Ommegang BPA - Brewery Ommegang

    Ommegang BPA is a Belgian Pale Ale created by Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York. Ommegang has a penchant for mixing traditional Belgian flavors and styles with American ingredients, creating a unique marriage between the two.

    BPA pours an orange-brass color with a massive off-white head. The head leaves some of the biggest bubbles I've ever seen as lacing on the glass. There is a lot of sediment floating around the glass, constantly being bounced around by the bubbly carbonation.

    Aromas of citrus, flowers, and astringent pine resin make up the majority of beer's hop profile. Spicy Belgian yeast and sweet malts round out the beer's scent.

    The Belgian Pale feels almost...fluffy in the mouth. The liquid itself is medium bodied, but the medium-high carbonation level really turns the beer into more of a light fluff on the tongue, not to be confused with an unpleasant foaminess. A slight bit of  the beer's hops oils coat the mouth and an alcohol content of 6.2% ABV slightly warms it.

Picking hops is apparently a joyful profession!

    Ommegang BPA actually tastes much less Belgian than I had expected. Hops are the main focus here, with ripe fruits, pine, and citrus flavors. The Belgian yeast is definitely there, but it is subtle and just adds a small bit of spice to the brew which is very nice against the sweet malts. The yeast flavors almost acts as a transition between the hops and malts, impressing me with the balance struck.

    I've had a few "Belgian" Pale Ales lately and I have to say that I'm becoming a real fan. I absolutely am a fan of brewers mixing old and new styles and ingredients. America's brewing seems to be more "what can we make that's fresh and new" rather than sticking to the tried and true which other breweries follow as law. Ommegang definitely gets a lot of my respect for their experimentation with combining the two ideas.

    I can't describe Ommegang BPA as just a Belgian, nor can I say that it's just a Pale Ale. The mix of these two styles of beer really creates its own genre. Anyone looking to try something new should definitely look for this beer. Its light body and fresh flavor really make for an enjoyable quaff.

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Rare Vos - Brewery Ommegang

    Rare Vos is a Belgian style Amber Ale created by the Cooperstown, New York located Brewery Ommegang. When translated from Flemish (a dialect of Dutch spoken in northern Belgium), Rare Vos means Sly Fox. I have yet to see why exactly this name would be chosen for this style of ale, but i look forward to learning!

    Ommegang's ale pours a fitting red-amber color like the fur of a fox. A gigantic off-white head forms after pouring, though it quickly settles down leaving no trace on the glass.

    The Amber Ale has an interesting, metallic scent to it, like that of mineral water. There is also a very sweet scent of dark fruits and the banana-like Belgian yeast. Earthy spices entice the nose with their homey scents.

    Rare Vos is medium bodied with a medium-low carbonation level. I'm shocked at how smooth this beer is. Perhaps it is called a Sly Fox because it goes down so easily, yet leaves you surprisingly wobbly at 6.5% alcohol by volume.

    The beer tastes very sweet. There is no hint of metallic flavors, but instead, a surprising hint of orange peel. With the wonderful spices in the ale, Rare Vos reminds me of a fresh fruit pie for some reason. The Belgian yeast flavor is present, though it is much more subdued than in other Belgian style ales I have tried. Everything is very well balanced in the beer, making for an easy to drink ale.

I think you would be safer in my mouth!

    I mainly picked up this beer due to its label. I have had other Ommegang ales and have liked them well enough, but I'm a sucker for animals on labels. Add in the fact that the animals are partaking in one of my favorite hobbies, beer tasting, and I'm nearly 100% sure to buy your product based on the label alone. Thinking on the ale's name, however, reminds me of the old tale about the fox and the gingerbread man. We all know the story, the fox is an investment banker who offers to carry the Gingerbread man on his back across the river of homebuying with an amazing loan. The silly gingerbread man agrees, excited to be a new homeowner. Before too long the fox convinces the gingerbread man to invest in some overseas stocks and bonds, and trustingly, the cookie dude agrees. Next thing you know Mr. Gingerbread is so in need of dough that he sells his kids before they are baked to the fox. Long story short, the gingerbread man dies a painful death while the fox, feasting on the gingerbread man's hopes and dreams, retires to a condo in Hawaii.

    Ommegang's Rare Vos will not take advantage of you like the fox in the story, but it might sneak up on you and surprise you with its smoothness. This beer is definitely one of my favorite Belgian style ales that I have tried. There's just something so, safe, and homey about the spiced fruit flavors in the ale that makes me want to curl up and read a book. I'm really glad I tried this one!

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