Witch's Wit - The Lost Abbey

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours an effervescent straw color with 3 fingers of pearl colored head. Murks up a bit a t the bottom of the bottle, Good head retention & lacing

S: White pepper, coriander & apples

T: White pepper, apples, lemony hops & estery alcohol up front. White grapeskins, band-aids & dryness as this warms. Finishes with white pepper, coriander, some breadyness & a touch of grapefruit

MF: Light bodied with medium carbonation

Drinks alright, just run of the mill as Wits go. I was expecting more from Lost Abbey

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2008 03:35:42 | More by russpowell

gford217

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear light gold with a short-lived bubbly white head that fades to a collar quickly leaving no lacing.

The aroma has a healthy Belgian yeast sweetness up front with hints of banana and honey. There is also a bit of spices, especially clove and coriander, though very subtle.

The taste is a bigger version of the nose with the initial sweetness giving way to a much healthier spice kick than the nose indicates. There is a bit of hop kick in the finish leaving some bitterness, but not much.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with good carbonation.

This a decent witbier that is very drinikable. Another good effort from Lost Abbey.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2008 19:16:38 | More by gford217

vurt

California

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

750 mL bottle purchased from Red Carpet in Glendale, CA. Poured into a Wieckse Witte glass (a chunky, fluted tumbler kind of thing).

Appearance:
Straw-colored with a little bit of peachy orange added. Very cloudy, as I stirred up a lot of the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. The head is a rocky mound of meringue-like foam, creamy and fluffy. After a few minutes it falls to an enduring skin and collar.

Smell:
Honey and wheat bread up front, sweet and substantial and yeasty. Plenty of spicy phenolics ride on top: warm banana, cloves, and something medicinal and sharply herbal (could be the cardamom this beer is supposedly brewed with, but it's hard to pick out of the mix). There's also a sulfurous component which is strongest right after pouring, and subsides to a mild underlying funk as the beer stands and warms. The orange peel comes across as a slightly oily acidity. There's plenty to enjoy here.

Taste:
It's almost a shame: All summer I've been drinking this beer blissfully cold, and I've been missing out on a lot of the orange peel, grapefruit notes, and cardamom. These really come out after the beer has had a chance to sit and warm a little. The beer starts out bready and spicy, with a little honey sweetness. The citrus is there at the beginning to provide a tart bite which turns into a lightly numbing astringency, like biting into fresh grapefruit zest or a twist of orange peel. But the honey notes soften the citric bite and lessen the beer's crispness. The finish is grainy, dry, and refreshing.

Mouthfeel:
Body is light, tending towards medium. Texture is soft and fluffy, while the citrus and carbonation deliver a good tingle. Very quenching and refreshing.

Drinkability:
The light body, cleansing carbonation, and citrus bite make this refreshing and superbly drinkable when it's cold. But the full range of flavors really come out if you can withstand the summer heat and let this tempting beer warm up just a touch. This beer is very enjoyable when served on tap, but I really prefer the bottled version, especially when the sediment is stirred up and added to the pour. Though autumn is still my favorite season, I'm a new fan of summer if it means this beer will be around.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 05:55:32 | More by vurt

Halcyondays

California

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle, purchased at Lone Hill,

A: Pours a hazy cloudy yellow with a small white head, fair retention, no lacing.

S: Coriander, bubblegum, wheat, rose petals.

T: Definite Grains of Paradise right out with a lot of fruity spice character. Honey is clearly evident which I really liked and it complemented the various spices very well. Flowery and sweet finish, cantaloupe, banana chips and light lemon zest.

M: Well structured, a lot like Avery's White Rascal, the flavour holds and has a strong finish. Easy to drink, spritzy, smooth brew, a tad too much carbonation for my liking, but a minor quibble.

D: A very good wit here, a well made brew which I always find from Port/Lost Abbey, if you find a bottle, definitely pick it up, great drinker, the bottle lasted 40 minutes, but easily could have been gone in 20.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2008 22:41:24 | More by Halcyondays

Wetpaperbag

Washington

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- A nice golden yellow with a slight haze to it. The head is non existent. In fact when I popped the 750ml bottle there was very little pop. Kind of sad in a way. The beer looks great though.

S- The smells are subtle, but the clove is there, as well as banana. Honey and a nice spice profile. Smells very light and easy.

T- Very wonderful taste, light, crisp, a hint of lemon, which goes very well with the clove and banana. Despite the lack of a pop and head this beer has a good bit of carbination that helps the flavors come through.

M- Feels good in the mouth, the carbination goes very well with the light feel of the beer. Very tasty.

D- Easy to drink, would go very very well on a hot day. I do think there are better wits for a lower bottle price. This one was 7.99 if I can remember correctly.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2008 02:18:36 | More by Wetpaperbag

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought this at Liquor Max in Loveland Colorado.

This pours a bright clear yellow gold with a small head of foam. It becomes hazy after the initial pour and the head retention is good with ample lacing.

The smell has a good nose of wheat with some spice and a sweetness that is the backbone of its smell.

The taste is of honey sweetness, wheat, clove, and grain. More sips in and I get slight notes of pepper and very slight banana. Nice taster.

The mouthfeel is light, the carbonation is light, and it finishes grainy with a slight citrus bitterness. Also, at the very end it becomes a bit watery. Easy drinker though so it'll be no problem to finish the 750. Lost Abbey did a good job here.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2008 22:49:15 | More by Bitterbill

pwoods

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml corked and caged brown bottle, purchased from Joey at South Bay, poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a golden grainy color with a bit of clouding... too dark. A short head forms and dies fast. Little lacing.

S: Smells pretty sweet, a honey sweetness. Very grainy and wheaty. The yeast isn't as potent as I'd like it to be and contains little fruity esters.

T/M: More from the nose. Lacks the fruitiness and liveliness that the yeast needs to bring. Just kind of bland. More of the honey sweetness and strong wheat notes. Body is medium light and without enough carbonation. Mouth feels almost slick... I'm not sure why.

D: Really disappointed in this. Probably The Lost Abbey's weakest offering. Decently easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2008 03:15:39 | More by pwoods

waltonc

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased at CBS.

Hazy golden honey color. Some white head that disappears to virtually nothing after a while. Smells and tastes like cloves, citrus, wheat, and faint honey. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation that complements the taste. Low ABV and non-extreme flavors lend this to prodigious consumption.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2008 03:31:02 | More by waltonc

FtownThrowDown

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, light gold in color. No head forms on the pour. Just a bit of frothy ring around the edges. Smell is very yeasty and has a bit of smoky notes. Taste is highly carbonated, again with the notes of smoke. Very creamy and full on the mouthfeel. Decent and well done.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 01:27:11 | More by FtownThrowDown

ccrida

Oregon

3.2/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

750ml bottle poured into my Lost Abby goblet, Witch's Wit is a chill hazed gold with a small white head that leaves lighter lace.

Smell is soft and floral, a slight, honey phenol, sulfur and other minerals, sweeter wheat as it warms, which was much better then the fridge serving temp.

Taste is spicy, bittersweet and grainy, very light, tropical fruit esters and a dry, biting bitterness on the abrupt finish and lingering astringency. Barley opens up as it warms.

Mouthfeel is lighter, slick and dry.

Drinkability is ok, I didn't really care for it much at all at first, and while it grew on me, it's not my taste in Wit's at all, under attenuated and biting.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2008 04:23:41 | More by ccrida

0110x011

California

4.15/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Pours a pale straw into a Lost Abbey long-stemmed tulip. Frothy one finger head dissipates into a thin collar. Very little lacing. Banana and spice on the nose. The honey is in there, and it makes a nice addition to the profile. Flavor is quite fruity, with some yeasty spice to balance things out, and the honey making itself known again. Light bodied and crisp.

Probably Lost Abbey's most drinkable brew, I could sip on this stuff all night. Seek it out if you're a fan of witbiers.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2008 04:06:32 | More by 0110x011

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The first glass poured out of this 750 was very bright and clear, a yellow/gold colour with a dense white cap. Good head retention with a thick layer of bubbles clinging to the glass. Things were a bit cloudier in subsequent glasses, much more in line with what I expected. Nice aroma. Crackery and yeasty with a lemony twang and citrus zest smell. Spice was coriander for the most part, maybe a hint of clove character, a little sour too. Flavour was great. Crackery wheat with just a bit of sweetness, citrusy and zesty with spices filling things out nicely. A little grassy mid-palate with a balanced finish. The body was a little fuller than you normally get in a wit, but still retained a pleasant crispness with the slightly higher carbonation. Dry, but not overly so. Quite refreshing and very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2008 00:28:40 | More by DrJay

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bright lemon yellow with sunshine colored trim. A controlled pour created a cotton white crown that is beginning to paint the glass with impressionistic lace. It would be great if subsequent pours added a little yeasty haziness to the proceedings. Note: they do.

The nose is classic witbier, which is odd since the ingredients aren't classic. Most brewers don't add honey, grapefruit peel and cardamom to their wits. WW smells wheaty, citrusy and modestly spiced. It also smells good.

Witch's Wit doesn't taste as exotic as its ingredients would suggest. It's still a very nice example of the style that is beautifully balanced and sneakily complex. I would expect nothing less from one of the best breweries in America.

Never mind the Brewer's Log on The Lost Abbey website because grapefruit does not come through loud and clear on my palate. Not compared to a C-hopped IPA anyway. There's mostly lemon and orange, along with a hint of back end sweetness that is probably the honey. And there's more coriander and clove than cardamom.

The body/mouthfeel seemed too light initially (even though it's a witbier meant for warm weather consumption). With time, it's becoming lightly silky smooth and supple. Don't make up your mind too early.

It's hard to get too jazzed about a 4.8% witbier, but then it's always exciting to pop the cork on a Lost Abbey ale. Witch's Wit is proof, as if any more was needed, that Tomme Arthur is a world-class brewer who is able to hit the bull's eye on any style he sets his sights on. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2008 21:17:24 | More by BuckeyeNation

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

25.4oz bottle received from largadeer. Thanks Chris! I've been curious to try this one. Love me a good wit. Into my Duvel tulip, it goes

A: The first pour is a clear yellow with a solid white head that slowly recedes to a disk. Steady carbonation, very pretty

S: Wheat is prominent up front with a definite honey-like sweetness. Spicy with a hint of cardamom and white pepper. Refreshing,

T: Excellent spicy flavors are prominent on the palate as I take a sip of this. Pepper and cardamom flavors tickle the palate and is followed by a solid wheat flavor with a mild sweetness. Light in body, this beer dries up on the finish
*edit* - The second pour with some of the sludge from the bottle adds some delicious yeasty flavors to this beer and also improves the mouthfeel a hair.

M: Maybe a little watery but the carbonation and the finish are great. The spices and the citrus qualities linger on on the finish.

D: I'd easily drink more but this is my only bottle. Plus, at 8$ a pop, it's a little pricey for what it is. Great label work, though!

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2008 01:21:27 | More by DefenCorps

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was able to procure this bottle from Joey last week and was very anxious to try it. One of my favorite styles an a nice session able wit beer for a hot weekend. I served this one cold, right out of the fridge in a tall pilsner glass. Consumed on 09/14/2008.

This one poured out a very nice, and very bright golden yellow. Lots of cloudiness and haze in here, as there should be for the style. Some nice sediment pooling on the bottom as well. Nice one inch high head of white that fizzled out quickly but left behind a copious amount of side glass lacing.

The aroma was on the lighter side of things, lots of spices, wheat and grass like smells coming together nicely. A hint of lemon zest or orange peels in there as well, brightening it up very nicely. The flavor was superb for the style. Lots of coriander and spices running through it, a touch of clove and an almost banana like flavor in the middle. Lots of fresh grass as well in the finish. Wonderful body on this one was chewy most of the time and really just came across very well. Great carbonation kept it lively throughout. I drank this one outside on the deck in 96 degrees and it was wonderful.

Overall I really think it is interesting seeing this one get slammed soo much, as it really is a very good beer and should not be discounted. Great Mouthfeel with a really nice profile just added to the mix. I would not mind at all having a case of this one every summer, it was a perfect hot day session beer for me, with a little extra kick. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2008 10:39:47 | More by mikesgroove

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Slightly hazy gold yellow with an orange tint. Poured a two finger white head that dissipated. Laced evenly.

S: Citrus zest, prickly spices and yeast.

T: Very consistent with smell; spices (clove) and along with some citrus and banana flavors. Pleasantly dry finish.

M: Medium to light bodied; frankly, maybe a little thin. More carbonation would have helped.

D: Very drinkable; fairly light and definitely refreshing. Very nice choice if conscience of ABV.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2008 02:15:52 | More by Haybeerman

Overlord

California

3.15/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a bright gold, surprisingly small white foam head. Sparkly!

Smells like grass, herbs, and maybe some yeast. Taste is zesty, with that an expected grassy herbal flavor, a bit of pop in the form of spices (coriander?), and maybe just a tad of residual sweetness. Honey? Yeah, not getting that.

A surprisingly dry mouthfeel and finish, it's pretty champagn-ey. I'd say the mouthfeel is the best thing about it, as I'm not that excited about the taste.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2008 18:43:50 | More by Overlord

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a pilsener glass. Poured a translucent gold with copious tiny bubbles effervescing to the underside of the cap. One inch bright white, fluffy head eventually settled into a thin, consistent head. Dense lacing with good legs. Mild nose - wheat, lemon zest and orange peel. Taste follows nose with a slight citrus astringency at the finish. Light-bodied; carbonation is balanced with the body, but a little too soft. Very easy drinking witbier. Lacks some of the spiciness characteristic of the style, but very pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2008 23:58:13 | More by Jwale73

Talisker

California

2.7/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

750ml corked and caged bottle purchased at City Beer Store, San Francisco, for $8.99.

Close to an outright miss for The Lost Abbey. This is a limp, watery wit without an ounce of pizazz.

Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bland yellow, macro lager color, albeit not entirely transparent. Warning sign - very little head, and lacing dissipates almost immediately. No active bubbles visible.

Smells like a wit, with the combination of fruit and spice. This one maybe more grapefruit-y than orange-y. Unfortunately it tastes like a bit of a cross between Hoegaarden and Budweiser. Not *interesting*, but also not very *good*. No carbonation or other qualities to excite the texture. Even a little sticky on the end, which doesn't go well with the thin watery texture.

I don't think this bottle was mistreated. Just seems like a beer that sort of missed its target, especially for the price.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2008 22:45:16 | More by Talisker

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A vigorous pour produces a fat-two-finger thick, pale, just off-white colored head. The beer is an amber-gold color that shows a light haze and a bright, straw-gold color when held up to the light. The aroma has a solid lemon-like coriander character, a grassy herbal note, a medicinal honey note in the finish as well as a grassy, pale grain character to it. The honey character gets more pronounced as the beer warms up. A second pour re-accentuates the earthy, herbal notes of the coriander, but the citrus picks up a touch of sweetness (perhaps accentuated by the honey) that smells a bit more like grapefruit.

Lightly sweet tasting up front with a distinct honey flavor to it through the middle and in the finish. Grassy grain notes meld with a light herbal note, a touch of astringency and a very light bitterness; each of these notes provides a balancing not to the light sweetness and honey character. Very light and quaffable, though the honey keeps this from having a crisp, dry finish. Light citrus notes, that are more lemon like than anything, seem to hide underneath the honey notes most of the time.

The honey is definitely an interesting addition to a Wit; it definitely works with the traditional Wit flavors but I don't necessarily like the sweetness that it adds. Actually some more yeast-derived spice notes would help balance this beer out a bit more.

Purchased: South Bay Drugs, Imperial Beach CA

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2008 23:56:55 | More by Gueuzedude

GClarkage

California

4.38/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

09/03/08- Purchased at Ledger's in Berkeley, CA.

Presentation- 750ml bottle, caged and corked. 2008 release, poured into my Russian River tulip.

Appearance- Off light yellow in color (a healthy pee color). 3/4 inches of head upon pour. Leaves light lace patchwork behind.

Smell- Light musk nose. Some clove, corriander, lots of white pepper and grassy yeast.

Taste- Very traditional in flavor. Spices meld about as perfect as you can get. Maybe a bit more grass-hay-earth flavor would have put it over the top. Still wondeful clove and white pepper and confectioniers sugar meld.

Mouthfeel- Medium to higher carbonation, very crisp though with a fuller mouthfeel for a wit.

Drinkability- One of the better wit's I have had hands down. Right up there with St. Bernardus and Little White Lie IMO. Good stuff worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2008 23:50:34 | More by GClarkage

bbothen

California

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750 ml cork & caged bottle. Shared with friends on 8/31/2008.

Pours a pale golden straw yellow with a hazy hue. Bright white fluffy head. Plenty of lace as glass is comsumed.

Light sweet aroma with lemon zest, spicy, wheaty, yeasty. Nice.

Mellowed flavor. Lemon, wheat, honey, yeast, peppery, sharp. All flavors are subdued & easy palitable.

Smooth and incredibly refreshing. Need a backyard summer beer. This is it.

Highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2008 21:59:21 | More by bbothen

scottoale

California

4.22/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the standard Lost Abbey brown 750ml. cork/caged bottle a cloudy pineapple gold with a finger of solid white clingy foam. Good retention here, carbonation is spot-on for this style.

Lightly sweet and spicy nose is very Belgian-esque. Wheatgrass, lemon, spice and yeast come through in a very pleasant manner.

The flavor, as it smells, is very mellow, tasty and smooth...ever-so quaffable. The perfect hot weather thirst quencher with it's mild ABV and super easy drinking taste.

I think I prefer the bottled version here a notch above what I've tried on tap, none the less a nice Wit from one of my favorite breweries...cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2008 23:00:35 | More by scottoale

cjgator3

Florida

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Corked and caged 750ml bottle

A- Pours a nice golden yellow color with orange hues along with a white head that provides adequate lace.

S- The aroma is pretty dry and slightly tart with citrus zest, spices and yeast.

T- The taste like the aroma features some spices along with some citrus flavors with the finish on the dry side.

M- Light bodied but a little too watery, could use a little more carbonation for the mouthfeel.

D- Very drinkable, a nice light and refreshing wit perfect for the warm summer months when you don't particularly want a high ABV sipper.

Overall, Witches Wit is a very nice wit that is recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2008 23:31:43 | More by cjgator3

largadeer

California

4.33/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a hazy straw color with a couple inches of white foam; nice retention and lace.

Smell: Zesty citrus and whole wheat bread. Faint sweetness, but more on the dry side. Smells great.

Taste & mouthfeel: Wheaty, bready, yeasty and spicy. Dry, light-bodied and incredibly refreshing. The finish brings out a touch of honey and grapefruit. Ridiculously drinkable stuff; this one was gone in no time.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2008 03:48:44 | More by largadeer