In 1997, Don Feinberg set out to build a brewery outside Cooperstown, New York that focused on traditional Belgian beers. After a decade of success, Feinberg sold his share to Belgian brewer Duvel Moortgat. Yes, that creator of the world renowned Duvel golden ale. Since then, Ommegang has enjoyed more success and is now available in over forty-five states.
Location: Cooperstown, New York
Type: Production brewery
Available in DC Market: Yes
Beer #1: Three Philosophers (Belgian Quadruple / 9.8 % ABV)
Beer Advocate: A- (1537 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 99 Overall, 93 Style
Notes: A big and bold quad with complexity to spare is the best way to describe this beast. Expect a big Belgian quad with slight sour cherry and plum flavors. Three Philosophers is incredibly smooth and goes down well for such big beer. This is a great example of why Belgian styles continue to remain some often most popular around the world.
Beer #2: Ommegang BPA (Belgian Pale Ale / 6.2% ABV)
Beer Advocate: A (214 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 97 Overall, 99 Style
Notes: I recently enjoyed this beer on my birthday at Pizzeria Paradiso in Old Town. I had to give it another look, as I was unaware Ommegang had a Belgian pale. In fact, it’s been around for over a year, so shame on me for overlooking this one. This is everything I want in a pale and it is fermented with Ommegang’s in-house yeast, creating a superb representation of the style. The hops are not overbearing and let the yeast shine through with the distinctions we all love in other Belgian styles. Make sure you try this one early in the night before those alpha acids melt your face and pallet.
Ommegang is not one of those breweries that is at the forefront of advertising or creating the next big collaboration in craft beer. They seem to be quite comfortable with their role as one of the few American breweries that focuses on Belgian styles. I suspect that over the next decade other breweries will continue to innovate to maintain their fan base while Ommegang will maintains its solid reputation without having to constantly reinvent the wheel in a competitive scene of one uppers.
This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2011 SAVOR participants.
Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.
