WILK Friday BeerBuzz – 13 Sept 2013 – Ommegang Scythe & Sickle

Brewery Ommegang has always made some of my favorite beers, so I always jump at the opportunity to feature a new beer from them on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  Brewery Ommegang was started in 1997 on a 134-acre former hop farm in Cooperstown, NY.  Known for it’s deep aquifer water, this was the perfect location for the first farmstead brewery built in the US in over 100-years.

Now owned by Belgian brewing giant Duvel, Brewery Ommegang now joins the family of other traditional farmhouse breweries like Maredsous, d’Achouffe & Liefmans.  Based purely on the sheer amount of interesting new brews we’ve seen from Ommegang  in the past several years, I’d say this growth is a testament to the positive effects Duvel has had on the brewery.

With roots in northeastern PA, former Lion Brewery brewmaster, Phil Leinhart has really found a brewmaster-home with Brewery Ommegang.  Phil joined us a few years back to sample Hennepin, and of course he even has his silhouette on the bottle of one of my favorites from Ommegang….3 Philosophers.  Still regarded as one of our all-time BeerBuzz favorites, 3 Philosophers is a beer I always keep in my beer-cellar.

As we progress into the fall season, I thought it would be appropriate to feature a seasonally-suitable beer.  In fine BeerBuzz tradition, I of course decided NOT to feature an Oktoberfest or Pumpkin beer yet, instead opting for a harvest ale….sort of.

Ommegang Scythe & Sickle celebrates the harvest, however it doesn’t celebrate it in the way most beer lovers would expect.  Rather than celebrating the hop harvest, Scythe & Sickle actually celebrates the harvest of everything BUT hops.  Scythe & Sickle uses barley, oats, wheat and rye in a multi-grain celebration of not just the harvest, but the farmers themselves.

As Ommegang says, “Farming is about precision, timing and care” and they brewed their harvest beer to share those same qualities.  Scythe & Sickle is well balanced with a creamy and smooth mouthfeel.  The grain imparts a slightly sweet character and yes there are hops on board…but they’re subtle and delicate…again just enough to balance the strong malty backbone.  All in all a very nice beer, and one I know you’ll enjoy.

Be sure to get out and celebrate the harvest season for yourself with a Brewery Ommegang Scythe & Sickle. 

Thank you to Nancy, John & Kyle for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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