Art Of Darkness
Brewery Ommegang

Art Of DarknessArt Of Darkness
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From:
Brewery Ommegang
 
New York, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
8.9%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 10.86%
Reviews:
139
Ratings:
692
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 09, 2024
Added:
Feb 13, 2012
Wants:
  41
Gots:
  125
Let us now acknowledge the dark arts of brewing. Our limited edition Art of Darkness Ale is deep, dark and magical, with champagne-like carbonation and rich matiness from a complex recipe of multiple barley and wheat malts, as well as flaked oats.

Using no spices or flavorings, Art of Darkness gains all its rich aromas, tastes, and apparent spiciness from the malts and Ommegang's proprietary house yeast.

There are no secret ingredients or magical incantation. There is only Ommegang brewers' creating the finest quality dark, strong ale of complex and deep character.

Art of Darkness is a fine ale to enjoy immediately, and is excellent to cellar.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of SABERG
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the 750ml cage and cork bottle into the test glass. Bottle from the basement
A - Dark mahogany color, thin ring clings to the vessel
S - Raisin, touch of sherry, dark cherry, with some Anise
T - All the aromatics, with a solid malt base, with some light brown sugar.
M - Thin in body, Easy drinking for the ABV. Clean dry finish
O - A very good offering, with enough texture and flavor to sip on for the afternoon
Mar 09, 2024
 
Rated: 3.22 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 22, 2022
Photo of pathman
Rated by pathman from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
05/28/20 bottle @ home
May 28, 2020
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Thanks to bonerhog for breaking this out back in a July 2015 fight night. Only time I've ever had it.

Pours a dark brown, but not a hefty imperial porter or stout viscosity, firmly in the BSDA realm here. Lighter brown head 1/4". Aroma was of belgian chocolate, wheat, alcohol, dark fruit. That chocolate hit surprised me a bit.

Taste brings the dark fruit bitterness melded with the substantial alcohol that actually tastes stronger than the abv would indicate, I woulda thought this was a double digit abv booze bomb, but slightly short of that in actuality. Carbonation was fine, body was nice and relatively light, I guess they did a little hazy ipa trick here with the flaked oats, which was nice for the body. I wonder if all barley might have absorbed the alcohol and dark fruit yeast bitterness a bit better though.

Never gonna be my favorite style, but this was drinkable, especially when split like 5 ways. Still team tart of darkness here.
May 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.21 by howardnss from Pennsylvania

Aug 29, 2019
 
Rated: 3.8 by Yancey82 from Pennsylvania

Aug 21, 2017
Photo of BeerAndGasMasks
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia

3.92/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the older bottle, it pours a dark brown with a light brown head. Lacing as you enjoy it. There are prunes, raisins and the like in the nose. The mouth gets the dried fruit and alcohol in the mouth.
Jun 26, 2017
 
Rated: 4.14 by generallee from Virginia

May 01, 2017
 
Rated: 3.81 by madelf66 from Pennsylvania

Mar 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.92 by sanitarium16 from New Jersey

Feb 06, 2017
Photo of WunderLlama
Reviewed by WunderLlama from Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Caged and corked bomber poured into a snifter

Dark brown liquids, pencil thin taupe foam layer

Aroma of dark fruits, raisins, figs

Taste of dark fruits, figs, raisins malts

Taste and feel the alcohol

Nice beer
Jan 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.01 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Jul 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.62 by LloydDobler from Indiana

Jun 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.68 by gonzo000 from Massachusetts

Mar 04, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by MykeJ from Minnesota

Feb 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.08 by joemochas from Florida

Feb 08, 2016
 
Rated: 2.92 by TTripp725 from Pennsylvania

Jan 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Jan 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4.12 by PaulSlazinger from Pennsylvania

Jan 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.18 by Ohiovania from Ohio

Jan 08, 2016
Art Of Darkness from Brewery Ommegang
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 692 ratings