Farewell Belgian Pale Ale, We Hardly Knew Ye Downstate from Ommegang

It's Ommegang is probably the first name in New York craft beer, and well worth the long ride to get to Cooperstown, NY.

I had one of the last keds of Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale, which was both malty and all hopped up with Centennial, as I recall. And it was just about perfectly balanced to the malt-- no, I can't lie-- it was perfect. 

It was grand, as you can see in the photo below. In fact, I nearly didn't get to photographic because I was gulping it down like a kid slurping Pepsi at a Star Wars Film Festival.  Look at that color and lacing on that glass, you lovers of lacing.

Sadly, we were told on touring the brewing and bottle areas that this beer is being retired for a new dry hopped style.  So stay tuned on that front.

The food was also grand, if not all that "Amazing & Delicious" you're probably hearing about:  ham and cheese sandwich, lentil soup, frits and Belgian chocolate with hot pepper on top.  Really very good brew pub food too, in a great setting too.  The grounds are vast, and do double duty as a concert area in Summer.

Sure, the dudes were a little distracted and forgot a few things the old folks ordered (hot chocolate) because they were busy upselling us Lambics and 3 Philosophers.  But what we got, hit the spot to be sure.

Ommegang does 40,000 barrels per year, and it all starts right here, with two row, Wisconsin malted Pils barely, after which they add their roasty adjuncts, well placed hops and Belgian fairy dust.  Many of their beers are bottle conditioned.  So it was interesting to see their yeast harvesting area too, and even the 3 pot Sabco tucked away in the corner that they use to test new flavors.

I don't feel like I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure the beer made by Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, NV's is the best beer on Earth.  So it's nice that Ommegang in New York has them as a parent company.  It also means American craft brewers have to elevate their game.  It's not as if you just have to make high AVB beers that tastes better than giant beer-soda makers A-B Inbev and SAB MillerCoors anymore. That have to deal with the Belgians, and these Godzilla Ales they are putting out from the mountains not far from Cooperstown, NY.   

 What's more, the employees told us that they routinely meet with the family that has owned Duvel since the 1800's (and that they "are really cool"), so there seems to be no danger that this brand will lose its luster the way the thin, dull, bland "king of beers" did, as was recounted by William Knoedelseder's excellent book about the shocking history and pronounced fall of Budweiser.  Nobody is asleep at the switches here.




Here's some detail about the BPA:
http://www.ommegang.com/#!beer_bpa