Magically transported to Belgium… in NY State

In the mountains on the outskirts of Cooperstown, NY, sits Belgian farmhouse brewery Ommegang, says The Weekender’s Derek Warren. From the moment you pull into the brewery, you feel as if you have been magically transported to Belgium, and as you pass under the beautiful archway and gaze upon the vast forest acreage, you are awestruck. And the brewery has managed to put all this beauty into each bottle of their magnificent beers. Brewery Ommegang began in 1997; it is now available in 46 states and is looking to expand outside the US. The brewery was started by Don Feinberg but grew so quickly that he sold it to the Belgian brewery Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, makers of Duvel Belgian Strong Pale Ale. The relationship has resulted in dramatic growth, with six beers available year round: Hennepin, Abbey Ale, BPA, Witte, Three Philosophers and Rare Vos, each one unique and award-winning, the most recent being Rare Vos, which won gold at last year’s World Beer Cup in the Belgian Pale Ale category. Iron Throne Blonde Ale – a collaboration of sorts between Ommegang and the hit HBO TV series Game of Thrones – is set to be released this spring.