Walt Wit - Philadelphia Brewing Company

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Cavanaugh's.

A: The witbier has a meatier, thicker look, orange and brown swirling together with an inordinate darkness. Not black, just darker than a white ale should be. Nonexistent head.

S: The nose has orange, but the coriander stands out with a peppery flourish. Wheat is tangy but that pepper is the big aspect.

T: Peppery coriander, freshly ground and intense. The rest of the spices all fall into place behind it. Wheat adds tanginess, especially when paired with the orange of the wit. Even some star anise and additional spices seem to add depth. Despite that, the pepper flavors tend to dominate, leading to a one dimensional ale.

M: Spicier, the ale brings quite a bit to the table. Good but not a stand out witbier.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 03:16:03 | More by akorsak

Rootdog316

Virginia

3.13/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a foamy white head and hazy yellow color. Aroma is wheat/grain, perfumy spice, musty. Has some farmhouse traits. Taste is cardboard/burnt toast dominates the herbal/tannins. Not exactly the greatest witbier in the world, but certainly not the worst. I felt the need to try it because I was staying in Philadelphia.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2011 23:33:14 | More by Rootdog316

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

At the Porter House in New Hope, PA. Poured a cloudy yellow, with a finger of white, average retention and average lacing. The nose was of standard banana and clove, with some juicyfruit in there. The flavor was more spicey than fruity, with cloves dominating until some subtle citrus/banana peeks through in the finish. Thin and smooth, with subtle carbonation and a surprisingly dry finish. Very refreshing, though I wish the spice/fruit dynamic was a little more balanced throughout. Second best offering of the three PBC beers I tried that day.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2010 01:20:57 | More by donniecuffs

MikeRa

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: This beer has a Unfiltered Hazy Golden look with a little bit of head.

S and T: You can smell and taste the wheat, along with coriander and lemon

M: A well balanced medium body with really nice carbonization.

D: This beer is a excelent one to drink, even with the Orange that I place in this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2010 18:50:33 | More by MikeRa

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Same visit. I consider it an honor and a privilege to hang out here and sample and review beers while doing so.

My fave Walt Whitman poem is "Mannahatta", which reads like a release from the NYC Bureau of Travel and Tourism and which I use as a couterpoint to Carl Sandburg's "Chicago", which is a warts-'n'-all homage to the Windy City. Go poets!

Well, the head was like a puffy, white cloud sitting on top of the beer. The color looked like freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice, giving the whole thing an inverted-egg quality. Nose was very spicy, actually peppery, almost inducing a sneeze. Zounds! Mouthfeel was medium with a good admixture of grapefruit bitterness, black pepper, yeasty mustiness, and orange zest on the tongue. I really need to revisit my aversion to this style, it seems. Finish was really dry, approaching Zephyr winds across the Sahara dry. My my.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2009 18:43:44 | More by woodychandler

dude

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours golden yellow and cloudy into my pint glass. Aromas of lemon juice, coriander and fresh baked wheat bread fill my olfactory center. Taste is sweet with a doughy character, lemony and spicy as well, and light overall. Mouthfeel is light and zesty with crisp carbonation level. Finish is sweet and begets another sip or nine.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2009 02:10:51 | More by dude

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Buck Hotel in a Philadelphia Eagles pint glass.

A- Bright yellow with just a tad of haze when held up to light. A small 2cm white cap was on the surface and when it left just a few swirls would bring it back for a short period. No lacing.

S- Smells like a decent wit with a bunch of citrus appeal with some orange peel in the back. Very slight clove and a nice amount of yeast.

T- This is not to shabby. I was not expecting much after having this in a bottle but the tap version makes this worthy. Again the focus is on citrus flavors underlined with yeastiness. Very minimal on the spice but some clove presents itself. Toasted malts giving of some bread.

M- Light bodied with some carbonation. The flavors all come together at once and leave together as well. A very slight bitterness/sour twang on the back hand side.

D- Not knowing the abv on this I can only guess that it's 5% or less making it sessionable and in the summertime I can see this one being a winner if it's off a tap, the bottled version is just not there yet IMO.

I am rooting for PBC and wish them well in all future endevors.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2009 01:04:55 | More by onix1agr

jlb307

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a pint glass from the tap.

A: A hazy straw colored yellow. Thin head which didn't lace, but left small little puddles of bubbles on the surface once it receded.

S: About what you'd expect for a Belgian white as far as citrus and spice. Fragrant but not overpowering.

T: Really not much of a flavor at all. Tasted very watered down compared to the smell.

M: Felt somewhat flat.

D: I was hoping for a little bit more from this.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2009 19:24:16 | More by jlb307

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.35/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a golden yellow color with a foamy white head that quickly fades into a slight lacing. Citrus aroma with not much else of notice. Very bland and unimpressive take on this style. Nothing about the flavor stands out or is very refreshing. Anoither dissapointing offering from a brewery that I had high expectations for.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2008 08:26:27 | More by corby112

ROMER79

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer a week ago at the Standard Tap in Philly. This beer is so new that they aren't bottling it yet.
P: Cloudy golden color with a thin with head with little retention.
S: Citrus and honey
T: Citrus, honey, and hops
M: Very Refreshing great beer for the summer.
D: Goes down like water.

I forgot the ABV. It can't be more than 5.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2008 15:11:30 | More by ROMER79

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: The beer itself has to look: A murky, hazy yellow beer. The issue here is the borderline non-existent head. There's a tiny bit of glass lacing.

Smell: You don't pick up much. Sweet citrus fruit, coriander.

Taste: This is a workman's wit for sure. Pretty standard, but there's nothing wrong with that for the price. The grapefruit adds a nice touch.

Mouthfeel: Refreshing and crisp. Ample carbonation and a wet taste. Doesn't leave much aftertaste and isn't too sticky.

This is a pretty standard wit, and I don't mind that. Ever so slightly above average, and I don't mean that as laudatory.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:59:17 | More by ColdWaffles

BWED

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

I've been living outside of Philly for a few months now, near Downingtown and Victory, and I have been amazed at the variety of breweries there are out here. One I haven't gotten into yet, is PBC. Walt Wit is my first taste of the brewery:

A- Very cloudy yellow-brown. Almost looks like orange juice. White, creamy-thin head, which dies down to 1/4" before I'm finished. Thick lacing left behind.

S- Typical Wit smell: banana bread with a citrus undertone.

T- Sweet, slight hint of banana, less so than in the smell, bitter citrus bite lingers on the tongue; maybe from the grapefruit peel.

M- Kind of bland. Almost too light, some carbonation, but just rolls through the mouth and down the throat. If it wasn't wet, my mouth probably wouldn't have felt it.

O- This beer is okay. It ranks average on the wheat beer spectrum for me. Nothing really stuck out except the grapefruit bitterness. Mouthfeel was not satisfying. It didn't leave an essence that some beers do. It looks tasty, but it just didn't live up to what I had hoped. Maybe I'll try it in the middle of the summer next time... and hopefully PBC has some better brews. I guess I'll find out.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 05:17:28 | More by BWED

nofalltoofar

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into Belgian tulip glass

A: Cloudy gold with a quickly dissipating head

S: Very fruity, flower notes, berry and citrus

T: Tangy and very fruit-heavy. Instant citrus with berry notes and hints of grain. Very sweet, virtually no bitterness, small hop presence

M: A little tangy, not excessively carbonated, light and goes down easily. Very fitting for a white ale

This is a very enjoyable beer. It is smooth, drinkable, and interesting. It's also relatively cheap. If you don't feel like shelling out Duvel doe for the infamous Belgian champion, Walt Wit will do nicely.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 21:08:37 | More by nofalltoofar

dougbassett

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Philadelphia Brewing Company is a favorite of mine in Philly -- they don't get as much press as other, more famous brewers in the area (such as Yards or Victory) but they consistently make good beers.

Except for this, the weakest beer in their line up. Even so it's not bad, just bog-standard. Pours a nice golden color (albeit with very little head). Has a pleasant, though routine nose of grapefruit peel and spice -- the nose is rather richer than the flavors themselves, though, which wash out to a mild hit of citrus/grapefruit before slipping away to a rather unsatisfactory dry finish. (A surprisingly thin body on this, despite the nose.)

If the beer tasted as good as it smelled I might judge it a little higher. As such, by no means bad, but nothing special or worth going out of your way for.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:31:21 | More by dougbassett

Alkey

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a hazy pale orange color with very little head. Aroma had a bit of tropical fruit. Taste was weak but had some orange and grapefruit peel, lots of carbonation, finished clean. Overall I thought it to be very easy to drink but lacked depth to make me want to come back and purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 10:57:24 | More by Alkey

pburland23

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a growler into a chalice.

Appearance: Beer pours a hazy light apple cidery color. Very little carbonation and thin wispy white bits of head. Not the most appealing looking witbier.

Smell: Very traditional witbier aroma...cloves, spices, bananas and a little touch of bubblegum. Good for the style.

Taste: Wheat and coriander at the forefront. It's more grainy than I anticipated. Additionally, some bananas, cloves and yeast notes. Pretty middle of the road in terms of taste.

Mouthfeel: Light in body and very light in carbonation. Very refreshing on a warm night and at 4.2% it's easy to knock a few back.

Overall: A decent but not great witbier. It's light and refreshing but the flavor is just a little lacking.

Serving type: growler

06-24-2012 22:36:45 | More by pburland23

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I poured this one into a pint glass, it has a hazy orange color body with a 1 finger white foamy head on it. The smell is of wheat and spices(orange peel and coriander). The taste is a little overpowering of coriander, it is the first taste i get. Then the orange comes on the back of the tongue. The mouth feel is ok and overall a average beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 02:58:41 | More by chefhatt

FickleBeast

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a very cloudy, murky, orangish color with almost no head whatsoever. Looks kind of gross. Aroma is typical wit, with coriander and some spicy phenols.

First sip is kinda harsh... a sharp wheaty bite strikes first, and maybe too much coriander? Kind of an overspiced flavor, not much sweetness, just a sharp kind of bitter (but not hop bitter) flavor.

Something just doesn't taste right about this beer. It is not really refreshing at all. Damn you clever punny names!!! Gets me every time! :)

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 01:43:47 | More by FickleBeast

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The label says that the beer is an unfiltered Belgian-style white beer brewed with chamomile and grapefruit peel.

It pours out nearly completely flat but for a scummy froth layer that fizzles out (the greatest disappointment that this beer offended me with) but has a dark-tinted straw color which is muddily opaque with clouds of yeasty sediment. Mmm mmm nutritious. Body is on the thicker edge of medium fullness.
Smell is indeed chamomile tea up front supported by some herbal grassy hopping and just a smidge of citrus peel character over a wheat malt. Taste is dominated at first by a chamomile tea just as in the nose, but the citrus peel aspect comes through much more cleanly (and strongly) in the bready wheat flavor. A good effort marred by a poor head.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 17:59:57 | More by WastingFreetime

avalon07

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dull yellow color and a cloudy consistency. Lots of sediment. There was a half inch of fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A sweet smell - even for a witbier - with hints of coriander, citrus, and malt.

T: Tasted of banana (an interesting and welcome addition), lemon, orange, malt, and coriander. A slightly unusual flavor for the style, but very vibrant and tasty.

M: Lots of carbonation with a crisp, sweet finish. Light-to medium bodied.

O: This is not your classic witbier, but it is highly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 13:07:12 | More by avalon07

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 1 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy gold with nice white head that quickly fades away. Eventually no trace of any foam which makes it look like day old apple juice. Carbonation seems full on. The bottom of the bottle added some yeasty dregs to my pint glass taster.

Smells lemony with some coriander and some banana.

Tastes a little odd: lemon character but with a mouthfeel that seems utterly flat. Sweet citrus flavor throughout. Maybe some orange peel in there.

Nice & dry & refreshing but overall not too imaginative. A decent summer selection if other finer ones aren't readily available.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 04:24:57 | More by jwhancher

MrOH

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very hazy orangish yellow, nice white head.

Coriander and bananas in the nose.

Slightly tart, orange, spice, coriander, banana, and a bready finish. A bit more bitter in the finish than I'm used to for the style, not that I'm complaining.

Light-bodied, mediumish carbonation, but fluffy feeling and refreshing.

A pretty decent wit.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 00:38:56 | More by MrOH

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - So so. The color is kind of brownish rather than hazy yellow. No head to speak of and carbonation is kind of low.

S - Smells pretty nice with mild wheat and grain but really no lemon or citrus which I like from the style.

T - Pretty nice I even get a bit of hops which is foreign to me for the style. Wheat background, with a slight bit of lemon, yeast and clove. Pretty nice.

M - Light to medium, seems to have more body than the typical offering.

Overall I kind of like the taste but could use more carbonation made this beer heavy rather than successionable and the not so in your face lemon or zest.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 02:04:44 | More by DrDemento456

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a decent looking opaque yellow color. The head was a little fizzy but had a light stickiness to it which kept some subs on the glass. The smell of the beer was citrusy and had some fresh wheat aromas. The addition of spice comes out on the nose as it warms. The taste of the beer has a floral and citrusy flavor to it. The spices come on strong in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is light and carbonated enough that it stay interesting. Overall it's an average Wit. I like the name they gave it, I found that to be pretty creative. It's worthy of trying I think.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 15:51:50 | More by Knapp85

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Still nice hazy and cloudy medium amber colored beer had some nice carbonation to it and a well rounded look.

The aroma was nice, hints of banana, cloves, and an almost bubble gum like aroma peeking in through the mammoth wheat smell. Same held true for the flavor, with massive amounts of wheat present right away that melded themselves into a nice banana and clove profile that seemed to continue to develop as it continued to warm. Nice balance here with a light to medium body and smooth carbonation, left with a slightly dry flavor in the mouth, I went in for a few more sips leaving a nice bubble gum flavor throughout.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 01:55:54 | More by mikesgroove