Another glorious Belgian strong dark ale from the folks at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York.   This beer pours quite nearly black, and there’s a light, fizzy head that has some decent staying power and imparts a slightly resinous bitter taste.  The nose is distinctively Belgian, with yeasty notes of sour fruit and bread.  The middle is rich and heavy, with cherries and plums, bitter cocoa and the slightest hint of espresso.  The finish is balanced bitterness with some sweet malt and tart fruit.  There’s more bitterness in this ale than I usually find in Belgian strong dark ales, but as a fan of IBUs, I’m not complaining, and it’s got every bit of the complexity that I expect and love in this style.  This is a really nice beer.