Ommegang Fruittanomyces
If we are to believe the story on the back of this bottle of Ommegang’s Fruittanomyces, this Belgian-style witbier is the result of a happy accident — carefully recreated over a year to replicate the flavors of an accidental dosing of wile yeast. Based on the company’s Witte, this brew is crafted with mango, passionfruit and kiwi before dry-hopping with an undisclosed hop variety. The beer is then bottle conditioned for half a year with the brewery’s house cultured wild yeast. As you can imagine, the result is something to experience.
There’s a good deal of flavors tumbling around within Fruittanomyces. The fruits come together in a smooth blend of tropical notes too well-mixed to be able to discern one from the other as yeast and a smooth, wild funkiness take control. The yeast also imparts a lingering, gentle tartness that hangs around at the edges with each sip, lasting long into the lightly drying finish. Grain and grassy hop notes settle in as supporting cast for that wonderful yeast profile.
I really enjoyed Fruittanomyces. The wild yeast and subtle tartness were spot on, allowing the fruits to shine through with ease. The beer is a bit soft on the palate, but that may be due to me not chilling it quite long enough to bring out any snappiness. The dry-hopping provides just the right amount of soft bitterness and leafy notes to keep everything well-rounded and balanced. Whether this truly is the result of an accident or something carefully crafted from the start, Fruittanomyces is an outstanding and enjoyable brew.