Swallow Wit - Middle Ages Brewing Co., Ltd.

spokes100

New York

3.04/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Appearance- very soft yellow, slightly cloudy, served in tall narrow glass, short head.

Aroma- rather subtle wheat and citrus, tending toward an orange

Taste- reminded me of Blue Moon, wheat and citrus, maybe stronger everywhere from start to finish. Overall mouthfeel sharper than Blue Moon but much the same, crisp aftertaste.

Bottom Line- I live in Kirkville, NY, had this at Kirby's in Fayetteville, NY with dinner. While not really a light beer it worked well with dinner and never filled me up to the point where I couldn't enjoy my food. A reasonable beer with an evening meal.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2013 14:08:26 | More by spokes100

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.31/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - a cloudy light tangerine pour. White watery head that disappears to a partial cover within a minute or two.

Aroma - soft wheat nose, subtle citrus. A touch metallic on setup.

Taste - pleasant wheat opening, lightly sweet citrusy edge, similar to Blue Moon. Slight metal again on the aftertaste but a clean finish.

Mouthfeel - crisper than Blue Moon, a little dryer. Watery, makes for a good thirst quencher.

Overall - as good a session beer as Blue Moon, maybe a little dryer and cleaner citrus flavor. Brought to me by Steve, my home brewing neighbor who knows his way around a fermenter. His last trip to Michigan worked out out well for me. Thanks Steve!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 02:50:14 | More by brewdlyhooked13

Antikythera

New York

3.85/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

First let me say that I've been sort of turned off any beer called 'wit'. Most of the ones I used to drink were the coriander-and-orange witbiers, which got crazy popular and then it became a contest to see how much coriander could be stuffed into a bottle. Bleah, I thought, the last time I drank one. So I haven't bought one in a while. This came in a twelve-pack sampler with a stout, a winter ale, and an IPA. I like the dark ones and hubby likes the light ones, so I figured why not.

a: unimpressive. Yellowy-orange like applejuice, with a little bit of bubble on the bottom and a thin soapy head that doesn't stick around. Crystal clear, not unfiltered and foggy. Is this what's called a kristallweizen? I'm a little confused...

s: delicate and fruity.

t: whoa peaches! It's not a peach beer, but it's got exactly that kind of fruity note in it. Actually really nice. Wheaty aftertaste.

m: pleasant enough, with a little bit of very fine fizz that makes my tongue tingle for a minute.

I'll definitely get this again, probably in the summer. So far it's the real standout in the sampler pack from Middle Ages.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:51:16 | More by Antikythera

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light yellow color, with a large white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains citrus, light caramelized malts, some Belgian yeast and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts with flavors of lemon, orange and some spice. Then some mild breadiness comes in from a thin malt character and some Belgian yeast. The hops presence is very mild but brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, this is a decent beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:59:36 | More by TheManiacalOne

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass.

3.0 A: Clear medium yellow color. One and a half fingers of frothy white head. Retention is a little worse than average and no lacing is left.

4.0 S: Big grassiness that smells great. Corriander, hay, and a nonspecific spiciness. Simple, yet pleasant and quite satisfying.

3.5 T: Taste is closely similar to the nose, but it doesn't satisfy quite as much for whatever reason. Corriander, wet grass and hay, spice. It's not complex, but it is flavorful.

3.5 M: Lighter body. Good moderate carbonation. Light creaminess. Good enough.

3.0 D: Tasty, easy drinking beer. I want a little more, but I'm happy enough with what I got.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 04:04:19 | More by DavoleBomb

aranheaney

New York

3.48/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a blue solo cup

A-blue, some head and no lacing

S-orange, coriander and a trace of hops

T-decent, pretty typical and standard wit

M-good, a bit chewy, which i like in a wit

O-good, part of the middle ages sampler 12 pack and very respectable, especially on an 83 degree may day

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 20:52:38 | More by aranheaney

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

shared this with carlos poured chilled in a cervoise.

A deep golden amber hue with moderate haze and thick collar of snowy white with tiny beading. The lace sticks well. The smell is very fragrant with orange zest and has a nice spice accent with some floral hops to augment the yeast aroma. There is a very generous spicing yet it doesn't go too far either it is pretty mellow as far as feel with lighter body and high carbonation with semi-dry finish.

The flavor is good, everything you might expect from a wit with some fruity trix and mild pepper type flavor. The wheat is like cereal adding a nice level of sweetness to balance the mild spice in the back end. Overall I enjoyed this while I am not a lover of the style I found this to be a standard example and refreshing while it was warm outside. I think you may enjoy this if you like witbiers.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 18:56:23 | More by Slatetank

rlee1390

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Well carbonated (the bottle was a gusher), cloudy yellow orange, one finger head that doesn't last long

S-Some banana and wheat, not much else

T-Spices (peppery), bananas, some wheat and something that is a little off.

M-Light and well carbonated.

O-A nice beer, wondering what caused it to gush though. An OK beer from a local brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 04:51:43 | More by rlee1390

Lawl3ss

Texas

3.7/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Chilled 12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip pint. Indecipherable numbering system on the bottom of the bottle.

Look- Straw/ash blonde with the tiniest hint of haze and a three-finger show white head that sizzles like hot pancake batter. Settled quickly, leaving a touch of spotty lacing and a foamy film near the surface. Plenty of bubbles indicate solid carbonation. No detectable sediment in the beer or bottle.

Smell- Apricot and bulgur wheat. Perfume like, lightly flowery with a rich musky green undertone (not bad in any way) lightened by the overall sweetness. Swirling brings out a stronger citrusy bite and a hint of alcohol. Characterful and light at the same time- very nice.

Taste- Extremely mild, I get touches of buttery cracker, apricot, and coriander, and not much else. Starts with a light peppery bite, finishes flowery, with a tangerine-like aftertaste. Subtle Lemony presence builds as the draught goes down. No hint of alcohol whatsoever.

Mouthfeel- Light to medium body for the style, snappy carbonation. Hints of acidity and oiliness. Crisp throughout, and finishes clean. Quite drinkable, as the punny name suggests. Drinks like softly carbonated ginger ale.

Overall- A few years back, I hated this beer- I just didn't get that there were things on the craft spectrum besides "big", but not a few brews and some larnin' later, I can really respect it.

This beer excels at what the name declares it to be- an easy drinking witbier that hides the alcohol exceptionally well. Other than that, It's a bit mild for my tastes as well as what I know of the style. That said, it's an intriguing take that deserves a try. I'll grab one on tap once in a while after a particularly heavy dark just to cleanse the palate, but it's not a regular of mine.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 08:24:27 | More by Lawl3ss

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours a golden yellow colow with just a slight haze, no visible yeasty sediment as is common in wit beers. smells less belgian yeasty and more fruity than malty or hoppy, definitely sweet. the flavor is sweet too, fresh peaches maybe, and wheat malts on the heavy side. mouthfeel is more than decent, with charged up carbonation and a medium body. definitely not the conventional wit, but worthy of a try. too sweet though for my palate. a bit better on tap too

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 22:49:09 | More by StonedTrippin

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On-Tap

Appearance – Hazy yellow colour with a small size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there isn't much lacing. The head lasted for only 1 or 2 minutes before is disappeared.

Smell - Grains/wheat, lemons, oranges, coriander

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a low amount of carbonation and most of the taste is made up of wheat mixed with oranges and lemons. It's actually got a surprising amount of flavour.. maybe even too much. It also has a bit of a clove spiciness and it ends with a fruity aftertaste.

Overall – Not a bad beer by any means; just not anything terrible complex. It has a bunch of fruit flavour but it's a little cloying at times. Still worth a try but not something I'd get again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2011 14:38:36 | More by spinrsx

THECPJ

Delaware

2.5/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: a clear golden yellow with 1 finger white head

smell: citrus, coriander, malts,

taste: some citrus and coriander, malts

mouthfeel: very thin, mild carbonation,

overall: a coors light trying to be a wit beer. not so good.

cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 03:36:12 | More by THECPJ

jsisko01

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a cloudy yellow-orange color with an inch thick, white head. Dissipates after about 2 minutes..

Smell - Orange zest, maybe some banana, coriander, citrus.. Has a nice sweet subtle smell, I like it.

Taste - Both lemon zest an orange zest, it kinda burns the roof of my mouth at first. The banana is present, as well as the coriander. There's clove and other spices I can't point out, and has a sweet finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodies with high carbonation.

Overall - This is a very good beer, but the carbonation messes with my heartburn..

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 04:06:58 | More by jsisko01

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A subtle but unique adaptation of the Belgian witbier sytle with the house flavors of a formitalbe malt character and a touch of caramel.

Light golden, medium straw in color, the wheaty beer carries a soft powdery haze with a dense foamy head, good lacing and retention. Maybe a shade darker than Hoegaarden.

Orange zest and corriander are obvious to the nose in a zesty, refreshing, fresh scent. Mildly sweet notes of bread, biscuit, and light caramel help to add support to the spices with a part wheat, malty sweet scent.

Malty sweetness first governs the flavors, with a blend of bready wheat and soft caramel and shortbread. Malts act as a springboard for the spices of corriander, orange peel, and also soft clove, white pepper, and musty non-descipt fruitiness. Low hopping rates simply push along a background bitterness that helps to balance the beer and adds an element of herbal lemongrass in taste late as the other flavors fade into finish.

Unmistakable as a Belgian wheat ale, this witbier also showcases the identity of Middle Ages with a bit more substantial base malt and yeasty fruitiness that both add complexity and richness, but also detract from the simple elegant refreshment of more authentic versions.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2011 16:56:31 | More by BEERchitect

alexkeil

New York

3.63/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden color with fizzy white head that did not last very long except around the edges. The aroma is mostly complex citrus: orange, pear, honey, lemon, even ripe banana. The beer is quite hazy which is appropriate for style. The beer has a medium body and the alcohol and carbonation are nicely blended. I wish it was a bit more tart and dry on the finish instead of the sweetness that you're left with. A more attenuation would help with this beer. The flavor is nice with a balance between the citrus flavors and spiciness of coriander. There is sourness there I just wish there was a touch more of it. A refreshing drink and a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 19:37:50 | More by alexkeil

brentk56

North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Unlike a few previous reviewers, my beer poured a hazy golden color with a thick meringue head; the stickage wasn't great nor did it leave much lace

Smell: Lemon meringue pie and bready wheat elements

Taste: After a bready opening, the lemon meringue flavors add a tart dimension; the expected spice elements of a Wit are not present and the flavor doesn't develop after the swallow

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderately high carbonation

Drinkability: Rather disappointed with this beer; more like a lemony American Wheat than a Wit

Thanks, sliverx, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 20:10:25 | More by brentk56

lovindahops

New York

3.9/5  rDev +14%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

kicking off football sunday with a swallow wit from the family jewels variety pack

A- a golden yellow with a head quickly disappears. Not much in the lacing department

S- that middle age yeast is present with some lemony themes and spices. A little light

T- I love the ringwood yeast strand. It's delicious. There is a buttery taste that has some spices on the end. It does have some flavor at the end as well that is sort of gumball like. This is another great beer for the summer time

M- some crisp carbonation and good flavor from the brew. Even lingers a little

D- Swallow wit is a delicious beer to sit back and enjoy some warmer weather. If you are familiar with Middle Ages, you can really appreciate the British component of using the yeast. It's absolutely tasty and it's something that is very present in their brews. I will always have some swallow wit around in the spring and summer

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 17:35:25 | More by lovindahops

donius

New York

2.95/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured a slightly gold, but not as hazy as a the typical witbier. One finger head that dissipates fairly quickly. Some lacing.

Smells a bit of straw, and a bit of iron..lots of bubblegum

Tastes a little boring, a little bit tangy and mild pretzel.

A lot of carbonation, and no sugars that stick to the mouth...I actually prefer this though.

I would probably drink this over a hoegaarden because I prefer bitter to sweet on my beers...this is definitely a great summer session beer if you like low body with an interesting bite and texture

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 01:44:33 | More by donius

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

nice pun. un-dated 12oz brown bottle.

bright golden color, with just a thin white head that quickly fades. smell is slightly yeasty wheat aroma, with a little citrus.
standard witbier taste - crisp, clean, mild wheat flavor. high carbonation, thin body.

nothing too special, just an average for the style. Unfortunately I'm not sure why a lot of brewers seem to include this style in their variety packs.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 03:00:37 | More by jmdrpi

zoso1967

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a crystal clear light golden with a bright white head. The head slowly fades to just a skim on the top of the glass, and leaves moderate lace.

The aroma seems pretty subdued for a wit. There is plenty of soft wheat and pale malt sweetness, accented by just a touch of white pepper and coriander, as well as some lemon aromas.

The flavor is dominated by a wheat cracker like malt profile that has a surprising amount of character. There is only a touch of spice in there, and a bit of graininess from the malt. Besides malt, the single thing I pick up on the most is some lemon. This does not quite taste like any other wit I have had, and I am wishing it had a bit more personality to it.

The mouthfeel is quite nice. Smooth and light with one of those effortless finishes that leaves a pleasant slightly sweet pear aftertaste. It has a spritzy carbonation that goes well with a refreshing beer such as this.

Very drinkable, but pretty plain. I have always enjoyed the spice aspect of wits and this one seems a bit lacking in that category. I think that there are much better examples out on the market.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 20:02:22 | More by zoso1967

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

3.2/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I've had this many times before and this particular bottle comes from a mix pack obtained at Wegmans in Cicero NY. The outside temperature was down in the 40s here last night, so I figure it's about time to finish up the few summer beers I have lingering around.

The thin white fizzy head settles to nothing shortly after pouring. The brew is a clear thin yellow. Nose has floral elements and a mild spice, and a background of thick light sweetness that's a bit out of place. In the mouth it has a fizzy carbonation, but the beer has a hidden viscosity that keeps it under control. The body is light, bordering on watery, and attenuation of the carbo is the only sign of thickness. Taste is thin and mostly crisp, light florals and mixed hop.

Not as nice as I remember it being a few years ago.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 00:52:28 | More by BeerNinja007

dogfishandi

New York

3.03/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle at fridge temp poured into a hefe glass. pours a yellow golden color, somewhat clear, just slightly cloudy. quick disappearing white fizzy head. no real lace. no retention, head faded to absolutely nothing. i would like to see more of creamy retentive head and some more cloudiness, maybe even a lighter color as well.

not really the aroma i was looking for either. a little lemon, some sweetness, and a little phenol like yeastiness, but no where nears what the yeast in a good wit should really smell like.

the taste is a little better than the aroma, but not a whole lot. its bland. lemon citrus dominates, sweet malts that taste kind of like a macro, and just a hint of phenol yeastiness.

crisp in the mouthfeel, light body. carbonation has a little too much bite, but it seems alright.

this can definatly be sessioned all night because of the low alcohol and light body, but for the price, theres much tastier wits out there. i wouldnt really recommend this beer and will prolly avoid it in the future unless im offered for free. the malt profile just reminds me too much of a macro.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 01:19:59 | More by dogfishandi

yesyouam

New York

3.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Middle Ages Swallow Wit is a pretty clear light golden ale with a solid, dense white head that fades and leaves some lacing on the glass. It has a spicy aroma with notes of lemon and phenol. There's almost a hint of sweetness in the nose. It's pretty light bodied and pretty lively with a crisp, dry finish. It's lightly flavored with wheat, lemon and spice: orange peel, coriander and maybe clove. It's very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 18:19:35 | More by yesyouam

CaptYellow

New York

3.85/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I didn't particularly taste the orange and the cardamom, but I thought the beer as a whole was tasty. The flavors may not have been so upfront, but it was balanced. Personally, I think it is head and shoulders above Blue Moon. Good drinkability. The back taste reminded me of their Syracuse Pale Ale, which I like. This had next to no carbonation, which I was thinking isn't typical of the style.

For this price (about $8.75 a six pack), I think it's a good deal. I plan on buying again.

Note: I see my review rates as a B. I consider the beer better than that, but I suppose that depends on how the categories are weighted. For how good the beer was, how drinkable it was, and how affordable, this is one of the better beers I've had. But yes, that means it isn't an expensive, glorified beer. For the price point, it's an A.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 19:22:08 | More by CaptYellow

TonyReaves

Maine

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Straw yellow with a 2-finger head. Smells like a lemony wheat beer.

Taste is agreeable, low in spices although I taste lemon and maybe some grains of paradise back there. Come to think of it, this is similar to Sam Adams Summer.

Light carbonation makes this an easy drinker. I have a hard time calling this a witbeer, but it's a great summer quencher. I guess that's the problem with rating to style. If they called this a summer wheat or something, this would be an "A" beer in my book.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 04:48:22 | More by TonyReaves