Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont
Our Limited Edition Biere d’ Hougoumont is brewed with traditional French ale yeast, eight malts, French Strisselspalt hops, and aged on white oak and hard maple wooden staves. A traditional Biere De Garde style, this malty French-style farmhouse ale is brewed to be aged. The name honors the Hougoumont farmstead at the pivotal center of the Waterloo battlefield. Napoleon repeatedly failed to take the fortification, he then lost the battle and “met his Waterloo.”
3.6
230 reviews
Cooperstown, United States
Community reviews
From bottle. Lightly oxidized caramel, neutral fruity character with floral hop and nice light oak notes. Medium amber-copper hazy with thin head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Nice sweet start, oaky with caramel-bourbon notes. Light bitterness and carbonic tang at finish.
Reviewed from notes.
The appearance had a dark orange/brown body yielding a two and a half finger head in the chalice and closer to a one and a half finger head in the tulip, lightly clingy lacing in the chalice eventually spiderwebs after a good three minutes, closer to a minute of lacing spider-webbing in the tulip.
The smell had clove, subdued Belgian yeast/banana thing goin’ on, fruit, spice, combined maple/wood/syrup thing goin’ on startin’ to come out as the beer warms, noticeable pear as it continues to warm, honey - hmmm... unsure, alcohol not noted.
The taste was mainly sweet through previously mentioned flavors, slightly oaky and floral at different times, slightly bready as well.
The palate sits about a medium, slightly sessionable - mostly smooth, sticky sweet aftertaste and finish, adequate carbonation is felt, alcohol not felt.
Overall, though I’ve had some Biere de gardes before I don’t have much to compare to - as I continue to explore this style, very complex smell.
Copper pour thin head.
Aroma is gingerbread, apple fruit. Pear, plum...
Almond, toast, plum and apple fruit. Flavour
I can dig it.
Hazy darker orange color, moderate head, good lace/retention. Aroma is yeast, lightly spiced, caramel. Medium bodied, alcohol hidden well, very drinkable. Yeast only plays a minor role relative to most BDG beers but it’s still present.
Sweet honey aroma and amber gold color with a sweet funk flavor and no bitter finish. Another ommegang that doesn’t disappoint.
I had this at Global Brew. Pours orangish with a white head. Taste belgian yeast, slightly sweet, lightly fruity. I thought this was good. I would drink this again.
Draft. Dusty, earthy aroma. Taste follows aroma, starting a bit dusty then finishing with an earthy bitterness. Drinks like something left a bit too long in the cellar.
750 ml bottle shared by Tmoney99 (2012). Pours a hazy, coppery amber color with a medium sized off white head. The aroma has sweet toasted malt, fruity notes, light herbs and spices, a hint of wood. The flavor had lightly toasted bread, doughy, candylike sweetness, some spices and lightly fruity. The wood is mild at the finish. Medium body. Not for me at this price point.
8/25/2012. 750 ml. corked and caged bottle. Light orange color with an off-white head. Aromas of Belgian yeast, wheat, bread, spices and malt. Herbal flavors with honey, malt, and light fruit.
Draft sample at NY Winter Beerfest. Poured a clear honey orange with an average frothy light beige head. Aroma of flowers, potpuri, honey and dough. Thinner body with strong carbonation. Flavor of bread, crusts, flower petals, honey, citrus rind and grass. Not bad.
Bottle. Moderate aromas all around, with grain and cereal for the malt, orange for the hops, dough for the yeast, with date and brown sugar in the background. Head is small, frothy, off-white with no lacing and is fully diminishing. Color is hazy medium amber/orange. Flavor starts lightly sweet and lightly to moderately acidic, then finishes lightly acidic and moderately bitter. Palate is medium, watery with a fizzy carbonation and a moderately alcoholic finish. Fuller and fruitier than most other Biere de Gardes, but that just makes a more easier drinking beer.
A subtle member of the style, Randy’s bottle. It’s in the finish, light colour and decent drinkability. Less than average mouthfeel.
On tap, hazy amber pour with a white head. Aromas of oak with notes of maple, sweet malts, and yeast. Flavor is similar with the malts being the center of this brew. Finishes with just a bit of tartness from the yeast. Pretty good.
750 ml bottle. Pours a hazy copper color with moderate head. Aromas of stoned fruit, honey and light malts. Flavours of peach /apricot, dough and golden raisins. A little watery.
A: Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, Off White Head Ring, Decent Lacing
S: Yeast, Grainy, Malty, Earthy
T: Oakey, Grainy Malts, Mild Maple, Mild Sweet Malts
M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Malty, Mildly Mildly Grainy
Overall, a nice yeast beer but missed on the barrel flavoring, good enough and drinkable.
Poured with a clear copper body that naturally grew cloudy from the yeast on the bottom. a nice off white head that had good retention and lace. carbonation seemed restrained, in a good way. Aroma had a nice mix of malts. Sweet bread, some caramel and a slight biscuit note. A mild yeast presence. Flavor was similar. There was a mild wood character in the finish. Slight carbonation in the finish.
Draught @ Rattle & Hum, NYC. Pours hazy amber with small off-white head. Clear aroma of fruit and malt with notes of caramel. Sweetish, malty flavour with fruity notes. Sour-sweetish aftertaste. Nice.
Tap at Sugar Maple. Unfiltered brown-tan. Interesting beer, the oak and malt go together in an odd way. Not really an improvement on the style, just an odd tweak. Caramel amber, some buttery, fruity offness. Old school feel. The oak gives it a sugary, buttery toffee feel that isn’t so great. Quite underwhelming and not so well made, a disappointment, especially at the pricepoint.
750ml bottle 10/2/13 (Binny’s Glen Ellyn)-48° in Stem Glass-Pours an orangish amber with a small white head. Aroma of fruit, yeast, caramel, and sugar. Taste of malt, yeast, grains, and sweetness. This medium bodied brew is well balanced and something I wasn’t expecting. In a good way.
Very nice beer. Pours amber with a creamy white head. Dark fruits and caramel and toffee. Medium bodied. A bit sweet on the finish.
Bottle from Spirits Lacey. Pours out a well carbonated dark brown color with a big off white head. Aroma is of fruity yeast, some earthy/sweet woodsy notes, light cherry. Taste is complex, dried cherries, sweet woodsy notes, caramel, some grainy notes, mild spice and some light fruity yeast that finishes a little dry.
Copper color with a large head. Strong bready and malt-laden aroma. Massive barley flavor. Plenty of caramel. Light bitterness. Some orange and yeast character. Vanilla after warming.
31st July 2013
Tasting at Bruce’s pad. Light haze on this amber beer. Little pale cream coloured head. Light fruity mango nose. Light softish palate, semi dry. Fine carbonation. Fruit follows the nose but unfortunately thinner. Very light touch of spices. Touch of light wood and vanilla. Dry finish. It’s fine but all a bit light and wimpy.
Bottle at Bruce’s, thanks to Ken! It pours hazy amber with a medium off-white head. The nose is orange sponge cake, sugar, candyfloss, bubblegum, vanilla and toasted coconut. The taste is earthy, sponge cake, light spice, dough, straw, metal, light bitterness and warming alcohol with a dry, clean finish. Medium body and moderate+ carbonation. Not a whole lot of depth, but pretty tasty and well-integrated flavour.
Bottle at Bruce’s pad, thanks to Ken for upping the rates on the BDG front, 31/07/13.
Hazed orange amber with a thin off white head.
Nose is dark fruits, woody notes, sugars, yeasty, orange rind.
Taste comprises light booze, oaky, Belgian yeast esters, farmy, straw, bready malt, prunes, tangy dark fruit.
Medium bodied, fine carbonation with a little spritziness, dry fruity finish.
Tasty stuff.
Bottle at Bruce’s - London. Many thanks to Kenny! Pours hazy orange-gold with a creamy white head. Nose has so e ripe fruits, bread, light yeast, some vanilla and toffee. Light to medium sweet flavor, some dried bread, light bubblegum, nectarine, hints of alcohol, soft toffee. Medium bodied with fine, creamy carbonation. Moderately warming finish, some bread, a bit of peach, subtle hay. Very tasty, drinkable stuff. Nicely balanced.
Pours copper with a medium off white head. Aroma is molasses and grains. Taste is molaases and malts from beginning to finish. There is a little bitterness that creeps in for the finish. Not super complex, but good.
The appearance of this brew is a cloudy burnt orange color with a medium white head that fades to a ring. The aroma is reminiscent of caramel malts, dough yeast, sour fruit, and sugar cane, and the taste is very pleasant with its fusion of a mildly sweet and slightly sour. This beer continues to be appealing through the mouthfeel’s combination of sour finish, medium body, thick texture, and average carbonation.
A: Pours hazy brown bronzy. White head dissipates quickly.
S: Malty. Boozy. Apple. Cinnamon.
T: Alcohol is pretty intense. A nice spice in throughout. Some good yeasty malty goodness. The alcohol is interesting. it’s present throughout but doesn’t overpower.
P: Medium body. Sits pretty aggressive.
Overall this is a pretty soild beer but nothing great. Overly spicy for the mouthfeel.
[5077-20130118] 1pt9.4floz bottle. Floral fruity straw aroma. Hazy, orange body with a medium-lasting creamy off-white head. Boozy fruity malt flavour. Medium-full body. Good. (7/3/7/4/14) 3.5
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