Country of Origin: United States
Availability: Limited batches; from the Ommegang brewery only and not available in stores or bars.
Price comparison: Free tasting at the brewery. Overpriced for purchase ($12 USD), in my opinion, but it's a highly specialized item.
Alcohol percentage by volume: Labeled as an 8%, but I felt it might possibly have aged ¼ to ½ percent stronger.
Cute bottle/label? 750 ml cage-corked bottle. Did not get to examine the bottle or check the batch number; label depicts an atomic bomb blast, of course. Served by a brewery volunteer in a disposable two-ounce plastic cup, which probably did not do it justice, but I'll allow it because, hey, the tour is free and I got to taste six other beers too, plus a variety of beer-washed cheeses, beer-mustards, horseradish pickles, and as many pretzels as I wanted. And Belgian chocolate. (People, if you are in the upper New York State area, near Cooperstown, do not miss this tour.)
Appearance: Bright golden with a stiff meringue-like head that dissipated too quickly, but might last longer in proper glassware.
Scent: A touch of sort-of buttery yeast with some small citrusy hops.
Flavor: A little, shall we say, funky, like drinking unsweetened lemonade while standing in a farmyard, but not in an unpleasant way. The mouthfeel was sharper at the start, but warmed almost to a feel that was, not quite creamy ... I'd almost say slippery, but that's not right either. Somewhere in between. Again, not unpleasantly. The pepperiness subsided to more of a citrus acidic finish, not unlike a lambic.
Impressions: Nicely balanced for a wild ale, and not as sour to my palate as a lambic, but definitely good to go with salty foods, or even a salad if it's got a strongly flavored, creamy dressing.
Will I buy this beer again? It's not available in stores, and I didn't buy a bottle at the brewery because I felt it was overpriced, but it wasn't bad at all, and if someone gave it to me as a gift, I'd accept it with genuine thanks and drink it quite easily.
Rating:
3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: June 20, 2008
