The Brü Revü – Ommegang Abbey Ale

Another Ommegang beer, this time their excellent Abbey Ale. I love the Belgian Style beers and the dubbels can be a tricky style to get right. Ommegang has done the style well with their Abbey Ale. It poured a dark ruby brown with a substantial head that remained throughout my tasting. The aroma was full of Belgian yeast notes, cherries, and dark fruits that emanated from my glass as I allowed the beer to warm. There is a lot going on in this one and many different flavors revealed themselves with each taste. Hints of cherries, chocolate, dark fruits and caramel along with a slight Belgian yeast flavor melded themselves with a smooth creamy mouthfeel to create a magnificent tasting experience. This may be the be the best Ommegang beer that shows a depth and character in their brewing that is evident in all of their brews.

Ommegang Abbey Ale

The Brü Revü – North Coast Brother Thelonious

North Coast Brewing Company is another great brewery from the West Coast and their Brother Thelonious is an outstanding Belgian Style Abbey Ale.  It pours a dark brown and amber with a nice creamy head.  The aroma is a dense, spicy dark fruit that give you a hint of what your tastebuds are in for.  The taste is a very deep and intense spiceness that exudes the Belgian yeast flavors with a sweet caramel and molasses.  Brother Thelonious is very complex from the banana and bubble gum flavors of the Belgian yeast to the spicier and sweet dark fruit.  I really enjoyed this beer and for an American version of a Belgian Abbey Style Ale it is fantastic.  It is thick and complex and gives you a lot to chew on while taking your taste buds for a ride.

 

North Coast Brother Thelonius

The Brü Revü – New Belgium Abbey

I have always enjoyed the New Belgium beers and the Abbey (along with the Trippel) is my favorite of their regular line-up.  It pours a deep transparent amber with a decent creamy head and a generous amount of carbonation.  The aroma hits you instantly with the sweet Belgian yeast that follows through to the taste.  There are also hints of banana, caramel, and fruity malt in the smooth full bodied mouthfeel.  There is definitely a lot going on in this complex and well balanced beer especially for a regular offering from a brewer.  If you haven't tried New Belgium this is a great place to start and a beer I highly recommend.

New Belgium Abbey