BPA

An American take on the venerable Belgian Pale Ale, Ommegang BPA boasts big, citrusy hops over the more traditional spicy Belgian yeast notes, not unexpected from a brewery built on a former hop farm. Notes of Valencia oranges, pine needles, and black peppercorns dominate the aroma, while sugary malt sweetness drifts beneath. Lee was taken by the intertwining of thyme, lemon peel, and sourdough bread aromas, waxing poetic about “the elegant curvature of floral hops into bready malts.” Pete, as well, zeroed in on the floral hop character, but dug deeper and found notes of “resiny pine trees and anise seed.” Hazy, highly carbonated, and a pale straw yellow, this brew wears a towering cap of creamy, off-white foam that lasts until the last sip. For such a rich malty beer, the rather low bitterness leaves the beer just a tad oversweet with a notably chewy finish. Tom enjoyed the caramel and treacle malt notes, but found the lack of bitterness and hop flavor left the beer a bit lifeless. Rick, who felt the bitterness appropriate, detected a hot alcohol flavor that pushed the beer out of balance. He felt it lacked the smooth, dry malt complexity of a classic Belgian Pale Ale. Rick and Tom commented on the lack of integration. Ommegang BPA seamlessly blends Belgian and American influences and is ideally suited for the supper and picnic tables.