Yummy, yummy chocolate

Type o’ beer: Ale
Warm-and-Fuzzy Factor: 7%
Wallet/Purse-Thinning Factor: $13

Anyone want to guess why this beer caught my eye?  The beautiful design of the label ensured that it would be an absolutely delicious beer that was worth every penny I paid for it.

Right.

It said “chocolate.”  It also said “Ommegang” and I have liked their beer before.  It also said “Cooperstown, NY” on the label.  Only close friends will know the importance of that town. 

Originally, I wanted a pumpkin beer.  It is fall and I usually don’t like fruity beer but pumpkin beer is just up my alley.  I am having issues finding a pumpkin beer that isn’t too pumpkin-y or one that also doesn’t leave me asking Mr. Beer Guy if I bought the wrong beer.  Instead, I found a new chocolate beer that I hadn’t tried before.

A disclaimer.  I was making this lovely chili recipe when I was drinking this beer.  The seriously intense steam and flavor coming out of the pot o’ ingredients MAY have changed how my taste buds feel about the flavor.

Mr. Beer Guy had to make sure things were correct, so he let the beer warm up a bit before serving it up.  Out of the bottle the beer had a nice, creamy looking head to it.  It looked pretty dark for an ale, but I figured that would be due to the chocolate.

And the taste?  A bit like chocolate, a lot like…

kalamata olives.

You think I am joking?  I tried it a few more times.  And then waited until I was done cooking, and tried it some more.  It still tasted like kalamata olives in a much stronger way than chocolate.  What I can’t figure out is why Mr. Beer Guy doesn’t like this beer.  He usually really does not like olives.  So I guess that leaves two options…

One – This beer doesn’t really taste like olives

Two – He actually likes olives but just wants to make things interesting for me

I am thinking that two is more likely.

The Good: Easy to drink, flavorful, not too crazy with the ABV, and a good dinner beer
The Bad: Not a good beer to finish the night with, not what I was hoping for in the flavor category, and I felt like I expected more from Ommegang

Overall taste: ★★★½☆ 

Bitterness: ½☆☆☆☆ 

Smoothness: ★★★★☆ 

Overall rating: ★★★½☆ 

Related posts:

1. Ommegang – Abbey Ale
2. Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock
3. Stone – Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

This will be my first review of a beer that I was expecting to like the beer and I didn’t. It has a fruity taste at first, followed by a slightly bitter taste and then…..nothing. Since this beer comes from the same people that brew three philosophers I was a bit surprised. As the beer warms up the alcohol taste becomes more prominent and makes the beer a little bit better, but not much.

I didn’t really enjoy drinking this beer and will probably shy away from trying it again. As a belgian beer it has some stiff competition and doesn’t surpass (at least in taste) any of the other belgian beers that I have tried. Even mainstream ones like Chimay are better than this beer

The Good: Hmm… it is pretty easy to drink
The Bad: Pretty boring taste and it is a let down after the first taste that hits your tongue.

Overall taste: ★☆☆☆☆ 

Smoothness: ★★★☆☆ 

Related posts:

1. Beer Review: Ommegang – Chocolate Indulgence