Effervescent Refractions » witbier

Southampton Double White

Stephane — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:28:31 +0000

The witbier, my secret pleasure - a style so simple, a duality of flavors, refreshing year round and available almost anywhere thanks to the machine Hoegaarden has become. Indeed every wit I’ve had is itself merely by comparison to Hoegaarden, regardless of the “descent” (to put it euphemiously). When I finally found a beer that could transcend the delicate balance of Hoegaarden, namely Abbaye des Rocs’ double white, I felt somewhat cheated by the strong Tripel connotations it held for me, and while I enjoyed the brew, I felt that reaching the pinnacle of this style could be better done by remaining confined to its limitations. Des Rocs’ creative approach, though delicious, simply doesn’t feel witty enough, and here I mean both clever and wit-like. Enter Southampton, a sphinx among brewers, suddenly producing one of the truest Belgians outside of Belgium (in the form of Grand Cru) and, to me, esoteric as can be. This interpretation glows of a bright buttery hue and shines with a smooth opalescent top that erodes to an even sheet of lace. Lemon curd appears upon the nose, reconciling the sharp citrus with a buttery softness. Nutmeg and of course coriander appear prominently while hints of pineapple and artichoke heart add to the succinct but balanced complexity of the aroma. Orange peel, coriander as well as the slight sourness of pineapple and apple create a depth and character that is true to the style but enhanced and veritably made double. The palate is adorned by the very authentic hint of chalk and a dry but refreshing burst of fine carbonation. Southampton has nailed the style perfectly and taken it to the next logical level with a sophisticated allure, while retaining the primordial quenching quality of the wit. Bravo!

rating: 78/100

Struise Witte

Stephane — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 19:46:26 +0000

Another treasure from Urbain at Struise, to whom my thoughts are going after his accident. The Witte poured with a gorgeous mushrooming white foam on top and a contrastingly uninspired greyish orange glow beneath. Very aromatic and dense when first approached, this witbier has elements of a tripel especially in the estery pear, apple and bubble gum tones which appear heavily at first. Coriander is very prominent as well, but becomes attenuated with time to reveal more complex and interesting scents of toffee, freshly cut grass, dry wheat, honeysuckle, and the slightly funky smell of hay. A combination of vanilla, oats and wheat forms the basic flavor to which coriander and white pepper add the classic wit piquant. I found this effort to be a good representation of the style, and one that drinks easily during the sunny days but lacks a defining element of fruit which would truly raise it to excellence.

rating: 68/100

Abbaye des Rocs Blanche des Honnelles

Stephane — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 09:01:13 +0000

The concept of a double witbier piqued my curiosity, and from a brewer I have learned to adore, I really had no choice. The body is darker than any wit I’ve seen, a luminescent ripe apricot orange, shrouded by the usual des Rocs chunks. A pillowy meringue head sits atop initially revealing a surprising smoky aroma, that leads to a dusty, chalky scent of sweet cereal grains. Orange peel, coriander and nutmeg emerge as the classic witbier blend but these scents become delightfully dense and rich. Hints of chocolate and paper add to the complex aspect of this beer, rare in this style but oh so enjoyable. The first sip is smooth, drinkable, not as hefty as the nose might assume. Strong coriander and pepper flavors match the light, airy texture that retains a refreshing quality despite its thicker malt and ester profile, highlighted by banana and a sweet honey finish. An excellent witbier, that profits considerably from its rather corpulent palate, that allows a very appropriate gain in complexity.

rating: 76/100

Allagash White

Stephane — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:25:48 +0000

In my secretive quest to find a witbier that betters Hoegaarden, many have fallen at the knees of the juggernaut that it is. In theory it seems highly plausible as one might call witbiers, as a style, fairly mild and lucid. Yet the balance of these timid brews is the key that unlocks such delicate complexity. Allagash’s White is yet another example of a wit that came close, but as Perrault reminds us in Cinderella, simply does not fit. In appearance it is as dainty and ethereal as any other of its genre, but shrouded in a veil that just transpares its unctuous golden mango body. Under the white crown an inconspicuous aroma of pineapple, pear and yeast is loosely laced together. The flavor simply reminds of mineral water touched with lemon and the whisper of fatigued cloves and coriander. Allagash’s effort lacks just a soupçon of presence and character - so I ask, who will adorn the glass slipper?

rating: 68/100

‘t IJ Scharrel IJwit

Stephane — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 02:27:32 +0000

The final brew in the ‘t IJ tryptich I had with my friend, IJwit, was not my favorite. The body like most witbiers was hazy but golden as wheat fields and topped of a creamy foam that bubbled at the center. The nose is more complex than one would expect for the style with the familiar wet straw, wheat, grain and coriander aromas initially dominating. A surprising fishy odor of salmon in lemon cream sauce emerges and is supported by the fruity sweet background of pineapple, peach and brown sugar. In flavor, the IJwit disappoints leaving a bland straw flavor on the tongue. With some effort, pepper, orange peel and chalk become noticeable, however the watery palate left me longing for something a bit more robust. I can imagine that it would be a tasty summer beer after an athletic effort but it doesn’t top my witbier list.

rating: 66/100

Unibroue Blanche de Chambly

Stephane — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 20:02:17 +0000

Unibroue is rapidly becoming a good friend of mine, and with the waning number of high-raters I have yet to taste, I am beginning to move down the list to their mid-range productions. I was excited to try Blanche de Chambly since witbiers are one of my favorite “easy drinking” styles - especially tasty with food. It poured a cloudy pale straw color with a frothy white head, nothing terribly exciting but on par with most brews of the style. The nose is light and exotic with notes of soft orange, pineapple and mango balanced by the typical yeast and wheat aromas. Sweet citrus is prominent in the flavor, and a gentle chalkiness is also noticeable but the mouthfeel is a bit on the watery side. The light carbonation and crisp palate make it a very refreshing beer and globally a good attempt at the style but Hoegaarden is my preference for its slightly fuller body.

rating: 68/100