Written by Maria Devan
If I read a review of a beer from years ago am i drinking the same beer? Nay i say. Ommegang has been less than stellar lately and here is two reviews of their re release of iron Throme and Take the Black Stout.
My first impression was that these beers lacked confidence as compared to the other beer from Ommegang I tasted recently (grains of truth). This is a re release of the beers I’m sure.
Pours with quite a bit of haze.Dirty head of off white foam that was uniform and fell slowly enough. Particles in suspension that do not drop off. A stream of effervescence is making it’s way up from the center.
Malty nose with a citric compliment. Spice, a touch of orange, fruit peel and cracker. There is the possibility of funkiness but it is not met. The vibrancy of the citrus peel is there but faint.
Drinks smoothly but flatly because there is no hops bitter to finish it. It is lazy on the palate like mush. Need better carbonation. It is not crisp nor well defined this time. There is a hint of bitterness that meets a touch of sugar for a light stickiness. Finishes sweetly and a touch watery.
This is a 3/5 as compared to my first review of it.
I am trying take the Black stout also and it too is drinking very differently from the first time. this now is a pleasant, no personality beer that dropped the anise flavor it once had in favor of some chcoolate. Fragrant, but no longer complex. There is some dark fruit that keeps it light with a bit of plum. . I gave this one a 3.9 originally and it does not have the same flavor profile. It finishes poorly after a while as it has a scrap of diacetyl in the middle. Caramel , toast , sweet cocoa powder and a hint of char.
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY, near the top of a very steep hill, and writes for PGA frequently. We get the idea she MAY like beer