Tonight I was lucky enough to have my first bottle of Ommegang Abby Ale (available, for you Portland locals at The Pepper Club for $9 for a 25oz bottle) and I can tell you, it certainly won’t be my last. The Ommegang Brewery‘s website describes the ale as,

Ommegang, our first brew, was inspired by the centuries-old brewing practices of the Belgian Trappist monks. This burgundian brew gives off a variety of aromas, including plum and cinnamon, and packs in flavors such as caramel, toffee, and licorice. At 8.5% abv, it is known to cause spontaneous meditation.

In addition to the flavors & aromas listed above, Brewery Ommegang’s flagship ale has a very big, pillowy off-white head–which lasted for the entire glass–a biscuity, spicey mouth-feel and smells strongly of alcohol soaked citrus. Each sip leaves behind a very dry palate which, coupled with a high level of carbination, leaves you wanting another sip (not a bad thing with this one!). With an overall score of 89, plenty of BAers are singing the praises of Ommegang (Abby Ale), and I couldn’t agree more.