Huitzi
5 Rabbit Cerveceria

HuitziHuitzi
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From:
5 Rabbit Cerveceria
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 12.13%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
95
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 18, 2019
Added:
Mar 03, 2012
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  4
A Belgian Strong Golden Ale, brewed with hibiscus flowers, ginger, thai palm sugar and local Chicago honey. Huitzi is a winter beer that doesn´t wallow in the dark cold days of this season. Like it’s namesake, the Aztec hummingbird god Huitzilopoctli who smashed the winter to allow the sun to return, Huitzi looks forward to the brighter promise of spring. We think of it as a winter cooler. As all our creations, this beer has it’s own Latin twist as it is brewed with flor de jamaica (hibiscus flower). The idea for this beer came when thinking about food and family gatherings. In Latin America, all family gatherings have something in common, “aguas frescas.” An agua fresca is fresh fruit or flowers diluted in water and (sometimes) sweetened. They are typically served at lunchtime in almost every restaurant in Mexico and Central America. The term means fresh water and their creativity and simplicity appeals to us. Aguas frescas represent a time with family, colleagues or friends as they gather and share a meal. A time to disconnect from the daily routine and enjoy food and conversation.
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Ratings by emerge077:
Photo of emerge077
Rated by emerge077 from Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

Oct 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.97/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
I can see I'm late to the party here. But, I believe Huitizi is proof-positive of the maxim "better late than never."
I bought this can at Binny's and I am only the 5th rating in 3 years, so I'm thinking 5 Rabbit released this again.
5 Rabbit is one of the more inventive Chicagoland breweries, but they rarely make repeat beers in the Belgian tradition and, then usually, it is a wit. So, I am glad to see their BSPA and particularly glad if it is a re-release.

High marks for Looks is based on its pretty rose color, not the foam. Smells have some interesting fruits and herbs and hibiscus wafting out, but the yeast is subdued. Tastes are marked upwards for creativeness. But again, this is because BSPAs got a yeast thing going and Huitzi has less and instead highlights the herbs. Huitizi sits nicely in my mouth as a summer drink. It paired well with a summer salad. So, maybe my timing is better than I thought !

I was wondering if Huitzi is the influence of the venerable Randy Mosher who was associated with 5 Rabbit. So I went on their website and he still is and I'd like to think that I made an educated guess that he had something to do with Huitzi.
Jul 18, 2019
 
Rated: 3.53 by WynnO from Florida

Mar 24, 2018
 
Rated: 3.56 by Cuervo_PCB from Florida

Mar 23, 2017
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the 750ml bottle in a snifter. This almost UN-classifiable ale pours a red tinged
cloudy peach color with a modest head of white foam that subsides to a thick ring,
subtle light pool, and features some nice light lacing. Nose is complex and all over the
board---floral notes (not hops) collide with fresh grated ginger and get friendly with
sweet honey and hibiscus mixing with light yeasty funk and sweet candy sugars.
Flavors are complex and worthy of warming and savoring: sweet balanced ginger dipped
in candy sugars crystallizes with hibiscus and rose water over a light bed of yeasty saison
styled yeast notes with a touch of herbal hops and seltzer notes with rose and mead infused
notes. Complex as the day is long, matured nicely to say the least. Excellent mouth feel; effervescent
mouth feel gives rise to lively body that dances nicely off of the notes of the zesty ginger and sweet
candy malts with a crisp medium high carbonation and a sweet ginger and candy sugar finish.

Overall--one of the most complex and unique brews I have had to date.
Unique in the mead meets Belgian golden pathway----excellent.

WORTHY and as a note I DO NOT LIKE GINGER IN MY BEER!

Cheers 5 Rabbit----excellent job!
Feb 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3.87 by AlexFields from Tennessee

Jun 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by stortore from Illinois

Apr 05, 2016
Photo of Chris7482
Rated by Chris7482 from Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2014
Apr 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by dexterk1 from Illinois

Feb 28, 2016
Photo of jzlyo
Reviewed by jzlyo from Iowa

3.54/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Aroma is fruit juice, citrus and grapes. The flavor is grapes/white grapes, malts, fruit, mild sweetness and a simple Belgian yeast/very lightly spiced finish.
Jan 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Dec 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by Poloplaya from Illinois

May 27, 2015
Photo of neenerzig
Reviewed by neenerzig from Ohio

4.09/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got a bottle of this from my sister as a gift well over a year ago now. Let it sit in my cellar for awhile and finally wanted to crack it open tonight. Poured into one of my tulip glasses, this beer pours a clear, medium to deep amber color with a white head that is probably about half an inch when first poured and that settles very quickly to a thick ring lining the inside of the glass. The beer also has a rapid and continuous rise of several stream of bubbles coming to the beer's surface. Barely any lacing to speak of unfortunately. Nice Belgian Yeast aroma along with some good ginger hints accompanied by the hibiscus and ginger that is followed by strong floral fruity notes of pear, figs, etc. Has a sweet, Belgian candy sugar and bready, slightly toasted biscuit, yeasty flavor upfront that gives way to ginger, honey, and hibiscus and that is followed with earthy fruity flavors of pear, fig, and a hint of orange. No discernible hop presence here whatsoever. Good balance of flavors here and they seem to compliment each other quite nicely. Has a crisp, smooth, somewhat prickly, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate to heavy carbonation. Very easy to drink, as the 8.7% ABV certainly sneaks up on you. Each sip finishes clean. The only drawback for me is that flavors don't really seem linger on the palate/inside of the mouth after each sip as much as I'd like them to. A very good beer all around though.

Eric
Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.27 by ravger from Illinois

Feb 28, 2015
Photo of LacquerHead
Rated by LacquerHead from Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A nice Belgian taste with spice.
Feb 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by adeliciousadventure from Illinois

Nov 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by atone315 from Wisconsin

Nov 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Kevinpitts from Illinois

Nov 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by mrn1ceguy from Illinois

Nov 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4.2 by alostplot from Illinois

Nov 08, 2014
Huitzi from 5 Rabbit Cerveceria
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 95 ratings