Beer: Biere D'Hougoumont (OBD) Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Date: February 1st, 2014
Style: Bière de Garde
ABV: 7.3%
Similar To: Nothing I've tried previously.
Description:
As
has been the case for the last several years, when the calendar turns over and I begin to look ahead to spring and the coming of softball
season, Mrs. Beer begins her new year's travel schedule and is frequently gone
for days at a time, spreading the gospel of corporate America to the far flung
corners of the lower 48. It's always a joyous occasion when she returns
from her travels, and what better way to celebrate than with a family lunch and
a couple of new brews at a bar in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. On this particular
Saturday, I was lucky enough to enjoy two outstanding beers, both of which will
feature in this weekend's edition of 3B3D: Stone Ruination IPA, and
the subject of this post, Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont.
First Impression:
A lovely warm, reddish golden color with a creamy white head which dissipated slowly.
A lovely warm, reddish golden color with a creamy white head which dissipated slowly.
Very complex, sweet and malty, with citrus and caramel in the background.
Taste:
Starts with crisp lemon and grapefruit taste, followed by mild hoppiness and sweetness, and ends with a clean, dry finish. Very hard to compare to any other beer I've had previously. Reminded me vaguely of a brut champagne.
Starts with crisp lemon and grapefruit taste, followed by mild hoppiness and sweetness, and ends with a clean, dry finish. Very hard to compare to any other beer I've had previously. Reminded me vaguely of a brut champagne.
On the Palate:
Lots of pleasant carbonation and surprising thickness, though not syrupy.
Why You'll like It:
I think ODD will appeal to those who enjoy both lambics and saisons equally, because it embodies many of the foremost qualities of both of those styles with a little Stiegl Radler and pale ale thrown in for good measure.
...and why You won't:
Complicated isn't for everyone, nor are sharp and fruity beers, of which this is definitely a prime example. Not an ideal winter beer either, more of a late spring /summer style.
Lots of pleasant carbonation and surprising thickness, though not syrupy.
Why You'll like It:
I think ODD will appeal to those who enjoy both lambics and saisons equally, because it embodies many of the foremost qualities of both of those styles with a little Stiegl Radler and pale ale thrown in for good measure.
...and why You won't:
Complicated isn't for everyone, nor are sharp and fruity beers, of which this is definitely a prime example. Not an ideal winter beer either, more of a late spring /summer style.
In Closing...:
For someone like me, who hadn't had any Bières de Garde before, this was quite a departure from the other French beers that I've tried. The crisp tart/sweet combination was very prominent as was the carbonation. Of all the beers I've reviewed for this blog, this one defied categorization more than any other, and not in a bad way. I'd recommend it to anyone, and am quite happy that a friend who knows that I'm always game for a new beer-related experience did the same for me.
For someone like me, who hadn't had any Bières de Garde before, this was quite a departure from the other French beers that I've tried. The crisp tart/sweet combination was very prominent as was the carbonation. Of all the beers I've reviewed for this blog, this one defied categorization more than any other, and not in a bad way. I'd recommend it to anyone, and am quite happy that a friend who knows that I'm always game for a new beer-related experience did the same for me.
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
The reference for this beer is so historically obscure, it makes it taste better.
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