On draft and served in a tulip glass, the Clementine has a sizable fluffy white head. The beer itself is yellow with some orange hints and slightly hazy. The aromas are very spicy, which compliment the clementine orange aromas well. Coriander and clove come through rather well in the tail end of the nose. There are also some good yeast and heat elements that fill things out.

The clementine oranges come out more on the palate, mixing well with the spices. The orange elements are a little sweeter than in some other Witbiers I’ve had as well. There is a good breadyness to the beer in part from the yeast and malt. The finish is a clean with some bitter hops coming through. The mouth feel is about right for the style with good carbonation helping to liven things up.

The Clementine is certainly a summer beer, perfect for those hot days. The aroma could be a little better composed but other than that I really enjoyed this beer. The use of clementine is great and adds a good orange zest to everything. If I can find bottles of the Clementine it will certainly enter my summer rotation.

Rating

88
out of 100

Title photo from: Clown Shoes Beer

Poured from its bottle, the Orchard White has a clear light copper color with a very active bubbly white head. The head quickly diminishes into nothingness and leaves no lacing on the glass. There are plenty of carbonation bubbles that should aid in a crisp mouth feel. The aromas are quite complex and outstanding – citrus, spice, cloves, and some good floral elements (probably from the lavender). Honestly, I think The Bruery should turn this into a candle.

As you would hope with such a great aroma the flavors are right in line. The citrus elements, in the form of orange zest, and spices mostly coriander and clove, are most prominent. The lavender from the nose is present, but it is a light accent to the rest of the flavors. There is a good yeasty bread element that helps fill out the mouth feel. The finish is malty and crisp, as are all of the flavors.

I truly enjoyed the Orchard White; it was complex, refreshing, flavorful and crisp. It hit the spot and was exactly what I was looking for. I would have liked maybe a little less clove, as it was slightly overpowering. If it is warm in your neck of the woods, this is the perfect beer – pick it up and enjoy.

Rating

90
out of 100

The Calabaza Blanca poured with a slightly hazy, soft copper body topped with a generous amount of long lasting, foamy white head. The head retention was present throughout the whole tasting, a bit of a surprise for some Witbiers, though being bottle conditioned and made properly, that’s easily attainable for such a low gravity beer.

The aromas were reminiscent of the upcoming Spring season –  fresh citrus notes, pine and Belgian yeast are subtle yet noticeably dominant. Some finishing notes of orange zest, Granny Smith apple and spice bring together this rather traditional profile for a standard Witbier, though the yeasty “funk” adds a bit more complexity than you may be used to.

The taste has an immediate quality not found in many other Witbiers:  tartness. This tart funkiness up front is caused by what I’d speculate to be the type of yeast used or the bottle fermentation by Jolly Pumpkin. It’s a true reminder these brewers set themselves apart having an atypical take on various styles. The tartness quality is toned back and balanced by the spices, orange peel and coriander. The beer has a medium body with strong carbonation, though it’s easily remedied by letting this breathe a bit.

Overall, the Calabaza Blanca is very drinkable like many other Witbiers, although it did come with a slightly higher price point than others of the same style. Its unique take warrants a tasting and has a well-crafted blend of traditional and non-traditional flavors. Considering this beer is part of Jolly Pumpkin’s year round lineup, this shouldn’t be too hard to track down and is well worth the effort.

Rating

89
out of 100

The Winter White Ale pours an almost clear orange-gold color but as the yeast swirls around in the glass it becomes more cloudy. There is a one finger white head with a good amount of carbonation. Some lacing is left on the glass, but by about half way through the head dissipates into nothing. The aromas are pleasant and yeasty with an overall bready aroma combined with elements of clove and orange peel.

This is not an overly spicy beer on the palate, they are there but toned back. The flavors that do come through are wheat, orange zest and banana in a medium-bodied mouth feel. The clove is the most prominent spice but it mixes well with the wheat flavors. The Winter White Ale is sweeter than more traditional Witbiers that I’ve had in the past.

The Winter White Ale doesn’t scream winter, but it is certainly different than its summer counterparts. That isn’t to say you couldn’t drink it in the summer and be perfectly happy. It’s a taste of summer, but designed to be consumed in the winter.

Rating

85
out of 100

The Holy Moses pours with a fluffy one and a half finger white head sitting atop a hazy golden body. The head diminishes quickly and leaves a decent amount of lacing on the glass until the very end. The aroma is quite yeasty with pleasant notes of orange peel. There are also smells of coriander and a small amount of spice, but an overall light yet pleasant aroma.

The flavors are a bit weak upfront, you do get some yeast, bread, grain, and a small amount of spice but these flavors are muted and not well balanced. In the back end of the mouth feel, the coriander is immediately present but there are also notes of orange peel, like in the nose, and a bit of sweetness.

Overall, the Holy Moses is a standard Witbier, though in places it does veer off the track. It’s a good summer beer worth checking out if you want something a little different. I was put off by the lack of definition in the flavor profile upfront, but the coriander and orange peel provided some interesting flavors in the back end of your palate.

Rating

80
out of 100

The beer poured exactly as a Witbier should; minimal head that did not linger long and mild lacing as well. The beer is a nice light, hazy copper with some hints of yellow straw. The nose on the beer had a nice fruity malt scent to it. There were sweet fruit accents of citrus, such as lemons, oranges and apricots, though they weren’t the scents that I was hoping would accompany the nose.

This beer is extremely delicious and refreshing with a clean finish. There is little carbonation, especially for the amount that appears after pouring the beer. The Belgian White has a pleasant flavor, sharp, mildly sour lemons with a finish of coriander and orange peel. It almost tasted like a watered down juice. I felt like Long Trail made the White well but then tried to make it a light beer as well, which made it again, too watery for my liking.

I have been thoroughly impressed with Long Trail until this brew. While it went down smoothly, I was looking for more of a beer than juice. If you have a friend that will only drink light beer from a macro, try converting them using Long Trail’s Belgian White. Otherwise, I would recommend reaching for a different brew out of the fridge for the real beer taste.

Overall: 7/10

When I did that digging for information on the brewery I was pleasantly surprised by those facts. I was a little taken back that I have never heard of Lost Coast before checking out this beer.

The aroma is perfect for a sunny summer day; aromas of orange peel and coriander are first that hit your nose. Although, that’s expected from any traditional Witbier. There were several other scents that were not so common, such as a trace of wheat that emanates through the citrus rush. Also, an aroma of yeast is present as you hit closer to the bottom of the pint glass.

The color is, again, what is expected from a Witbier; cloudy and amber in color due to the beer being unfiltered and having a large amount of wheat. The beer poured nicely into my pint glass and there was about a finger worth of head and what appeared to be a lot of carbonation, which goes strong five minutes after pouring.

The taste is nothing more than average. It’s what I expected for the style, though the citrus is a pleasant undertone. The carbonation that I discussed earlier was not as overpowering as I expected. The taste itself is not a traditional Witbier taste, in my opinion. It comes off more as a Pale Ale, with the citrus added in. It seemed that the beer was lacking the traditional citrus and coriander pepperness, although the wheat is definitely present.

The Great White is one I’d get again. It’s very drinkable and enjoyable on a beautiful summer day. I would recommend anyone to give this a try but don’t expect a traditional Witbier; it is much lighter on the citrus and heavier on the wheat. Overall, this is a very enjoyable beer for all type of beer drinkers.

Overall: 8/10

Kira pours a golden yellow with a little bit of haze. There is about a finger of fluffy white head that leaves some bubbly lacing on the glass. It smells of yeasty doughy bread, with a crisp citrus note of oranges and lemon zest. There is also some malt coming through on the nose as well. The scent is something that doesn’t leap out at you, pretty much what you would expect.

The Kira is wonderfully refreshing. It is flavorful, crisp, and has enough body to let you know it is there then it fades away quickly so you are ready for your next sip. The citrus elements dominate the flavor with orange being the prominent one, but there are also flavors of bananas, coriander, and some spiciness coming through as well. There is also a pleasant and refreshing wheat flavor present. The flavors are everything you want want from a beer on a summer day.

This Belgian White can be difficult to find in the states, but it is one of the best examples of the style that I have found. It is a true no nonsense Belgian White, and there is no need for a garnish (I don’t want a piece of fruit with my beer thank-you-very-much!). If you can find it buy what you can. From what I have read, it is still pretty rare to find it in the states. If you do find it on draught be sure to partake in a few pints. The only knock that I can find against this beer is that I wish the flavors were a bit less watered down. It may take away some of the refreshment factor but I wouldn’t mind seeing them turned up a bit.

Overall: 8.5/10 (bottle) & 9/10 (draught)

I sampled the Red and White with my folks and there was a simple consensus. “That’s good beer.”  This is one beer that I will continue to buy and make sure there is always a chilled bottle of it in my fridge for any occasion.

According to Dogfish Head’s website, they recommend tasting this brew from a sniffer glass; however, being as classy as I am, I poured the contents into a pint glass. The pour was a gorgeous dark amber color with a certain thickness to it. This did not slow me down. As I lifted the glass, I received a solid hit of the wonderful aromas that make up the Red and White.

Wow! The smell was wonderful, especially for the first day of Spring. The Red and White comes through with a maltyness smell at first but is then calmed with the orange and slight hint of Pinot Noir. I don’t mind the wines but my love is for the beer and this brew delivers the best of both worlds.

The taste: this is probably the hardest part because the only word that comes to mind immediately is awesome. I am a fan of a light malty taste to my beer, as well as hints of fruit. This beer was dead on. The strong flavor of malt, with a subtle flavor of Pinot Noir, creates a wonderful balance of taste.

The true test for a beer is “would you order it again?” For Dogfish Head’s Red and White absolutely. I would not hesitate at all if I am in my local craft beer supplier and see another bottle to purchase. I found this bottle at my local Wegmans, so if I could only afford a quesadilla (I love quesadillas) or a bottle of the Red and White, it will simply be the Red and White for the evening.

Overall: 9.5/10

The pour into my pint glass revealed the typical visual characteristics of whites. It was a nice golden-orange in color with a decent amount of haze. The head was small and white but kept a nice lacing on the glass while it was consumed.

The smell was a bit ordinary for the brew but that’s to be expected. Although, perhaps I was expecting more of a potency due to the “double” in the branding. I got an immediate heavy yeasty smell up front but it was quickly overwhelmed by an orangey bite. As the beer warmed a bit, the yeast came out more and brought a subtle bubblegum hint from behind the citrusy oranges. It seemed to finish nice with some coriander and lemon peel.

Immediately the mouthful was a bit spicy, as I expected. The orange and lemon peel came in afterwards to balance the initial blast. The carbonation was solid but not overpowering and it held a gentle medium body. I was pleased to discover the alcohol was hid extremely well. No alcohol burn to report like I’ve experienced with some others in this style. A nice crisp finish with a citrusy backbone to capstone it all.

This was the first brew I’ve tried from Southampton and they’ve done a good job with their Double White that seems to be on par with other Witbiers. Unfortunately, it’s hard to compare to Hoegaarden considering the bar they set with their Whites, but it definitely is sessionable and gets the job done.

Overall: 7/10