Whiteout Wit - Anchorage Brewing Company

hwwty4

Missouri

4.65/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a corked and caged 750ml into a 12oz highball.

Unfortunately not the best glass in the world, but when you pack up to move, you use what you can get. This beer pours a pale lemon yellow with a decent 2 inch bright white cap that leaves just a little bit of lacing down the sides of the glass. After I popped the top hints of must and grandmas old attic closet waft my way. Nice brett aroma. As it gets closer to the sniffer the brett comes across as damp earth and musty closest. Hints of lemon peel and spice. Just a little bit of pepper. The flavor is fantastic. Light and crisp. The brett is damp, wet earth with must and a bit of barnyard. Lemon zest and a bit of coriander. Really, it reminds me more of a saison or funky BdG then a wit. Really fantastic. The mouthfeel is a bit lacking. With as much brett, I thought it would finish a bit drier then it does. I was lucky enough to try this right after it came out at a tasting and I was extremely impressed with it. I was happy to see a lonely sitting on the shelf of one of my locals.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 01:27:13 | More by hwwty4

ccrida

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Whiiteout Wit is a clear gold with a white head leaving fairly thick, foamy lace.

Smell is lightly sweet strawberry esters, a nice skunky hop back-current. Not traditional, but delicious.

Taste is also heavy on the skunky hops and fruity esters, defiantly an American style wit. Nice vinous note, mild brett, drying more than anything; touch of pineapple. The chalkiness is notably pleasant.

Mouthfeel is dry, with a full but soft carbonation. Light bodied.

Drinkability is very high, a fantastic Wit. I thought Anchor was my favorite, but he's pushed it again with a whole re-write, and came out with a home-run.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 04:15:00 | More by ccrida

Reswald

Alaska

4.58/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased a 750 ml corked bottle at La Bodega in Anchorage.

Poured a lovely light gold in color, absolutely crystal clear, and with a massive white head. This beer is perfect in an over-sized tulip glass (AKA a Duvel-style one), to give room for this huge head. Most wits are slightly cloudy, due to the wheat in the mash, but not this one.

Aroma was very enticing: Spiciness, both from the yeast used and the actual addition of spices (coriander and peppercorns), and lemon-citrus notes, both from the use of lemon peel and Sorachi Ace hops. When I tasted it, the first thought that came to mind was "effervescence"; the beer is beautifully carbonated and wonderfully light on the palate. The flavor notes from the lemon and the spices blend beautifully with the woody notes from aging in French Oak Chardonnay barrels and the touch of tart funkiness from the secondary fermentation with brettanomyces. The brett notes are extremely well-balanced and totally integrated into the overall flavor profile, really becoming apparent only on the long finish.

In summary, this beer is another masterpiece from Gabe Fletcher. I don't think I've ever had a beer that would be a better choice for a warm, summer's day, or as an aperitif before a fine dinner, or as an accompaniment to a nice salad. Run, don't walk to buy this beer. At less than $9 a bottle, it's ridiculously reasonable, and if you're in to beer trading, this stuff will be worth its weight in gold (or at least in beers from the East Coast). Once again, I have to tip my hat to Gabe. Well played, sir, well played. I can't wait to taste the next beer that emerges from his creative genius.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 22:09:49 | More by Reswald

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.58/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Quite the outstanding take on a wit with a marked sense of brett and Chardonnay oak.

Presentation: 750 ml brown, caged and corked bottle. Screen printed label with a green and white design of a snowed mountain landscape framed by burgundy bars with the details of the brew and face of the brewer. Side paragraph offers a description of the brew, and serving indications, back narrative exposed intent, and background. Notes 20 IBUS, bottling Batch May 2011, and 6,5% Alc. by Vol. Served in a tulip glass.

A -Hazy pale straw pour, rich frothy head, medium retention, fair surface memory and some touches of lacing.

S - Rich nose with plenty of funky brett touched up by a rich citric sense swinging with notes of woody white grapes.

T - Nose extended in the mouth with ample richness, the funky brett, full of tart and leathery notes, is pushed back and forth by that soft sense of oak and chardonnay, which adds a subtle lingering sweet sense that disappears in the dry finish. A rich lemon grass sense permeates the whole brew with a spicy hint.

M - Light body with high carbonation, despite the insinuation of sweet oak the finish is rather dry with a pleasing lingering sense.

O - Quite rich and spectacular, very quaffable and stimulating.

Notes: Quite a surprise! Another visiting brew given the local beer week at the time I guess. Quite an unexpected treat to find this on the shelf in any case. Pricing while not overwhelming is a touch steep but when barrel-aging and brett are involved this seems to be the common case. Other than that this is quite a refreshing and stimulating brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 15:47:11 | More by Daniellobo

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.55/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A witbier brewed with brett? Awesome, where do I sign up? Right here?? That's brilliant. Bottle purchased from K&L Wine Merchants in Redwood City, CA. My first brew from Anchorage.

Heavily agitated bottle to release as much sediment as possible. Beer pours an extremely light coloured, and somewhat hazy yellow, with a frothy and lively head of pure white. I feel as though the latter parts of the pour would be cloudier, but even as it is, it gets a pleasant opacity to it. I love the colour, the lightness, and the head. It looks very refined, and bang-on target stylistically.

Nose.... hooee, there's the brett coming through, with a big funky barnyard acidity giving a freshness to the overtones of mild orange and lemon, but blending them with organics, raw and brusque. Wow, there's something wild and unrelenting in this nose, and to be fair, it probably overtakes the classic witbier characters. But still, these manage to get an influence; enough for me to say that this is a witbier taken to a strange new place.

Taste is similar, with a really pleasant smooth palate of almost fragrant vanilla, layered with oodles of funk and tart citric acidity. Mild husky bitterness peeks its head up in the mid palate, before the almost creamy oak characters come through and smooth it all out. It's spicy, smooth, tart, creamy, bright, mellow—all of these things in a gorgeously paradoxical whole.

Feel is beautiful. Light enough to quaff, but sublimely smooth.

Oh hell yeah. This is one awesome beast of a beer. It's truly a witbier, but brewed with panache and just a hint of cheekiness. All the characters work so well within the style: the funk, the acidity, the mellow oak. But what it delivers ultimately is greater than all of this: a beer which matches and yet transcends its stylistic boundaries.

I love beers like this. Beers that push the boundaries, and which do it with such poise, sophistication and style. As for Anchorage Brewing Company? I only have to give a warning to Jolly Pumpkin—your awesome, to-style, funk-laden alchemy has a new competitor.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 01:38:39 | More by lacqueredmouse

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours pale hazy yellow with tons of bubbles. A good head that recedes to a white foam ring. A little spotty lacing.

Some sour notes in the nose, but the coriander comes thru, as does the citric rind.

Wonderful balance in this beer. Wheat and lemon rind, leading to spice, a little yeast, and some good firm bitterness. An undertone of sourness balances this out. Finishes with some bitterness and lemony notes, with a bit of the wheat nuttiness coming thru again. Nice brew.

Lighter bodied, good solid carbonation.

Holy shit is this good. Complex but great balance. Wish I had another bottle. $15 out here in MA, and worth the trip from AK. These guys know what they are doing. A terrific Wit.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 04:47:19 | More by OtherShoe2

hopsbreath

Oregon

4.53/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought at Beaumont Market for $11 or $12. Bottled May-2011, it's a 75cl corked and caged bottle poured by parts into a Duvel tulip. Consumed over the span of two hours. Live review.

A: The first few pours are pristine clear gold. As I dip further into the bottle, a little yeast kicks up and looks more like traditional Wit haze. Large voluminous head after the pours yields moderate lacing and always maintains a full cap. I see no reason to dock points here. 5/5

S: Huge on the citrus (specifically lemon), barnyard funk, and pepper. A traditional Wit this is not but I love the smell. 4.5/5

T: The components of the nose translate wonderfully to the palate and the addition of some vanilla presumably from the barrels is also enjoyed. The pepper and spice play a larger part then the citrus but the brett is playing a very substantial role as well along with some bitter grape skin. I imagine a little more time will really help develop that brett character and bring it up to a level that rivals the spice. It's only about two months old right now. I suspect this will be sublime at the 9-12 month mark. 4.5/5

M: Moderate body with appropriate carbonation. The only reason I'm holding back on the exceptional rating, is because I think this might have some room to dry out even more with a little more time. As it stands now, it's just a touch more full than the 6.5% ABV would suggest. 4.5/5

O: An absolutely phenomenal beer. Nothing traditional about it, but nothing boring either. I'm comparing this mentally to the BA Wit that Upright did. This is better. I followed up a 14 month old bottle of Orval with this. Whiteout held it's own in terms of flavor and complexity. At about $12 a bottle, this is an utter steal. Well done Mr. Fletcher... Well done. 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 06:22:13 | More by hopsbreath

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up at Julio's. First Alaskan beer I've seen in MA.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a crystal clear light straw colour with a big, fluffy two finger white head that faded to leave a nice thick blanket. Only thing keeping this fro ma 5 is the lack of side lacing.

S - Wow, this is quite saison like, just with some wheat. Truely, thats what this is like. Great lemon, corriander, and belgian spices with a really good wheat backbone. Crazy but delicious.

T - Again, like a hybred between a nice saison and a wit. Great lemon, corriander, some oak/wine notes that lead into a very nice wheat flavour.

M - Good, feels a bit stronger than the ABV states to be. Must be the barrel. Real nice carbonation though. Very clean.

O - Incredibly suprised by this beer. Super drinkable. Wish this was a bit cheaper than it is priced, but still, worth a try. Glad I bought this.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 02:05:31 | More by rudzud

kkipple

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Whiteout Wit, bought in Reno, NV for $15.
Shared with no one. Poured into a cheap wine goblet, in my office.

A. Magnificent effervesence, sunlit pineapple yellow, a foamy, off white solid cap head.

S. Simply great nose, pale wheat, white wine / oak, lemon-sour, wild yeast...a bit of coriander. smells lofty, not totally unlike a gueze, there is an undercurrent of loveliness here. However, the chardonnay reigns supreme. The base beer smells like a Tripel at times, and there is pepper, for sure... simply fantasic, I could keep my nose in this all night. I am apparently a sucker for chardonnay aged beers. I think the combination of the wine barrel and brett added to the slightly spicy and noble Sorachi Ace hops is the ticket here.

T. Actually does come across as some weird Saison / Wit hybrid, with wine... rather Allagashy... Coconut? Surprisingly bitter secondary undercurrent of hops and yeast. Whiteout upholds the wine and brett portion of the beer in a big way. This may have started off as a traditional Witbier, but this is now a Wit in the same way that Robocop is your neighborhood beat cop. It's far evolved.

M / O. Delightful high carbonation, with a succuelent citrus-spice wine finish that turns dry and slightly fruity towards the very end. Incredibly fun to drink. I love this brewery. Highly recommended, but know what you're getting into. Much like Bitter Monk, this really blows away the base style and transforms into something wonderful. Highly recommended - Anchorage is doing great work right out of the gate.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 05:26:02 | More by kkipple

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Barrel aged White Ale? Sounds good to me! Color is a very pale gold, with about two fingers of solid heading. The nose is lightly sour, and funky, almost like sticking your nose in to a jar of pickled eggs. The sour is not as pronounced in the flavor, but the funk sticks around. It also comes off bone dry in places. I especially get the black pepper and the chardonnay barrel influence. Mouthfeel is light to medium in body, with a good dose of carbonation. I love bottle conditioned beers, and this one is no exception. I could drink this white all day. All I can say is that after trying this brew, I cannot freaking wait to see what they come up with next.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 01:56:14 | More by jamie2dope

billshmeinke

California

4.47/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip.

Pale clear straw golden color. Two fingers of white head. Lots of lacing left behind and great retention.

Smells of funk, hay, straw, barnyard scents, a touch of oak and vanilla, some citrus and zesty notes.

Great citrusy notes up front, some light stone fruit notes, white grapes, straw/hay, light tannin notes, some vanilla, some clove like spice, white pepper, a bit earthy and bitter on the finish.

Light, fresh, well carbonated, zesty. Spot on.

Anchorage Brewing, wow. Keep killing it.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 03:25:00 | More by billshmeinke

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

pours a slight hazy straw yellow with lots of fizzy white head. incredible retention and wonderful lacing.

a complex mix of brett, light lemon zest, dry oak, and faint dry white wine. very gueuze like.

i say this often but similar to the nose, very complex. the only difference is there is no gueuze flavor. very faint tartness if any at all. mostly a mix of oak, brett, wheat, subtle spice, and white wine.

nice and dry all around. lots of oak dryness and white wine dryness. damn near perfect carbonation.

this is good, exceeded my expectations all around. reminds me a lot of a more brett influenced RR temptation.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 01:34:50 | More by hooliganlife

Reaper16

Alabama

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle -- Batch #1, May 2011 -- served into a tulip glass

Pours an extremely light yellow color. I've seen sparkling wines darker than this. It's kinda ghostly how it looks solidly pale-yellow but also fairly clear at the same time. Not much head here, maybe a finger at the very most before settling down to .40 fingers. Little splashes of lace. It strikes me minutes after typing the preceding text that this beer's color puts it into the Hoegaarden school of witbiers. So there's nothing unprecedented or off about how pale it is.

The aroma, however, is quite unconventional for a witbier. For one, there isn't any orange peel aroma. Instead, Whiteout Wit opts to use lemon peel as its additive citrus component. There's the requisite pepper here, and really not any other distinguishable spices. No clove. Maybe some coriander. What's coming across much more strongly is the Brettanomyces. It's not barnyardy, not really, but it's Bretty in that Orval type way: unmistakable and kinda musty, but not overblown. There is some astringency here, and it might be coming from: 1.) the hops, 2.) the yeast, 3.) the barrel. Probably a bit of each. The aroma is so well-blended that it's hard to pick out individual things. That's a good attribute, by the way.

The flavor is similarly clean but it doesn't have as much of a flavor impact as the nose would indicate. In this respect it is a sibling of Anchorage's Love Buzz Saison (which I reviewed a couple of days prior to reviewing this beer). In fact, I'd venture to say that Whiteout Wit isn't a witbier at all, but instead a Saison. It's light and yeasty (the Brett is so nice here without dominating), and very fruity. That lemon is strong. There's lemon peel, there's lemony hop notes (Sorachi Ace is mentioned on the label, so, yeah, this beer is lemony), and there's a vague white wine characteristic too (the beer was aged in [presumably California, given the oak] Chardonnay barrels). It's an easy quaff but it has many layers to it. A lovely, lovely beer.

It's light and dry in terms of mouthfeel (as you'd expect from a Bretted beer). Maybe a touch too prickly, but that's just picking nits.

Overall, this is a fantastic beer. Witbier, Saison, Belgian Pale, Wild Ale...whatever you wanna' call it, this is refined and delicious. I wish I had more bottles of this. The only sour and/or funky witbier that's better than this is 2011 Boulevard Two Jokers.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 02:49:29 | More by Reaper16

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter.

Appearance
Cloudy straw with 1-2 fingers of white head that dissipates quickly.

Nose
Potpourri, lemon juice, golden apple and clove.

Taste
Lemon juice, potpourri, pilsner malt, wheat and a light Brettiness.

Mouthfeel
Light bodied, crisp, clean and refreshing.

Overall
Amazing! I’m pretty sure it’s impossible for Anchorage to produce anything less than extraordinary.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 12:56:19 | More by justintcoons

THECPJ

Delaware

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: golden yellow with a 1.5 finger head

smell: citrus, brett, funk, barnyard, hay,

taste: brett, citrus, funk,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: this is a new and different Witbier to me. Which I liked and hopefully will be able to have again.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 02:58:04 | More by THECPJ

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a Weyerbacher tulip.

A: Faintly hazy pale straw body under an inch of fine white head. Decent retention, spotty lace. Nice.

S: Amazing, pure funkiness. Cheese (my favorite Brett byproduct) is up front, with hay, barnyard, and fresh flowers also there. Just lovely.

T: The spices come through more here, providing some up-front pepper that leads in to wheat, floral Brett, light fruitiness, and a clean finish that balances spice and dry, earthy funk. A little weaker than I'd like from such and expensive beer (and quite lacking in barrel notes), but utterly drinkable and entirely tasty.

M: Light body with moderately prickly carbonation. Delicate, but not quite as smooth as I'd like.

O: The aroma alone was worth the hefty price of admission, but I do wish it had had more vinous and oaky complexity to complement the spices and wild yeast that go so well together. All quibbles aside, this was the best wild Witbier I've had - far better than Zwanze '10, that's for sure.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 19:38:09 | More by woosterbill

raveskdr

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cracked open a bottle during Parks and Rec, bought at The Wine and Cheese shop in St. Louis. Split 99.9/,01 with my puppy Dozey.

A - Beautiful orangeish yellow vibrant color. Fluffy white head that laces perfectly.

S - Smells like moderate brett and wheat deliciousness. A bit of fruitiness in there as well.

T - Wow. Up front is that brett funk along with some great wheat and spices. The flavors are all in perfect balance. Really wonderful. You get very, very slight wood notes from the barrel.

M - Drinks extremely easily. The brett doesn't linger on the palate. A good, moderate amount of carbonation.

O - A really, really nice beer. Just slightly under what I get from Fantome Saison. It's right in that ballpark. I really wish I could have tried Bitter Monk fresh, but now that I tried this, I'm gonna find a bottle with the faded hops and see how it goes.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 03:18:37 | More by raveskdr

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a clear golden-yellow with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of lemon zest and sweet wheat with some funkiness, barnyard smells, and some brett. Hint of green apple sourness and oak as well.

T - Starts off some barnyard funkiness, brett, some green apple sourness, a bit of wheat, and some tart lemon zest. Through the middle, some light oak flavors come through with a hint of spices alongside some mellowing tartness. The finish is a mix of wheat, tart lemon zest, funky brett, and a hint of oak.

M - Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a tart, dry, and crisp finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nice complex witbier beer with the Brett flavor really blended in nicely. Super crisp and refreshing as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 04:03:20 | More by ngeunit1

quirkzoo

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear yellow with 2 fingers of thick white head that leave a nice cap. After a while the clumps in the cap look like a pellicle.

Lots of funk up front, very woodsy, I get a lot of chardonnay like oak on the nose with a bit of tart lemon behind that. Some spicy Belgian yeast.

Taste is similar to the aroma with a bit of a coriander aftertaste. This one was much more tart then I was expecting and I really liked it. Very well balanced flavor with just the right amounts of tart, funk, oak and spice.

Somewhat thin, very dry, very easy drinking.

Overall this is a really good beer. The brewer comes with an impressive pedigree and I am excited to try more of their beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 15:22:30 | More by quirkzoo

TheHoppiest

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass, as recommended by the brewer. The bottle bears a "bottled on" date of March, 2012, and that this was part of Batch #2.

Pours a pale straw yellow, with a tall, fragile brilliant white head that collapses upon itself leaving moderate lacing down the sides.

Has a full, funky aroma, with tart apples, grass, wet oak, and lemon. The smell is quite strong and yeasty, leaving no doubt that this is a strong, if not slightly sour smelling, wit beer.

I can best describe this taste as delicate and light, with a foundation of funky grass, savory greens, lemon, and rock candy. There's an ever so slightly sour taste, but it is more than balanced by the grassy and light sweet tastes.

Light bodied, with a slightly sour feel that puckers the tongue. Overall, though, this is a soft brew, with mild carbonation.

The label gives one the impression that this is some monster of a brew, but the truth is that it is a delicate, pretty well balanced witbier that I would be happy to have again.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 21:33:13 | More by TheHoppiest

brotherloco

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml C&C bottle. Batch #1. May 2011.

Pours a pale pilsner yellow with 2 fingers of bright white foam, settles to a full ring. Solid medium lacing.

Smells funky! Cheesy and a bit sulphuric. Real strong brett presence, along with white wine grapes and spices. Intriguing.

Initial flavor is really light and delicate. Zesty lemon and spices come on with a light hop bitterness. A touch of that white wine flavor promised in the nose. Earthy funkiness is there, a lot lighter in flavor than in the nose, but it adds some sourness. Dry finish, and as a surprise there is a very pleasant lingering vanilla ice cream note that finishes things off. All of these flavors are very well integrated.

Body is about medium with medium, but soft and lovely carbonation. Mouthfeel is great.

Overall, this is the most original take on the Wit style that I've tasted. I'm really impressed with this first outing from the Anchorage Brewing Company. Looking forward to what they come up with next.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 03:03:29 | More by brotherloco

notchucknorris

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a pale yellow color with a greenish tinge. A nice fluffy white head with good retention.

S: Lots of brett, white wine, chalk and lime. Really interesting smell.

T: Very dry and light. Lemon rind, baby aspirin, hints of brett and some white pepper. I really loved this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 22:11:12 | More by notchucknorris

champ103

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a almost transparent light yellow/white color. A two finger egg white head forms with good retention. Some lace is left behind. Looks like a white wine after the head recedes.
S: Big funk in the nose. Earthy, Bretty, slightly tart fruits. Lemons, apples and grapes. Spices apparent, but minimal. I love the added complexity of the Oak and wine barrels. Excellent.
T: Funk, Brett, wood, clove/coriander spice, and slightly tart grapes and lemons all intermingle. This is great.
M/D: A light to medium body. Fairly crisp, but just a bit thin. So easy and enjoyable to drink. The bottle is gone in no time.

This is great. I love the mix of Brett, oak, and wine barrels here. It works perfectly. Unlike with Bitter Monk, where nothing but hops come through. I would love to share this with a wine drinker to see what they think. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 03:51:50 | More by champ103

julian

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy straw yellow, nice thin foamy layer of head. Not much lacing.

S: Initially I get that crisp brett funk, barnyard must, then lemon peel tartness. Lacking in the spice and phenol department though.

T&M: Clean, lemon tang and tartness, slightly vinous, and oaky. barnyard funk. Medium body, and nice level of carbonation.

O: Not much wheaty wit character or spicy phenols. Funky, which is not traditional for a Wit. These is when becoming a style whore does not help brewing creativity. This is a great beer, but does not really fall into the traditional definition of a "Wit" beer. Nevertheless the time and effort that went into creating this triple fermented beer was well spent. I love it.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 06:01:09 | More by julian

Beerenauslese

California

4.35/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a large Tripel Karmeleit glass.

Body is clear gold, poured to about a half inch height of head which is white and sudsy, then dissipated to a cap and ring, leaving some lacing on the glass.

Aroma is lemony, butter, coriander, band aid, yeast funk (like the inside of a raw chicken), and bready malt.

Tastes mildly tart with lemon juice and zest, mid palate picks up the chardonnay, coriander, and oak notes. Finish is dry with lemon hop flavor (Sorachi), pepper, and lemon-zest bitterness. Funk is less evident in the taste than in the nose (probably a good thing).

Body is light and the carbonation is effervescent, giving this a refreshing, cleansing mouthfeel. There's a bit of prickle on the tongue, probably from the coriander and maybe the hops as well.

This is a pleasant drinking witbier, but unusual, with lemon and chardonnay grape flavors that are uncharacteristic of the style. Could be a light saison in the style of Fantome. This beer is also clearer than typical witbiers. In any case, an interesting interpretation and one that shows a lot of thought and care in the making.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 05:09:23 | More by Beerenauslese