Brewery Ommegang Bier De Mars

[brewdogmrb]

Infected Sessions (Brewery Ommegang Bier De Mars)
(blog post with pic - http://brewdogblog.com/2009/01/infected ... r-de-mars/)

Brewery Ommegang is many things — a beautiful brewhouse on a former hop farm, the westernmost outpost of the Duvel Moortgat empire, host of the anual Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival, and one of the staunchest upholders of traditional Belgian brewing anywhere in the world. Ommegang is also one of the most widely distributed American Craft Breweries — it’s everywhere. They make some excellent beers and some others that are a bit tame for my tastes, but after my experience with Bier De Mars, I think I’m going to go back and give them all another fair shake — it’s been a while.

Bier De Mars is a beautifully dry, low ABV reddish beer in approximately the Biere de Garde style. Biere de Garde is a style akin to Saison - not wholly well defined, but recognizable when you see one. Bier De Mars has the additional flavor and aroma profile which is contributed by the use of Brettanomyces Yeast, which gives an excellent musky aroma and a slight tartness on the palate. This beer pours with a big, crackling frothy white head that releases a great deal of Brett aromas and a nice hint of malt as well — there is a nice amount of body up front, but as any good Belgian beer does, it finishes very dry. Quite a digestible, sessionable beer that controls the use of Brett in an excellent way. A bottle conditioned, corked and caged bottle, I think this would be a good beer to try and age — the character could really develop over time. This beer definitely gives any other “Infected Sessions” beers (logo by Maya coming soon) a run for their money, and knowing that at certain times of the year I can get a champagne bottle full of this stuff for under $20 (in some cases, much less) is just awesome. For a brewery on the scale of Ommegang to produce a beer like this is not only gutsy, it shows a hell of a lot of just plain skill. Score another one for New York, and embrace the wild yeast — let this infect your next session, you won’t be sorry.

[Nate Diggler]

An excellent review, and I wholeheartedly agree... a touch of Brett I like, but some beers overdo it. The De Proef Primitive Ales come to mind where there is just too much Brett character for me to enjoy them, because having grown up on a farm, the extreme "barnyard" aroma and flavor just reminds me of the actual "barnyard juice" that would lie in puddles in the mud where animals stepped after a Spring or Summer rain... a combo of horseblanket, excrement/urine, fermenting corn silage and buckwheat hay.

[boobookittyfuk]

I picked up a case of the Biere de Mars at the Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival and it is really one of the finer beers Ommegang has ever produced.

If this beer ever hits the market, buy it up! From what I heard, they are only selling it at the brewery and its already gone. I actually hope that they keep it that way. That way all you fuckers who can drive to Russian River know what its like to read or hear about a really fine beer and not be able to get it.

I set up a trade with peteadink and sent him some (and he sent me RR)

[Mylo]

a touch of Brett I like, but some beers overdo it. The De Proef Primitive Ales come to mind where there is just too much Brett character for me to enjoy them

Too much Brett! Never!!! Where do I find these De Proef ales...?


Mylo

[Nate Diggler]

I got mine at a place in Bethlehem, PA called Abe's... I think another place called the Sixpack Shop might have some, and Shangy's in Emmaus might have it by the case.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/de-proef-f ... ive/13128/

Pretty coincidental that this year's version will be called Rat Rider

[Gnome Brewer]

Has anybody tried their Ommegeddon? I've seen it on the shelf but have been a little apprehensive when it's sitting next to beers I already know I love.

[rhino777]

Has anybody tried their Ommegeddon? I've seen it on the shelf but have been a little apprehensive when it's sitting next to beers I already know I love.

I really like the Ommegeddon. Nice and bretty/funky!

[Bellmer]

a touch of Brett I like, but some beers overdo it. The De Proef Primitive Ales come to mind where there is just too much Brett character for me to enjoy them

Too much Brett! Never!!! Where do I find these De Proef ales...?


Mylo

Hey Mylo try Top's, the Whole Foods in Chandler, and T's Liquors. I've seen them at all of those for the past few years.