Ommegang Art of Darkness
Created as an homage to brewing’s “dark arts,” this latest limited offering from Ommegang certainly is dark, but I’m not so sure that it is crafted so much in respect to traditional dark Belgian ales as it is moreso a twist on them. Brewed with a variety of barley, wheat malts and flaked oats, Art of Darkness may utilize a Belgian yeast, but it also brings in elements more akin to a porter or stout — which separates it from your standard crop of dark ales.
I was originally going to hold onto this one for a bit knowing that it was a little hot (give it time to mellow and all), but a recent conversation with a coworker who had enjoyed it tipped the scales and I greedily opened it up a few days ago. The beers dark, roasty character may not have been ideal for the warm Spring weather, but with the smell of charcoal in the air as I grilled, it just seemed to fit the occasion nicely.
Appearance
The cork released from the bottle with a audible pop and a decent wisp of gun smoke. Art of Darkness pours a very dark brown with a rich khaki head.
Aroma
The beer certainly smells intriguing with hints of booze, raisin, roast malt, earth, grassy hops, cocoa and a touch of unidentifiable spices.
Taste
I couldn’t pick up any of the oat flake in the nose, but its presence is certainly felt on the palate as this full bodied and smooth drinking brew washes over the tongue. There’s plenty of booze, dark fruits, spices and a late forming moderate amount of hop bitterness and wheat in the very warming and dry finish. The light char from the roasted malt gives the impression of a porter and the beer’s dryness that of a stout. It’s an interesting flavor profile.
Overall
The beer is dark, there’s no denying that. I only wish that the brewery focused more toward a traditional Belgian Dark Ale — they do them so well — instead of attempting to just create something “dark.” That said, I still found the beer quite enjoyable and would definitely buy another bottle (or two) to set in the cellar for a bit. I can only see it coming into its own with a little age.
Rating:4.25/5