Gruut Belgian Wit Bier - Gentse Stadsbrouwerij

UCLABrewN84

California

3.49/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour at the bottle share held at Chloe's inside Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Best before 6/7/14.

Pours a hazy light yellow with a foamy bone colored head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, fruit, and honey. Taste is much the same with some spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is light and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 05:44:00 | More by UCLABrewN84

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked up an old bottle of this not sure how old but I got it for $1.75

A - A pretty thick layer of sediment at the base of the bottle left meaning this one may be well over a year old. A mild bit of lace ring proves it. Color is a hazy peach yellow with some bubbles rising to the top. Has some life left in it.

S - Smell has a decent level of coriander, lemon peel, and some wheat. Smells a tad funky and skunked.

T - A bit of sour lemon and spicy coriander. Whats left of the aged body is kind of watery and the wheat is just a shadow of it's former self. I know it's a Gruut but it sure could use some hops.

M - Thin and watery. Almost water actually it goes down smoother than any beer I had before.

Overall it has a decent level of flavor but I like my Witbier with hops and a more pronounced wheat character. Still am curious of the amber I will have it next.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:37:10 | More by DrDemento456

mactrail

California

3.15/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Hazy pale lemon color in the tall glass. Really big foam up with every pour, but settles down to a frothy half a glass. Very light in appearance as well as taste. A nice nose of herbal aromatics, but nothing that stands out as identifiable.

Barley and wheat malt and "herbs" instead of hops. Tastes essentially like any other Witbier, but not much citrus taste, and only a hint of spice. This brew would be more suited to a big chilly mug.

From the 33 cl bottle bought in Gent.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 21:02:19 | More by mactrail

redsonja

Netherlands

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A; nice head that stays, lemon white color

S; spices,coriander,banana

M; some bitter that disapers quik, not mutch mouthfeel

O; nice beer for the summer not that special for a spice beer i miss the taste. gruut was a replacement for hops but the beer is not that bitter or spicy

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 05:54:14 | More by redsonja

RuudJH

Netherlands

4.35/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wheat from Belgium, 33 cl bottle.

Colour is lemon, with a white head. Ok carbonation in a partially cloudy beer.
Smell and taste are very bready, biscuits. Citric notes are very dominant in in the taste, with some spice (clove, koriander?) in the background. The yeast is intriguing.
There's not much sweetness to this beer, but it's very complex... almost wild.
Very interesting beer, especially for people who like wheats from Belgium.
One of the best you'll find.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 12:16:23 | More by RuudJH

rinhaak

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy gold, like melted butter or prebottled lemon juice. There is a little head, but nothing remarkable.

The wheat comes through in the nose, as does a sour lemon juice smell. There is something slightly spicy here as well.

Everything in the nose is accentuated in the mouth. This is very spicy with a sour lemon juice flavor. There are hints of coriander, rotten fruit, and fresh bread. The finish is surprisingly bitter, but most unlike any other bitter beer because of the ingredient gruut (the bittering agent used in all their beer). Mixed with this bitter finish, though, is also a roasted malt flavor that took me by surprise.

This is a very complex and well balanced beer that is nicely done. However, the beer is so foreign to my tastes that I am happy drinking one and don't really need (or want) another.

Definitely worth trying should you find yourself in Gent.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2011 11:53:03 | More by rinhaak

matjack85

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I found a 4 pack of these 11.2oz brown bottles at Sal's Liquors in Addison, IL for the sale price of $8.99 (reg. $12.49), so I decided to take advantage of the sale. No freshness date or any information about the beer on the label.

The beer poured a cloudy yellow color and produced a nice 2½ finger white head that lasted several minutes. A decent amount of slippery lacing was present with each tilt of the glass, but no lacing that stuck to the glass was present. It all slid back down into the liquid with each sip.

Plenty of wheat in the nose. Also picking up citrus and spice.

Light lemon/orange citrus flavors but even stronger coriander and white pepper spice flavors. Wheat malt is also present. Bitterness is minimal. Not a beer for hop hounds, but a decent wit.

Light, crisp, and refreshing mouthfeel with fairly high carbonarion.

Easy drinker with no noticeable alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 04:10:26 | More by matjack85

Kadonny

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a standard glass. This is not my style, but it was this or Bud Light or Miller Light (although the Vortex bottle really was calling me...not).

A: A hazy light goldend color with a one finger white head. Decent lacing.

S: Sweet fruits with some wheat tones and spicey yeast smells.

T: Yeasty wheaty flavor with big flavors of lemon, tangerine, some coriander spice and a deep sugary sweetness on the finish. Not overly complex.

M: Medium to light actually. No lasting flavors and no alcohol.

D: Decent, but the sweetness was a bit cloying for me. Needs some more hops or darker flavors to even this one out.

Overall not a favorite of mine, but drinkable with the absence of anything else.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 12:42:16 | More by Kadonny

cpanossian

New York

3.05/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Visited the Gruut Brewery in Ghent today. Tried the Wit. Light hazy lemon color. Light yeasty, wheat, sulphur aroma. Clean tasting - very light coriander - almost bland. Watery body gives it a great thirst quenching ability. Ok but there are more amazing things to do in Ghent.
Fun venue though - the Brewery is located at a divy dead end along side one of the sleepier parts of the local canal system. Full of young people and you can sit right above the brewing and bottling equipment. They also do this cool trick with a pair of coasters and a mirrored glass that lets you see an "erotic" image. I got pictures ;)

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2010 17:48:16 | More by cpanossian

JerseyPaul

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Hazy, pale straw color with lots of carbonation; small white head that dissolves off slowly, leaving very good lacing

Smell: Slightly spicy with citrus notes, but not overpowering; nice wheat balance as well

Taste: Light wheat with nice citrus & spice notes; again, nit overpowering, but light & refreshing

Mouthfeel: Light body; good carbonation; smooth but not too watery

Drinkability: Crisp, light & smooth; good beer for warm weather, goes down easy; ABV isn't overwhelming

Overall, Gruut Belgian Wit is a nice example of the style. Not overpowering in either taste or aroma, it still is very nice on the palate. Easy to consume; great for an outdoor summer picnic. I'd definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2010 17:31:53 | More by JerseyPaul

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle.

It pours a hazy peach/gold with an active foamy head that dissipates quickly at first, then slows down leaving no lacing.

It doesn't appear to be brewed with any spices although it has a strong corriander and orange peel scent, so i guess they just left it off the label for some reason. I don't know, it smells pretty typical for the style.

The taste is mild and lemony. Almost straight up lemon through and through. There are some mild wheat tones.

The mouthfeel is a bit watery and over carbonated. This one sell well in the US market if it were better distributed.

It is better than Hoegaarden and the other macro witbiers but it could be better.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 22:57:20 | More by crossovert

SilentSabre

North Dakota

3.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Classic cloudy, pale yellow colour nearly white around the edges when held to a lamp. Snow white head subsides to an eighth-inch blanket.
Smell, while modest, contains all the classic nuances of spices, yeast, a touch of lemon rind and perhaps the slightests suggestion of a damp basement. Taste is very mild with the spice profiles not as assertive as I had hoped, but still there. There seems to be a bit of lemon in the flavour, too.
This drinks very easily, as it should, given the style and abv. Carbonation is a bit lower than I'd like to see in this style, but it's still a very good example of a style I really enjoy. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2010 01:00:55 | More by SilentSabre

StevenBilodeau

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a great beer. Pours semi cloudy into a large Belgian Wit glass that I have and looks amazing. It is delicious and has a creamy head with great lacing. It leaves your tongue waxy and with residual taste. Well paired with any type of citrus like orange, lemon or coriander Gruut Belgian Wit is like a better Blue Moon or as I like to look at it, an Authentic Belgian Wit. I loved this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2010 19:43:44 | More by StevenBilodeau

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a bottle at Tap and Table in Emmaus for $5. Appeared a hazy yellow with a short white head. I'd call this a simple, though not simplistic, wit. There's an initial clean, crisp wheat and barley taste followed by a candied orange and a hint of vanilla with basic Belgian spice. It was a very drinkable wit and good appetizer of sorts before dinner.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 01:33:39 | More by tempest

kshankar

District of Columbia

3.68/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Cloudy orange with a nice head. Thick and fluffy, decent retention. Poured into my Hoegaarden glass

Aroma: Wheat, citrus, some lemon. Where is the spices? I don't get too much in terms of coriander, etc. Which I expect from witbiers

Taste: Wheat and citrus. Spices are okay, and its nothing extraordinary. Its a good wit, though

Mouthfeel: Light, crisp and refreshing, like a witbier should be. Goes down well

Drinkability: Well it has the characteristics of a good witbier. Refreshing, light, good taste

Recommended? Its pricey where I got it, and the taste isn't all too much better than Allagash or Hoegaarden. I'd rather pay for those, than pay premium for this one, which certainly needs more on the spice end (something which the other two beers I named deliver on quite well)

Its worth a try though.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2009 05:20:41 | More by kshankar

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a cloudy, lemony color with a 1 finger creamy, paper white head that leveled off to a thin, whispy covering rather quickly. Visible effervesce was fairly strong.

S: The nose yielded a good wheaty aroma backed by fresh oranges and lemon peels. Moderate in strength the overall perception was good, but not as spicy as I expected.

T: The flavor made amends for the lackluster aroma with spicy sour oranges with fresh lemony hints. The wheaty backbone was strong giving this a nice feel as well. The flavor had a light, tangy sourness that was bright and pronounced but faded rather quickly after the initial perception. Crisp by nature with a touch of acidity makes this a fairly good example per style. A very light presence of bananas and pears were detected buried deep beneath but had to be really sought after to appreciate.

M: bright and crisp, lively from the carbonation. A medium slightly creamy body from the wheat gives a good feel while leaving a sour tang on the finish and swallow.

D: Nice drinkability, one that can easily be consumed in multiples. The lack of spiciness per style was a tad disappointing at first but makes this a good session beer per style without overkill. Six pack recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2009 22:56:25 | More by beerthulhu

ATPete

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle

pours a very hazy pale yellow color with a nice white head. Soft citrus fruit in the nose paired with subtle toasted wheat. Floral, slightly perfumey, tart, crisp, a little sweet but oh so smooth. My girlfriend is absolutely raving about this beer right now. She says she gives it an A+. Light bodied, bright but tame carbonation and absolutely chugable.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2009 01:02:23 | More by ATPete

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy banana peel and sunshine beneath a thin veil of foam. Effervescent bubbling. Lemony herb aroma has a few hint of green apple peels too. Very dry lemon skins with some coriander start the flavor. But the Dry malts and herbal hops quickly fade. Bonedry palate makes me think of crushed lemonheads.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2009 05:50:49 | More by scruffwhor

keyserkeg

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy, straw yellow color with 1/2 cm head.

Aroma of vanilla, banana. A strange flash whiff of macro-lager at the end.

Light, refreshing Witbier. Wheaty, with pleasant sour front and mildly sweet orange middle. It has a long aftertaste that starts pleasant, but ends a little funky.

Light mouthfeel. Effervescent. Thirst quenching.

Had I reviewed this beer with the first one I tasted from the pack, I would have definitely been more negative. Interestingly, it has grown on me. I think if Hoegaarden or Allagash is your go-to Witbier, you may have the same experience. Give it a few tries.

I originally felt that there was not enough of a sweet counter-balance to the sourness, but in subsequent tastings, my taste buds adjusted and I was no longer missing it..

Fairly decent Witbier

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 04:37:08 | More by keyserkeg

emerge077

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Small 11.2 oz. bottle with a baby blue bottle cap.

Pours into a tulip as pale opaque yellow with a tint of orange. Two fingers of white foam settle to a skim after five minutes. Dusty wheat aroma that is fairly simple but pleasant enough. Mellow wheat and some mild lemon flavor. Spice is at a minimum, it actually seems more like a Berliner Weisse without the sourness. Simple grainy wheat, and mild citrus from the coriander or yeast. Dry bubblegum from a pack of baseball cards. Light in feel, fairly dry finish. Quenching and perfect for summer. Personally it's a bit too mellow for my taste, but it has no flaws that I could tell.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2008 01:48:42 | More by emerge077

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Trapeeze Pub in Athens, Georgia. Pours a very hazy pale straw with a very thin head. Very light aromas of coriander, lemom, and wheat. The taste is also soft and light and quite creamy with lemon, coriander, and more pronounced flavors of clean straw and fresk wheat. Very smooth in the mouth with a bit of light bitterness in the finish. Soft. This was beautiful on a 90 degree day. Refreshing and interesting enough to keep drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2008 18:13:05 | More by Georgiabeer

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

h. Pours a cloudy golden-yellow color with a thick creamy white head. Spicy aroma of citrus peel, lemon zest and slight earthy hop presence. Spicy flavor with hints of lemon zest, citrus fruit peel, grapefruit and a slight dry, sour finish. Soft carbonation up front that leads to a sweet citrus middle and dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2008 08:15:34 | More by corby112

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours into my glass a hazy sunshine yellow like the last rays coming through the clouds on a summer afternoon. Three fingers of creamy white head sit atop the brew and slowly falls. Aromas of crisp sun dried wheat grains brings visions of fields ready for harvest. Lemon zest and light fruity tones merge with a coriander spiciness. Spicy, earthy yeast brings up the backbone. Nice and crispy.

First sip brings a crisp, tangy wheat grain maltiness upfront, like a sun drenched field on harvest day. Lemon zest and light citrus accents throughout along with coriander. Earthy yeast brings a kick in on the back of the palate with a dry finish. An easy drinking wit that is nice and tasty.

Mouthfeel is light and arid with plenty of tongue tingling bubbles. Quite refreshing with the crispness of a wit that I normally enjoy. Overall, a tasty example of the style that's incredibly drinkable and refreshing. Glad I was able to sample this one!

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2008 02:50:00 | More by orbitalr0x

SiriusAth

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes taken 2 days prior.

Pours into a Gruut glass a hazy, murky pale yellow with a light white one finger head, fairly decent lacing and average retention. The yeastiness of the beer does look enticing.

Coriander is the main olfactory component that hits me first with some slight wheat and pale malt presence as well. An orangey-tangerine like aroma begins to show more as the beer warms up; typical wit smells that somehow seem more refined and compelling than a standard wit.

Coriander again comes through in the mouth, light sweetness up front with that orange/tangerine peel flavor finding its way in during the ever so slightly bitter finish. There are some other more subtle spices at work that I can't quite nail down, but they are pleasant. Grains of paradise maybe?

Very light bodied, quenching, smooth and refreshing; right on stylistically. Carbonation seemed to fit this beer perfectly.

I'm not usually a wit-beer lover, but this is a damn fine beer. It goes down nicely and I had an empty glass before I knew it; great summertime porch or BBQ beer. Recommended wit.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2008 05:25:02 | More by SiriusAth

blakesell

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from the 11.5oz bottle into a standard swilling mug.

Appearance- Beer pours a clouded yellow with a thick two finger head of foam that slowly dies to a murk across the top. Lacing is ample and clings to the sides of the glass.

Smell- Smells to be very wheaty with a very minor hop content. Hops are slim to none with a whole lot of yeasty character coming up in the background.

Taste- Wheaty, lightly malted with pale malts, hopped adequately at best, lightly creamy, unimpressive by my tongue. Watery, a witbier to be sure, but not impressive by any means.

Mouthfeel- thin, watery with hard water, highly carbonated, low hopped, and medium light bodied.

Drinkability- I don't see myself coming back to this beer anytime soon, blue moon would be an adequate substitute to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2008 05:40:42 | More by blakesell