, a little tartness as well, dark fruits aren't as noticeable on the sip, alcohol is noticeable toward the end of the swallow, seems a little lacking

M- medium body, fairly high carbonation, slightly chewy, finishes dry

O- there was something slightly off with the flavor, felt like it was lacking a little bit, other than that the style and composition of the beer was pretty spot on, might grab another and see if it develops over the years

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 01:01:56 | More by nova009

carlborch

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Pours a beautiful, creamy, off-white head. Yeasty, but delicious, nose. Significant carbonation. Tiny bubbles. Restrained, but floral hops in the nose. Slight haze. Medium-tan color. Suggestions of amber. Medium body. Well-balanced palate. Nice malt and certainly moreish. Sweet and tart in restraints. Some Belgian lace. The ABV is not noticeable on the palate. Fresh, enticing, delicious. Will definitely try again. Would be fun to lay some down and see how they age.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 21:44:18 | More by carlborch

Apellonious

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 pt 9.4 fl oz bomber from Frugle, out of a tulip glass

A- Ruby and cloudy, with a thin one finger head with an off-white pinkish hue.

S - Dough, citrus, faint malt and yeast

T - Mild fruit up front, with a bitter hop finish with wine like aftertaste. The maple mentioned on the label is more apparent later.

M - Sharp, similar to a champagne. Very fizzy and active.

O - I must say I do not have much experience on the style from comparison purposes, but it seemed to close to a white wine for my tastes. That being said, it appears to be put together well, like most Ommegang efforts.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 01:16:00 | More by Apellonious

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First time with this one. 750ml into Duvel glass at 40-45.

Pours with a healthy cream-colored head over deep golden colored body, with a fun combo of carbo flowing up in multiple directions.

Bready and fruity aromas. Very inviting. Caramel, apricot, and green apple lead the way in my nose.

Creamy mouthfeel - very soft and luxurious on the palate. Love the mouthfeel. Flavors have a nice fruity quality from the yeast. Apple cider like, with some light spices in the mix. Light tang... maybe some orange peel citrus.

Really enjoyed this one. It's very approachable, and smooth. Perfect complimentary beer to many different foods.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 23:22:08 | More by BeerImmediately

SLeffler27

New York

4.13/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Builds a big, three-inch, antique white foamy head that is long lasting and leaves a coating of lace over a hazy, amber orange beer with golden highlights.

Nice funk with lots of fruit, orange, apricot, and Juicy Fruit Gum. Wood and banana notes come out with warmth.

Acid is out front, with a light tartness. Fruits are subdued, however, yeast flavors come out along with toasted sourdough. There is a short, powerful burst in the finish, with subtle, lingering bananas that follow.

This is a medium body beer with explosive carbonation that forms fine bubbles against a wooly texture. Alcohol is light.

An easy drinking and refreshing beer to aid decompression after work. Enjoyed from a tulip glass.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 21:36:39 | More by SLeffler27

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this beer into a fluted glass and immediately received quite a bit of foam. You can see quite a bit of yeast swirling around in the bottle.

I smell quite a bit of sour coming up from the glass. You also get a decent amount of oakiness from the glass.

The flavor was pretty muted. I'm used to biere de gardes having a lot more flavor to it. This is like the pale version of the style.

This was surprisingly easy to drink. I would have relished more up front presence, but this was a pretty decent offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 00:40:44 | More by ummswimmin

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

- Brewed with french ale yeast, 8 malts, french strisselspalt hops,and aged on maple and oak wood. 7.3%abv.

A: A monstrous 3 finger high light beige head is rigid and foamy with an soapy texture and active surface, pitting deep pores with a loud audible presence. An explosive effervesce rages within an ice-tea colored body that is fairly dense clarity wise. Head retention is strong lacing a bit weak.

S: A light toned nose, wet bread, wet straw fairly tame and clean.

T: Toasty french oak, perhaps a sligth indication of rye. Some cara-munich toasted malt, a touch of damp fruit and maple syrup. Funky yeast bite upon warming. Bready caramel apple, green pear and some sweet caramel moments.

M: Strongly active mouthful, medium bodied, leaning more towards the lighter end of the spectrum.

O: Overall cleanly brewed, not much wow factor, respectable but had much better from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 02:09:14 | More by beerthulhu

dfillius

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass
A: Moderate to aggressive pour yields 2 fingers of slightly fizzy off-cream colored head. Hazy reddish-tan. Fairly good looking.
S: Biscuity malt, slightly noble-esque hop in the background. Caramel. Some maple syrup comes out as it warms. Good complexity and all nice.
T: Sweet and malty, but with a dry tannic finish. I'd like a tad more funk, maybe a bit more brightness.
M: A bit too effervescent. Dry finish. Pleasant overall. Nice sweet and round middle. I would like the body to be lighter though.
O: Decent. Probably won't buy a bottle again. But I would order a pint at a bar.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 17:40:51 | More by dfillius

rlee1390

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Cloudy amber, one finger head with some carbonation.

S-Maple, oak, vanilla, grass wheat, but the maple is overpowering.

T-Very sweet maple and oak dominate with slight vanilla. Tad bit of spice and grass. Some mollasses as well.

M-Light to medium bodied, not much carbonation.

O-At the end of the day too much maple. If it was toned down a little bit, the balance would be great and the beer would improve a lot.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 16:22:48 | More by rlee1390

MatthewWilde

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sample: 1 bottle 2012

A: Pours a medium off-white head that slowly dissolves, dark orange in color, moderate internal carbonation, slightly cloudy

S: Complex nose, sugar cane, slight caramel mixed with a definite yeast notes, sweet and fruity, moderately fragrant overall

T: Starts fruity and yeasty, elements of apple crisp and caramel, finishes rather empty, however, with mild sweetness and some alcohol

M: Very smooth, light in the mouth, not lingering or overpowering, mild fruity/yeasty aftertaste, moderate alcohol

O: True to the style, but leaves something to be desired, nice bouquet and look, but just alright

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 01:24:26 | More by MatthewWilde

XicanoBeerRun

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reddish orange with heavy carbonation.

Smells like candied orange, vanilla, rum punch.

Tastes, caramel, maple coated nuts, oaky, dried dark fruits, malty tootsie roll, hoppy bitterness. Great balance of flavors.

Clean finish.

I wonder what it does with age?

I'll have another.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 15:57:51 | More by XicanoBeerRun

TexIndy

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
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

keepersj12

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours copper with a red tint. The aroma malty sweet with a hint of sourness, caramel and some wood, a bit of cherries. The flavor has a fruity taste up front with a bit of sour and pepper at the end. The finish is quite dry and refreshing. Nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 20:58:43 | More by keepersj12