Hanging out at my favorite Arlington beer bar after a day out in the sun, my eyes quickly landed on the Clementine from Clown Shoes while perusing the draft list. Clown Shoes is a newer, small brewery out of Massachusetts but they are growing. They only recently came onto my radar but after having a few of their beers I think they are doing some good things, the Clementine is one of those.
Warmer weather means it is time to break out the Witbiers. The Orchard White from The Bruery has been sitting in my fridge for several weeks waiting to be opened. I finally gave in to it’s beckoning glare and popped it open. This 5.7% ABV Witbier promises citrus and lavender elements, along with other spices – perfect for the weather.
Jolly Pumpkin, maker of self-proclaimed Artisan Ales, has a year-round offering I’ve just began to notice. Their Calabaza Blanca, a Belgian Biere Blanche according to them, is aged in oak casks and bottle fermented. I picked up a 750 ml bottle of batch 590/591 with a bottling date of 7-21-10. This mild Witbier-take sits at 4.8% ABV and is spiced with orange peel and coriander.
Witbiers are normally the domain of summer; cool, bready, citrusy, and a little spicy — they seem to just go with the season. But sometimes a brewery will release a Witbier during the winter months, usually as an alternative to heavier beers that normally characterize winter. This is what Bell’s Brewery has done with the Winter White Ale, a “beer for embracing winter.”
Summer is quickly coming to a close which means that soon it will be time to trade in your refreshing wheat beers for some filling and warming Stouts. But that’s not for a few more weeks, so drink up while the beer is still seasonal. In this spirit, I have the Holy Moses White Ale, a 5.4% ABV Witbier from Great Lakes Brewing Company.
