Blanche De Bruxelles / Manneken Pis Belgian White - Brasserie Lefèbvre SA

iRollFlaccid

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From a bottle from whole foods. Pulled it from the back of the shelf trying to avoid that... that is in the light. A decent witbier I've had on tap that has continued to make me say "meh". By no means am I a beer snob, but I expected more from Belgium.

The beer has a lovely golden haze and smells of delicious Belgian yeast with a possible hint of lemongrass. A hefty body of carbonation with foam lacing apparent but disappearing as we speak. A mild lemony taste with a faint taste of wheat and sweetness.

In all, a slightly less than balanced brew from Lefebvre SA that I expected more of. By no means is it bad, but when it warms it becomes brain-ier than expected. Surprisingly disappointed for my four pack that costs around $12.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 07:41:54 | More by iRollFlaccid

Haydn-Juby

Quebec (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from a 330ml bottle into a tall pilsener glass

A: Very dense white head towering about two fingers tall. Retention was good as was lacing. The beer itself was mild in clarity and white/ light straw in color.

S: Coriander with a touch of citrus.

T: Coriander, cloves, and citrus , mainly lemon rind, are present but not very bold. The beer is fairly watery and doesn't have much strength in my opinion. As the yeast is poured in the beer takes on a little bit more character and a certain breadiness, or yeastiness, typical of belgian styles begins to appear. Subtle delicate malts are also available to the palate.

M: Crisp and refreshing. Bready malts linger on the tongue after consumption.

O: Nice refreshing summer beer. Not the best Wit i've had but I would feel at home sessioning a few of these on the porch.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 22:21:03 | More by Haydn-Juby

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.39/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Blanche de Bruxelles has an extremely thick, frothy, white head, lots of heavy lacing left behind on the glass, and a milky (or hazy), yellowish/gray-white appearance. When I swished the bottom contents of the bottle, I could see a gray cloud descending in the glass. Also, little tan chunks were visible, floating about the beer. The aroma is of pungent, sugary, bread, with just the slightest orange hint. Taste is of sugar, bread, a touch of coriander, a hint of orange peel, and essentially no bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium and fluffy, and Blanche de Bruxelles finishes semi-dry, sweet, and easy drinking. Overall, this is really good in the style, and I recommend it, especially for fans of wheat beers.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 21:01:00 | More by RonaldTheriot

MaxOhle

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A great, refreshing beer.
At first I thought it was a French beer and I was surprised as those seem hard to come by. But it is a Belgian Beer. Loved it.

The appearance of the bottle is very intriguing.
A nice, white beer. Great color.
This is the first white beer I have ever had.
Fruity smell and taste, not too strong, but not a light beer by my standards.
Loved it, would recommend to anyone interested in trying a tasty, easy to drink beer.
Something that I might otherwise look for is a stronger kick to it.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 06:22:26 | More by MaxOhle

magictacosinus

California

3.2/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured out of a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass. Freshness date is present, but is too blurred out to be legible.

Pours a straw yellow color that's complete with an odd, gray contour. There's an initial, generous head, but it eventually dwindles down to nothing. Despite low carbonation, there's slight cloudiness, and the yeast seems to be meshed well with the rest of the beer. Sloppy looking at first, but still an authentic wit overall.

Slight funky aromas caused by the yeast appeal in the initial whiff, followed by slightly dry hops and light maltiness. The advertised coriander and orange peel are both surprisingly present in the aroma, although they seem to lightly perfume the malts as opposed to overpower the senses. Tarty, slightly fruity, and well balanced, although not too explosive.

The initial flavors are surprisingly maltier than expected, although there's an immediate bitter aftertaste followed by mellow, relaxing aromas of orange, lemon, and seasonal spices. No alcohol is present, and at the same time, there's no sweetness to speak of that may have been able to mask the rather bland malt aftertaste. I do enjoy those fruity flavors, albeit subtle ones, yet there's something missing here for me. Is the lack of any sweetness? Is it too filtered for a wit? Are the malts not bready enough? It could be the latter, as this beer is ridiculously thin - thinner than even the macro versions of Hoegaarden that you find out here in the West. I personally like my wits to be juicier than this, which is usually aided by adding thicker texture and yeastier notes. This is very watery, and as it warms up, it becomes apparent that the key ingredients seems to separate from each other.

A rather mediocre witbier, even coming from Belgium. The other person I had this with told me it tasted like "rice" as it warmed up. While I don't exactly agree, it does indeed get grainier and more astringent as it sits, and none of the yeasty phenolic notes intended for these types of beers end up sprouting out. For the price ($8), it's not the worst, but it is sadly underwhelming overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 07:49:38 | More by magictacosinus

crnipeter

Slovenia

2.63/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Representatives of the style are supposed to be consumed fresh and the bottle labeled 08-31-2013 seems to suffice the condition. 330 ml chilled into tulip.

Hazed, very pale straw body with meringue white frothy head that rapidly vanishes.

Very bland citric aroma with inappropriate ham element.

Wheaty and spicy with lactic sourness, dry finish with light hop-bitterness.

Light bodied and smooth with some creaminess.

Refreshing yet mostly unsatisfying. Judging from the bottle content the little Urinator on the label seems to be there with a reason, warning the drinker what he/she may expect.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 11:55:28 | More by crnipeter

henrysunset

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2 OZ bottle from Malt and Vine (I purchased 10 different beers for a beer tasting with my colleagues tomorrow).

Straw colored and clear with visible carbonation and a massive head of medium/fine foam.

Scent is Banana bread. a light hop scent floats over that.

Taste is very light, a light spice flavor like clove (bottle says coriander and orange peel). Intensely easy to drink, hard to imagine anyone who would be offended by this.

Mouthfeel is light, water-like, refreshing. Drinkability is super high.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 01:08:22 | More by henrysunset

themind

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Received this beer as a gift. Lighter beer with decent carbonation. This beer pours a nice head and has a good aroma. Has a classic Witbier taste but lacks flavor from the orange and coriander as advertised. All in all a decent brew worth drinking on a hot day.

Final thought: A decent beer that I will have to try again with an orange slice.

Bottom Line: If you like Blue Moon this is all you.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 23:41:45 | More by themind

mooseo

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into pint glass.

A - Pale slightly hazy straw yellow with a large fluffy white head.

S - Banana, orange peel, Belgian yeast. Pleasant, but not very pronounced.

T - Taste is comprised mainly of bready malts and Belgian yeast. Very light banana, lemon, and orange notes are evident. There is a tart "cake batter" flavor coming through as well. Finishes bready with just a touch of bitterness.

M - Very soft, smooth, and light. Refreshing, although a bit watery.

O - Nice Belgian wit. Not much complexity here but it's very crisp and enjoyable, especially on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 00:12:15 | More by mooseo

flagmantho

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 330mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: hazy, silvery-gold hue with a three-finger cap of pillowy white foam. Quite good.

Smell: lightly wheat aroma with a pretty whopping orange peel aroma. Some of the coriander comes through as well. I've never had a witbier where the spicing came through so aggressively in the aroma; I'm not sure I like it this way. I prefer more subtlety, to be honest.

Taste: wheaty flavor with, again, a big orange peel component. I feel that it's better in the flavor than in the aroma, but still, it tastes like it's been mixed half-and-half with orange juice. An orange fruit beer -- that might work; but in a witbier it's just too much.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a good level of carbonation and an appropriate level of carbonation. Pretty good.

Overall: this beer is OK, and it seems well-enough crafted, but its flavor profile is not really what I look for in a witbier. This seriously tastes like someone poured a shot of cointreau into a Hoegaarden.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 01:51:58 | More by flagmantho

ehsieh02

New York

3.4/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer in the Bottlework in Seattle for the first time, and bought two bottles home immediately, since my boyfriend likes it so much. (He has girly taste for beer.)

A: white thick foam, very lively and staying for quite a while.

S: A bit grainy, apple, a bit clove and coriander. Cute smell.

T: It's lemony sour very refreshing at first, then the sour note lasts til the end, along with apple, apricor, some cute pleasant fruitness. Also a bit coriander undernote.

M: medium body, however it needs to be served cold like 4 degree, after it gets a bit warmer, I can sense the alcohol in my mouth, brings less peasure.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 07:58:20 | More by ehsieh02

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I'll take the highroad when describing the beer's appearance and make no plays on the 'Manneken Pis' moniker. The 'blanche' part of the name, however, is pretty accurate given the liquid's clear, ultra-pale, practically toneless complexion. Actually, it would probably have more colour if it were white - this looks like sparkling wine.

Zesty citrus fruit shavings and a dab of exotic spice conceal musty notes of stored grain and hay. The bouquet, overall, is considerably dynamic, and laced with a pleasant tartness, despite the underlying grainy notes. The use of coriander and curacao proves once again to be an awesomely aromatic and alluring combination.

Blanche de Bruxelles is light on the palate but delivers on the promises of citrus zest and herbal spiciness made by the aroma. It's easily as approachable as a standard golden lager but far more pleasant tasting, owing to flavours of orange peel, grains of paradise (though none are used) and soft wheat. Lefèbvre got things right.

I have no complaints about the mouthfeel being watery. As such, it's refreshing and ridiculously easy to put back. The beer's designed for sunny weather drinking and a mouthfeel that avoids bitterness, strong texture, much heaviness or sweetness is only doing it a favour. This is a beer with serious mass appeal.

Blanche de Bruxelles might not have a Y chromosome but it's a damn pleasant beer to drink, especially when the weather is nice. It probably belongs more so at a table of Jupiler drinkers than it does St. Bernardus but in all honesty falls somewhere between the two, like a witbier flavored lager. Recommended pairings: thirst, sun and patio.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 18:13:35 | More by biegaman

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.1/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330ml bottle.Oversized glass.Enjoyed on jul´11. Pale straw color. Cloudy. White froth.Lasting crown is dense.Creamy lacing rings. Coriander, vanilla & slightly orangish aromas.Slightly acidic,subtle butter,sweet caramel malt & bread. Medium body.Cloying sweetness. Apricot notes on the aftertaste.Not as refreshing as expected.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 16:10:02 | More by GONZALOYANNA

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I picked up this bottle after seeing this in the 1001 beers you have to drink book. I like Wits in general, so this seems like a good one to try.

I poured the wit into a fluted glass, and I immediately get a bunch of head. The coloring is perfect. This is a very light colored beer.

The smell and flavor is excellent. I really enjoy the coriander and orange peel. The flavor really feel light across my pallatte. Bruxelles is not overly complicated, which doesn't affect my satisfaction for this beer.

I recommend this wit. It is one of my favorites, now.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 23:09:19 | More by ummswimmin

flipper2gv

Quebec (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: One of the palest beer I ever had. Very very pale yelow, with big white frothy head. Pretty good retention and lacing.

S: Somewhat reminiscent of "La Find du Monde". There is a good amount of green apple skin like tartness in this. There is also a good amount of coriander, cloves and pepper. Some fresh mint. Some orange juice. Very inviting.

T: Superbly juicy with lots of orange juice and green apple skin. Good coriander, cloves and pepper with the mint being still in there. I'd only add candi sugar to the list.

M: Very light feeling body with medium to strong carbonation. Very refreshing.

O: This might very well be the best witbier I ever had. I had this beer in the fridge for over 12 months, I don't know if it changed anything to the beer because it seems very awesome and the reviews seem to show it's more of a "meh" beer. Anyway...

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 03:17:27 | More by flipper2gv

elNopalero

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a pale white color, surprisingly so. White ale, who knew? Ha. Lots of foam that gives off a crisp aroma with hints of coriander, orange zest and other delicious esters.
The flavor is nuanced and layered, with coriander, sage, citrus zest all playing in the background a pleasing melody. Wonderful, sweet finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 05:19:48 | More by elNopalero

57md

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Well... like that label says, it is white. It is also cloudy with two generous fingers of head. There is some good retention and lacing. The nose is pretty bland - nothing much going on here. There is subtle orange flavor upfront, but it tastes pretty bland as well. There is a nice bitter finish which is the best part of this offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 04:29:18 | More by 57md

BeerManDan

California

2.83/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Just not what I was expecting in this Belgian White. Poured an hazy yellow white color with very little foam. The flavor was sort of flat, with a sour/bitter taste and very little in the flavor department. The smell had a yeasty aroma and not much of anything else! To a well balance ale, lacking flavor, aroma in all departments!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 06:29:35 | More by BeerManDan

WYVYRN527

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 ounce bottle poured into a tumbler.

A: Pours hazy yellow with two fingers worth of white head that shows no signs of disappearing. Retention is good, and lacing is rather sticky.

S: Mainly spice and a touch heavy on the orange, with hints of lemon peel and grassy aromas.

T: Citrus up front, with notes of orange peel and lemon, along with just a hint of coriander. Finish is slightly tart, and very refreshing.

Notes: This beer has more body than other witbiers that I have tried. Subtle carbonation lends a very silky mouthfeel. Tasty and quite refreshing. One of the most drinkable beers of this style that I have had to date.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 05:07:52 | More by WYVYRN527

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out with a nice hazy yellow color to it. The head was fizzy and white but does have a bit of retention and lacing. The smell of this beer had a nice fresh citrus aroma to it with healthy does of yeast on the nose. The taste of the beer is lightly flavors with what seems to be lemons and has a good amount of wheat in the aftertaste to smooth things out. The mouthfeel is light bodied, refreshing, smooth and drinkable just about whenever. Overall I'd only wanna have this in the warmer months but it is a nice brew all around. Not bad!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 18:35:14 | More by Knapp85

schoolboy

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

In my quest for some lighter but excellent beers today, this was an very good choice. It has a taste that is unique, somewhat tart. Very refreshing.

The color befits the label, which is a treasure. A boy peeing. It has that color. But the taste is right there where it should be. Fruity, yeasty, hoppy. Very nice and clean. This is one to try when you want to try some of the lighter side.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 19:19:01 | More by schoolboy

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 ounce bottle. I found a single of this so I thought I'd try it. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a cloudy straw gold color with about an inch white head. Head retention is good, and there's a decent amount of lacing. The brew smells like wheat, lemon and orange peel, and coriander. It tastes like oranges, orange peel, coriander, wheat and lemon peel. I think I pick up more orange/orange peel in the flavor of this beer compared to the other witbiers I've had in the past. Mouthfeel/body is light, it's crisp and pretty easy to drink. I think it's a good, refreshing beer, I'd buy this again. It's a good choice to drink on a hot day, or any day.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 23:02:28 | More by bluejacket74

Filosoof

Netherlands

4.22/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I drank this beer at home, alone, while the rain was going and going. So the sun, the café-feeling and friends were missing. Nonetheless this beer impressed like I was having a good time on a shiny terrace.

L: Supreme. Big lasting head, that even can be eaten :)
S: not the duffy stuff some worse whitebeers have, but a fresh, creamy smell. Citrus and koriander tones were yelling: drink me!
T: the real Belgian whitebeer, the taste is fresh, very little hop (but it's there), lemon, the sweet comes up but keeps the tension.
M: alcohol could be a little higher, small body, but very-very drinkable.

I'm sorry, but the beer keeps on screaming: drink me!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 19:07:45 | More by Filosoof

Pegasus

Texas

3.55/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Depp, clear golden color, with a most, persistent, and dense white head, scattered Belgian lace, and smal streams of minute, fast-rising bubbles.

Aroma: Lots of wheat malt, lesser orange peel, and coriander. The witbier aroma is there, but understated.

Taste: Tart wheat malt notes at the open, as well as coriander and orange rind, these blend harmoniously from the start of the taste to the finish. There is a little mild herbal bitterness at the close of the taste.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, and very full, quite pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: This is a good witbier, although not a great one. Being that Blanche De Bruxelles is from the land where this style originated, I expected a great witbier, rather than merely a good one. Sill, its not bad, and is certainly refreshing. With a relatively lw ABV of 4.5%, it seems a nice choice for a hot summer day.

Presentation: Packaged in a 335 ml Euro-style long-neck bottle, served in a standard Pilsener glass.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 11:55:59 | More by Pegasus

plfahey

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a weissbier vase.

Appearance-Pale gold and cloudy with a gorgeous tall crop of snow-white foam on top. Head is super dense and looks like whipped cream with some lacing.

Aroma-Soft, herbal coriander, with no vegetal aromas blends seamlessly with a nice orange citrus aroma which is backed by a lemon note. Aroma is much fruitier than other witbiers, and almost exhibits a slight pear note. Background of white bread is sweet and pleasant.

Flavor-Pear and apple notes come through up front, with orange and lemon following. Coriander note is lighter, and comes through more on the back end of the palate. Bready wheat makes a quick showing up front, and reappears in the aftertaste, along with a touch of lemon and some herbal coriander notes. Finish is long and dry.

Mouthfeel-Medium light body, with extremely high, effervescent carbonation. Scrubs your palate clean. Excellent.

This is probably my favorite witbier, and is truly an exceptional beverage. The added fruitiness isn't exactly to style but it is pleasant nonetheless. My favorite thing about this beer compared with other members of the style is that it avoids vegetal coriander notes, which are common in most witbiers (but shouldn't be!). Delicious, refreshing, thirst-quenching, and near-perfect.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 02:39:17 | More by plfahey