Ommegang BPA (Belgian-style Pale Ale)

Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Location: Cooperstown, NY
Style: Belgian Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Today’s beer tasting is Ommegang’s BPA (Belgian Pale Ale). The Belgian Pale Ale pours up a deep gold in color with a slight haze. The head is huge, white, clumpy foam. The nose detects the telltale grapefruit of Cascade hops, along with some banana and typical Belgian yeast notes.

The palate initially finds a citrus hops note that then moves towards flavors of Belgian yeast (i.e., banana and clove). There is a light bread/pasta dough malt note as well. The bitterness is fairly mild when compared to the typical West-Coast American pale ale. There is some residual sweetness here as well. The Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale is medium-bodied and nicely carbonated. The finish sees hops bitterness paired with pasta dough malt and sweet yeasty esters.

The Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale is a well-executed cross between Belgian and American Pale Ale. The Belgian yeast really combines nicely with the citrusy west-coast hops here. This is a great beer to seek out if you’re looking for something a bit different to try. It also pairs fantastically with aged cheese. I paired this with a 3-year old gouda and the combination was fantastic.