It’s telling about the quality of Brewery Ommegang that a beer as good as Ommegang Rare Vos was long considered their “light” entry into the playing field, at least until the release of the disappointing Ommegang Witte . That’s because as flavorful as the brew is, it is slightly less robust than its big brother, Ommegang .

Be that as it may, this is still a wonderful beer, I think. It has great balance, and it is packed with dry spicy notes that make it very interesting indeed. Rare Vos does not overwhelm, though it is by no means a subtle beer. Of course, it should be drunk cool, not cold, to best appreciate this.

Rare Vos means Sly Fox in Flemish, and the name is an apt one: Rare Vos sneaks up on the taste buds like the slyest of foxes raiding the chicken coop beneath the farmer’s nose. That said, this is not an overly potent brew: it has an alcohol content of 6.5% by volume, just a bit stronger than most beers.

Rare Vos is also a great buy. I frequently purchased it in New England for about $4 a bottle, and have seen it on sale here in Atlanta for about the same price on occasion. For that price, Rare Vos is a steal, and merits stocking up on. The bottle-conditioned, corked 750-ml package is suitable for lying down.

Ommegang Rare Vos pours to a beautiful golden-russet color and a formidable creamy head quickly forms atop my bowl-shaped glass. A steady stream of bubbles rises from bottom to top, eventually joining the creamy white head which floats serenely atop the liquid. The beer has an excellent appearance indeed.

In the nose, there is a hint of fruit (perhaps pear) and a dry spiciness. The palate is a bit lighter than Ommegang, but it is very creamy and drinkable. I get some nice notes of toasty malt right away and chocolate notes develop right on into the finish.

There’s a bit of fruit here, slightly citric, slightly pearish notes, and a good bit of spice. I’m reminded of cinnamon and clove that work nicely with the cookie malt flavors. In the finish, the spices are very drying and make the beer wonderfully drinkable.

They also make it a great compliment to food. I enjoyed a bottle with a garlic and pepper crusted pork loin, baked potato, and a seasoned squash and zucchini mix. But Rare Vos is equally good as a session ale all by itself.



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