Brewery Ommegang & Cafe

J and I decided to venture out to Cooperstown during our staycation. Our goal was to finally visit Brewery Ommegang after unsuccessfully trying to squeeze in a tour and tasting this past summer. The brewery was way too hectic and overcrowded on a July weekend and now that it's fall season, it's the perfect time to visit. Plus the scenic route along Route 20 is perfect for leaf peeping this time of year. 

We got to Ommegang just as a tasting was starting and opted to jump in. Ommegang beers are on the stronger, alcoholic side. Needless to say a 6-mini flight tasting on an empty stomach wasn't exactly the best idea but it's quality beer! Ommegang prides itself on Belgian-style beer and at $3 per tasting plus a souvenir shot glass, it's a steal. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and no, there was no Game of Thrones beer samples but you get the classic six: Witte, Rare Vos, Hennepin, Abbey Ale, Three Philosophers and a fall brew called Scythe & Sickle in honor of the harvest season akin to the pumpkin beers of the season without the spices. 

I remember visiting Ommegang years ago pre-rennovations when the tasting and store were part of the brewhouse.The new dedicated space and cafe are absolutely gorgeous and clean.The tasting is a much more fun experience, especially with the brewery as the backdrop and you can't beat the beautiful foliage and mountains in the background. Plus the tasting comes with an array of snacks--a sampling of various mustards, aoli, and cheese spreads made with the Ommegang beers and locally made in Saratoga Springs by Whalen's Horseradish. We picked up a cheddar horseradish dip made with the Abbey Ale. It's a good nasal passage clearing hit of horseradish too. We were pretty hungry by the end of the tasting and lucky for us there was a cafe on premise. 

Being buzzed from the the tasting did not influence us at all, we swear, but we were really impressed with the food and service. It's a Belgian-style brewpub so naturally we had to get the frites and they did not disappoint. You get two choices of dips and we went with a duo of an Abbey Ale cumin ketchup and standard garlic aioli. Naturally fries pair best with more beer so J had a small flight on the side. 

The highlight of our lunch were J's lamb sliders made with braised meat in Three Philosophers ale and dried cherries and jam. A combo of sweet and savory, these sliders are one of few lamb dishes that I actually like. We were both expecting a lamb patty but this shredded lamb was so much better. I'm a sucker for confit and was intrigued by the duck confit crepes. The duck meat was tender enough and paired well with sauteed shitake mushrooms and porcini cream sauce. My only other gripe was an over abundance of onions. I wish we had more room for dessert; the waffles and sweet crepes looked very tempting and begs for a return trip. 

Did we mention Ommegang beers are pretty strong? By the end of our lunch we were still a bit tipsy and took some extra time to wander the grounds and jump on a tour of the brewery. It's all about drinking responsibly right?