Gary popped up north last weekend and was good enough to bring me a few quarts of Ommegang and Hennepin. Other than trading one for venison (how Canuck of me), we noticed that the label said "Product of Belgium." I figured I had been a dope and missed the point that all along none of it was actually made in New York at Cooperstown but, as is often the case, Lew set me straight in an email today relaseing me from dope-dom:
Moortgat has bought out everyone else and owns Ommegang. They can't expand production fast enough to meet demand, so they're brewing some in Belgium as a stopgap...though I suspect they may continue to do so. Not much progress on the expansion.Brewery Ommegang near Cooperstown sits down a country land in one of the most beautify settings of any brewery I have ever seen, in the loverly rolling hills of the Leatherstocking region between Albany and Ithaca. Their beer is swell as well and, being able to pick up quarts of this beer in gas stations throughout central NY at 4.99 or 5.99, I have absolutely no doubt that supply is not meeting well deserved demand.
Comments
Stan Hieronymus - April 29, 2007 7:55 PM
Alan, I know in my gut that contradicting Lew sets me up for being dead wrong, but ...
There may be a few batches of Ommegang beers - Ommegang, Hennepin and maybe Three Philosophers - still in Belgium to be shipped to the states, but I am certain that when we were in Austin that Larry Bennett said that Brewery Ommegang has added enough capacity that all production would return to the US.
Duvel had been producing the 750ml bottles for the states, while Ommegang brewed the draft (a small amount) in Cooperstown, as well as the 12-ounce bottles.
When the first bottles from Belgium arrived in the states about 18 months ago I conducted a series of blind tastings comparing the US and Belgian versions for a story that appeared in Ale Street News. I can't find it at their site (to give you a link), but basically consumers had a duvel (excuse me, devil) of a time picking out the odd beer in a triangle tasting.
Personally, I thought the licorice in the US version was more pronounced and the condition on the Belgian version was much fine (more Champagne-like). But in more recent tastings of the Belgian version it seemed the licorice has reached the US level.
To Ommegang/Duvel's credit, the bottles have been carefully labeled as to where they come from.
Alan - April 29, 2007 9:12 PM
A dip into the recycling box has revealed an interesting thing, Stan. Same beer, Hennepin, bought in the last two weeks in the same format, 750 ml, at the same store, Finger Lake Beverages in Ithaca:<p><center><img src="http://www.genx40.com/images/2007c/hennepin1.JPG" vspace="15"></center>
Stan Hieronymus - April 30, 2007 11:23 AM
Do did you notice a difference in the beer inside the bottle?
Alan - April 30, 2007 11:48 AM
The one to the right is still full. I did think that there was a lightness and crispness to the one on the left but only realizing this too late, I missed the opportunity for a proper side by side. I thought the Ommegang was a bit less malty if I recall correctly. Still very nice.