Ommegang

I am a big fan of good beer. I find it much more than just a vehicle to deliver alcohol to my brain, although I like that part of it too. The right beer enhances a good meal. I love the feeling of fellowship I feel when enjoying a beer with friends. I don’t drink to drown my sorrows. I don’t want to poison my enjoyment of beer by associating it with bad times.

The most outstanding beer I’ve had in a long time is called Rare Vos and is brewed by the Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York. It’s truly a work of art. Medium amber in color, it supports a big fluffy head. The bouquet is yeasty and spicy with hints of orange. It’s tart on the tongue and slightly clovey. It finishes lightly sweet and bready. It’s complex but not overbearing. The folks at Ommegang are doing some great work. The carbonation is so lively that there is a uniform, honey-comblike pattern at the base of the head, and it becomes more random toward the top. It’s beautiful to look at.The beer comes in 25 oz. bottles with a natural cork stopper, much like a good champagne, and it is reasonable priced (about $5.00 per bottle) for what you get.

I have been drinking beer for 23 years (legally) and for the last few years have been writing reviews, and have notes on around 200 different ones, but Rare Vos is the best!

Zum Voll!