Abbey Ale - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Brewery Ommegang

Abbey Ale - Bourbon Barrel-AgedAbbey Ale - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
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From:
Brewery Ommegang
 
New York, United States
Style:
Dubbel
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.11 | pDev: 10.22%
Reviews:
26
Ratings:
49
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 03, 2021
Added:
Jan 29, 2011
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  9
Dubbel ale brewed with spices, aged in bourbon barrels
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Zoezoeb89:
Photo of Zoezoeb89
Rated by Zoezoeb89

3/5  rDev -27%

Jul 18, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Chickenhawk9932
Reviewed by Chickenhawk9932 from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a muddy brown with a tan head.

Smells of bourbon vanilla leather and candied fruit.

Taste is sweet mellow smooth bourbon with a full flavored sour yeast malty sweet dubbel in the background. Fantastic beer.
Jul 03, 2021
Photo of ScruffySouthpaw
Reviewed by ScruffySouthpaw from New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a flute glass from a 750ml bomber.

Appearance: hazy amber color with medium to full bubbles. Orange tinted white head rising half a fingers length off the body.

Smell: Light whiskey candy notes.

Taste: Complex yeast with notes of bread and honey with bits of purple grapes.

Mouth: Sticky body with a extra filled carbonation.

Overall: Good brew, better than what I thought it was going to be. Drink slowly and happy new years. Salud!
Jan 01, 2021
Photo of Jacobier10
Reviewed by Jacobier10 from New Jersey

4.11/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
750 mL bottle, best before 7/21/2020. Part of Ommegang's 20th Anniversary Rare Beer Pack.

Dark ruby color with a light tan head. Good clarity. Smells great... Sweet caramel with vanilla, raisin and pear. The bourbon is evident but blended nicely with the base beer. Rich malt flavor and boozy. Smooth and warming. Full bodied.

The bourbon barrel doesn't add much to this beer. The base beer is sweet enough on its own and the vanilla notes from the barrel are like sweet on top of sweet.
May 17, 2020
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

2.99/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
This one pours a dark russet brown, with a loud pop of the bottle, and slight gushing, with a big fluffy head, and lots of lacing.

This smells like clove and sharp booziness, with a touch of oak, and caramel.

This kind of didn't work for me. It's certainly over-carbonated, and kind of flattens any malty goodness or barrel goodness you'd might get. It's also overly yeasty. It just doesn't work for me - the regular Abbey Ale is massively superior to this.

This is thick and creamy and overcarbonated, and not super drinkable.

This is inartfully done. It's just messy and the barrel didn't help at all.
May 20, 2019
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
750ml bottle. Caged and corked (cork came out with a real pop). Best by date stamped on label is '21JUL2020'.
Dark amber brown colored body. Pinkie width of beige head, quickly recedes to active surface and bubble fed ring. Just a few scattered spot of lacing cling to the glass.
Aroma is caramel malt and dark candi sugar, dates, figs, dark cherry, oak barrel with a touch of vanilla, and faint black licorice/anise.
Taste is sweet caramel with a touch of burnt sugar, dark fruit of cherry and dates, coriander spice, and earthy/woody oak barrel. The bourbon note is thin.
Medium mouth feel, with a slight syrupy texture. Very good carbonation. The end trails off quickly, and exhibits some dryness.
The bourbon note is not strong at all, but the barrel adds some depth to the overall experience. The base beer is quite good, well balanced, and expressive.
Apr 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.01 by generallee from Virginia

Feb 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.95 by RBorsato from Virginia

Jan 05, 2019
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

3.94/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750ml bottle poured into a tulip

A- pours a deep amber-ruby color with a one-finger foamy off white head with decent retention

S- smells of earthy yeast, Belgian candi sugar, fruit cake, dark cherries, raisins and just a hint of barrel

T- earthy and slightly spicy yeast up front, followed by sweet black cherry, fig and Christmas cake. Just a hint of bourbon on the finish, but hard to detect

M- medium body with moderate carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and finish

O- a solid base beer but was hoping for a bit more barrel
Aug 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.09 by Gkruszewski from New York

Aug 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by bigred89 from Maryland

Jul 22, 2018
Photo of bshefftz
Reviewed by bshefftz from California

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A slight improvement on a great Ommegang beer, with the barrel aging adding aroma, complex flavors (vanilla and oak on top of the bready Belgian yeast and spices) and an ABV boost. Thanks, Costco!
May 31, 2018
Photo of ksimons
Reviewed by ksimons from Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A-dark brown with a thin layer of cream colored head

S-caramel malt, dark fruits, and some spices

T-caramel malt, some bourbon, spices, dark fruit

M-medium body and moderate carbonation

Overall pretty similar to the original, has a slight bourbon taste to differentiate it from the original
May 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by McBraniel from Virginia

Apr 08, 2018
Photo of ajm5108
Reviewed by ajm5108 from Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Caramel color, head settles quickly. Aroma has dry oak and some sweet malt, a little bourbon booze. Taste has a little more bourbon fusel flavor but lacks some of the deeper notes. Oddly has some German malt / bock vibe. Alright
Apr 02, 2018
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.27/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours like a true Belgian, with a massive ecru head capping the chestnut colored liquid; excellent retention with squiggles of lacing

Smell: Caramel, dried dark fruit (dates and figs) and oak barrel, with hints of vanilla

Taste: Strong oak tones complement the caramel flavors, up front, with the fig, date and a hint of cherry adding a dark fruit character; a modest Bourbon and vanilla aspect appears, after the swallow, with the fruit, caramel and oak bringing home the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Maybe one day, when all the tourists move on to something else, Belgian style beers will once again get the respect around here that they used to receive; if that day comes, Ommegang will once again be elevated to the status it deserves
Mar 22, 2018
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4.01/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Picked up as part of the Anniversary three-pack on 11/4/17 for $29.99. Bottled on 7-21-17; best by 7-21-20.

Beer poured reddish brown with a beautiful tan head that is leaving lacing behind.

Nose has a trace of bourbon with some light dark fruits.

Taste in dark fruits, very light nutmeg, dark unleavened bread, with a noticeable bourbon heat in the finish.

Mouthfeel is awesome, light bodied and very smooth!

Overall i was a little disappointed with the lack of bourbon flavor but the base beer is enough to make this a winner!
Mar 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by DMcGirr from Massachusetts

Feb 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by JdubsNY from New York

Feb 11, 2018
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A dark hazy ruby amber color with slight head and lacing. Aroma has fruity and spicy hints.
Taste follows the notes with resounding fruity and spicy hints. A light bodied beer with decent amounts of carbonation. A very well balanced beer with subtle bourbon barrels hints.
Jan 14, 2018
Abbey Ale - Bourbon Barrel-Aged from Brewery Ommegang
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 49 ratings