LIFE

Brewologist | Ommegang's seasonal saves best for last

Steve Goble
USA TODAY NETWORK-Ohio

At first glance, I did not relate the name of Brewery Ommegang's new winter seasonal to Robert Frost's poetry. No, I saw the words "Lovely, Dark and Deep" on the label of a bottle of beer from the Cooperstown-area brewery of many happy memories, and for the moment, that was all I needed to know. It was an oatmeal stout, hailing from Belgium-inspired brewers who seldom disappoint, and so any thoughts of poetry were scattered on the autumn wind.

I just wanted to drink it. Like, now.

It was only later, when I read the press materials, that I learned Ommegang had taken the title from New England's beloved poet. The phrase "Lovely, Dark and Deep" is lifted from one of Frost's best-known works, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."

In my opinion, if you are going to attach your beer to the works of Mr. Frost, you'd better brew a very good beer. Otherwise, it's a road best not taken.

I am happy to say that Ommegang's new winter brew does not taint the memory of Robert Frost in any way, and if I by chance stop by woods on a snowy evening, a glass of this solid dark brew will be most welcome, indeed. Well, OK, I walk dogs by woods on snowy evenings often enough, but I'll save the Ommegang for after the walks. Our dogs can be rambunctious, and I do not want to spill a drop of this stuff. And after walking dogs on a snowy evening, a good, bracing stout is exactly what is needed.

Lovely, Dark and Deep is exactly that. It pours very dark, almost black. I got a good two fingers of brownish-tan foam without trying hard at all. That head of foam released a beautiful aroma of coffee and plums and roasted barley. This brew passed those first two tests with flying colors. It looked good, and it smelled good.

The true measure, of course, is in the sip itself. It might look great, it might smell fantastic, but it has to taste good above all else.

I took a sip. The first impression was, frankly, underwhelming, considering the expectations I had for this ale from a beloved brewery. I've had oatmeal stouts that were silkier, and oatmeal stouts that were more assertive. In the very first seconds this beer tickled my tastebuds, it was just another oatmeal stout.

Ah, but the beer was not done.

The finish is where Lovely, Dark and Deep won me over, and where the brew won the right to be linked to Frost's poetry. Like his best work, there were complexities beneath the surface.

Imagine, if you can, a cloud made up of various flavors. Part of it is a bit sweet, part of it is a bit bitter, part of it is like a good cup of coffee and part of it is like a very expensive imported chocolate bar. Now imagine that delicious cloud is very tiny and swirling around in your mouth. One moment the coffee flavors are tickling your tastebuds, then the sweet malts take a turn, then the chocolate. That, my friends, is what the finish of this brew is like; a kaleidoscope of flavors that kicks in after the initial oatmeal stout flavors have come and gone. It is a finish that has miles to go before it sleeps. You'll want to delay the second sip until the first one is done playing with your mind.

It is tough to describe. It would be far easier if I could simply pour you a glass and let you drink it, but that is logistically and financially impossible. You'll have to find it and try it on your own.

If you are a stout fan, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

The grains employed in this bit of brewing wizardry include chocolate malt, midnight wheat and flaked oats. Flaked oats generally provide a silky character to an oatmeal stout, and that was less evident in this beer than in others, but I found that by the time I experienced the complicated aftertaste, I really did not care about that.

The hops varieties are Bravo, generally used for bittering, and Styrian Goldings, which is used to impart a bit of spice. The malts are the true stars in this brew, however.

It is best to serve this one at a temperature a bit warmer than what you get straight from the refrigerator.

This lovely brew is just 5.3 percent alcohol by volume, so Lovely, Dark and Deep is a brew you can enjoy more than once in an evening. Sipped slowly -- which is, I believe, the best way to enjoy any stout -- this brew will not foul up your chess game or impede intelligent conversation, nor will it make a careful reader miss the depths in Frost's poems.

Lovely, Dark and Deep is a fine brew for the fireside. It also is an excellent accompaniment to a plate of toasted bread or crackers, cheddar cheese, cold roast beef and ham. I could see this being pretty good with oysters, shrimp or scallops, too. It certainly pairs well with a volume of poetry or deep, thought-invoking fiction.

This is a winter seasonal, so if you are intrigued, don't wait too long to buy. What's brewed is brewed, and what's on shelves now is likely to be it until next winter.

If you want to travel this road, do so now.

sgoble@gannett.com
419-521-7215
Twitter: @brewologist