Witch's Wit - The Lost Abbey

beagle75

Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Very hazy, medium golden color with over one finger of diminishing white foam head. No lacing remains on the glass. Specks of rusty brown sediment are visible at the bottom of the glass.

S: Prominently featured in the smell are wheat and yeast, also joined by bright lemon citrus and faint banana.

T: Begins with bright, acidic grain, followed by lemon and lime citrus and cloves emerging in the middle. Wheat begins to blanket the palate late. Dryness prevails throughout this beer's flavor profile, becoming particularly evident in the crisp, but slightly astringent, finish.

M: Medium viscosity, soft and creamy on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D: This beer represents a very strong effort to capture an idealized Belgian-style wit--hardly unique nor extreme, but classic. In fact, it reminds of one of the greats of the style--St. Bernardus wit--as much as any other bottled American wit (and blows away those few other west coast renditions that actually make it into the bottle). Such a comparison is not given here lightly; while it is remarkable that this beer is a San Diego rendition of the style, no handicap is necessary to compare it to the best around.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 05:04:10 | More by beagle75

heavenlyStash

California

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

05-24-2013 07:05:43 | More by heavenlyStash

metter98

New York

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear light yellow in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high bright white head that died down but consistently left a thin head covering the surface as well as a coating of bubbles down the sides of the glass.
S: Light aromas of wheat are present in the nose along with notes of lemons and hints of peppery spices. Some honey also becomes apparent as the beer warms up.
T: The taste is similar to the smell but there are also some notes of honey.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: While the honey flavor makes this beer a little unique compared to other beers in the style, it makes the overall taste slightly sweet and not as refreshing compared to other witbiers. It is still very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 23:58:14 | More by metter98

TKEbeerman

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -14%

05-19-2013 19:01:58 | More by TKEbeerman

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.16/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle 4,8% Abv.
Served chilled in an oversized wine glass.
Bottled on: 26/07/2012

Appearance: The appearance is fairly standard for a wit beer - murky (I purposefully shook up the yeast) golden-yellow body, topped by a large white head. The head could have lasted a little better, but it does leave some nice rings of lacing as it recedes.

Smell: Oh wow, the honey is immediately apparent, with a big raw honey note dominates the first few sniffs. After a few minutes the more traditional notes of malted wheat, banana, coriander and clove become apparent. Warming yields a light citrus character (sweeter than I'd expect from grapefruit peel), a little peach and a perfumed note that might just be the cardamom.

Taste: As with the nose, the initial flavour offers a fair amount of raw honey. This is soon joined by malted wheat, an unexpected light hoppy note (sweet citrus fruits), coriander and clover.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, with a medium-high level of relatively smooth carbonation.

Overall: I love wit beers and this is a very interesting (and delicious) example of the style. It was fantastically refreshing and I could happily see myself drinking a few of these during summer!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 14:04:23 | More by Thehuntmaster

beernads

Florida

3/5  rDev -20.6%

05-17-2013 08:10:23 | More by beernads

ShemRahBoo

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-14-2013 21:16:51 | More by ShemRahBoo

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-27-2013 08:56:27 | More by Kelp

Mattias

Sweden

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-19-2013 19:29:09 | More by Mattias

smithj4

New York

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-17-2013 00:51:10 | More by smithj4

LB22

Colorado

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-12-2013 03:09:34 | More by LB22

sendbeer

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

04-11-2013 16:03:18 | More by sendbeer

briguy9842

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-09-2013 15:00:39 | More by briguy9842

dwagner003

California

4/5  rDev +5.8%

03-26-2013 03:32:34 | More by dwagner003

acurtis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

03-25-2013 20:22:59 | More by acurtis

mactrail

California

3.19/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Sparkly and bubbly in the New Belgium snifter. Like a Lager in color and spritziness. A nice head on the glass. Mild aroma of coriander, with more in the nose. slightly tart with a taste of something too much like chamomile.

The spice is quite prominent, and seems to be a little too much of a good thing. A touch of dried orange and lots of the spice with some Hefeweizen wheaty esters. LIght bodied yet plenty malty. No hint of hoppy taste or bitterness, either. The flavor wears a little on the palate. Not one I can drink much of.

From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 06:31:54 | More by mactrail

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

03-07-2013 20:10:02 | More by orangesol

danmcg62

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

03-02-2013 03:04:08 | More by danmcg62

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

02-26-2013 18:49:30 | More by Seaba

richkrull

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

02-23-2013 01:23:39 | More by richkrull

jvillefan

California

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

02-10-2013 17:56:53 | More by jvillefan

mantissa

California

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

01-27-2013 05:09:03 | More by mantissa

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

01-26-2013 01:49:26 | More by yourefragile

Liquoric3

Germany

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

01-19-2013 23:47:24 | More by Liquoric3

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours medium cloudy yellow with a foam white head. Head is a bit disappointing in volume, but it does last. No lace.

Yeast and sweet wheat in the nose. Sweet nutty grain notes.

Wheat and grain dominate in the flavor. The honey comes out and gives this a soft feel. Mild bitterness at the end. Malt forward, incredibly easy to drink, but a very standard wit.

Light bodied, moderate carbonation.

So they made a beer to quaff in the summer. You could drink gallons of this stuff on a hot summer day. No competition at all for the good imported stuff, but a nice version just the same. Easy to like and recommend.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 00:41:16 | More by OtherShoe2