St. Bernardus Witbier - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV

MadCat

New Jersey

4.61/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Cloudy pale straw color, with a thick, creamy, fluffy white head that sticks around for a while, and leaves beautiful lacing

Smell: Banana, wheat, cloves, citrus

Taste: Banana, wheat, cloves, coriander, finishes with lemony tartness

Mouthfeel: Medium body, feels almost creamy, but with good carbonation

Overall: An excellent Witbier, just wish it was cheaper and easier to find. It is great.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:19:30 | More by MadCat

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 11.2 oz bottle into tulip. Pours a golden hazy straw with a big white foamy head. Nice floral clove and yeasty aroma. Taste is full of clove and yeast with a bit of citrus mainly orange. Just an all around perfect wit...a bit peppery but delicious.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 00:28:47 | More by DrinkSlurm

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.21/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

St. Bernardus Wit has a thick, foamy, off-white head, a large amount of heavy lacing left on the glass, and a hazy, yellow-golden appearance, with lots of tiny bubble streams. Some brown sediment chunks are visible after the bottom of the bottle is swished. The aroma is of white wheat bread and citrus, and the taste is of coriander, white wheat bread, a shade of banana, spice (white pepper?), and yeast. Mouthfeel is fairly light, and St. Bernardus Wit finishes semi-dry, mellow, and highly drinkable. Overall, this is a great wheat beer, and I think fans of this style will enjoy it.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 13:22:50 | More by RonaldTheriot

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a cloudy bright yellow color with a tall and creamy white head that has good retention. Some lace sticking to the side.

S- vibrant lemon peel and coriander, some earthy funky yeast, floral notes some must. Aromas are much more profound than a typical wit.

T-notes of coriander and lemon with faint floral hops, wheaty backbone, some tartness mid palate, perhaps from the yeast. Wheat and chalky finish is dry with a lemon-like linger.

M- light-med body with lively carbonation, creamy mouthfeel with a smooth finish

O- this is on of those wits that sets the standards for all others. Bright in aroma and flavor where others wits are often muted. Refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:55:12 | More by Treyliff

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle poured into a Boulevard chalice.

A: Pours an appropriately cloudy lemon yellow color. The rocky white head is doggedly persistent. Lacing is plentiful and very sticky and foamy. This is as good as a wit can look.

S: Yeasty and spicy with scents of white and black pepper, soft clove, faint lemon, and orange peel. Slightly musty. Wheaty base smells of dough. The nose really pops and is a little more complex than youtraverage wit.

T: Doughy, creamy wheat with a bit of that lemony zing. Strong pull of orange peel and a spike of coriander. Peppery. Yeasty with a slight clove impression and subtle, vague spices. Maybe even a ghostly hint of herbal hops. Wheaty and yeasty on the finish.

M: Light in body. Textbook frothy milkshake mouthfeel. Aggressive carbonation cuts through the body and scrubs the palate. Very crisp and refreshing.

O: I bought the St. Bernardus mix pack just for this beer, and it did not disappoint. This is a real witbier. They don't make 'em like this anymore. It's way too drinkable, and even I was surprised by how quickly I drained my glass. It really hit the spot, even in the dead of winter. They really need to get this beer over here in volume, especially toward the summer months.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 16:38:03 | More by ryan1788a5

pkalix

California

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

typically hazy, yellow, and this one has a beautiful, rich billowy white head and wonderful carbonation.
aromas of richness, but nothing really distinctive.
taste is very rich. i used to like this style very much but became very opposed to it due to the richness, just as i have with the hefes....
i purchased this because i love the st bernardus line and i wanted to see how they did this one. while still avoiding the hefes and the wits, i can see this as being the standard. while hoegaarden was the commercially available 'standard', i really appreciate this one as having a cleaner and more refreshing taste. more subdued spiced. still too rich for me, but, in my opinion, a much better product than hoegaarden. i wish i lived in belgium. or at least traveled there. being in the air force during the clinton administration, i sat by as all movement was frozen to due budget cuts. i so badly wanted to experience a real oktoberfest...
i gave this very high marks due to the sublteness, yet still present, of the spices....

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:27:09 | More by pkalix

fields336

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: 1 finger white creamy head. light gold to yellow

S: sweet honey, bready malt, herb, clove, cardamom, slight vanilla

T: herbs and honey, sweet clove and bubble gum flavor, spiced cardamom and white pepper

M: medium bodied, creamy, good carbonation, dry finish

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 01:55:14 | More by fields336

UCLABrewN84

California

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best by 11/29/13.

Pours a murky butter yellow with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks and dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, wheat, spices, yeast, and a perfume-like citrus aroma. Taste is much the same with a mild spice finish that lingers after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and prickly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a great smell that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:52:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

impending

California

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A

750ml into a tulip. Pours a fully hazed dull pale yellow, white head retains nicely, nice lacing.

Aroma is unmistakeably St Bernardus, rich sweet fruity yeasty, upbeat and clean. Shares much with the tripel.

Taste is particularly complex within a narrow range. No sharp edges. Finishes with a phenolic touch that punctures the sweet fruity initial flavor, a dry bite that fades away slowly. Coriander and orange peel are on full display but are far from parfumy. Medium bodied creamy mouthfeel.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 05:16:58 | More by impending

ckollias

Maryland

4.48/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Belgian Tulip glass.

A: Pours a cloudy yellow-golden hue with a huge, frothy, white head that slowly dissipates down the side of the glass, leaving a nice trail and ending in a solid lace that never ends.

S: Citrus and spicy aroma with coriander scent.

T: Orange and citrus flavor with a spicy sweet backbone. Belgian yeast subtle in the background and finishes on the dry side of sweet.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Excellent Wit - one of the best.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 02:41:27 | More by ckollias

sureshot08

Arizona

3.98/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours yellow-orange with a large, white head. Hazy with some yeast chunks at the bottom.

Smell: spices and citrus, lots of apricot.

Taste: refreshing, lemony, more apricot, subtle spicing

Mouthfeel: medium body and relatively high carbonation

Overall: A good and refreshing beer. While enjoyable, I wouldn't call it the top witbier in the world.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 00:53:45 | More by sureshot08

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pour is hazy pale yellow with bubbly white head. The nose is zesty and spicy, peppery and lemony zest, well balanced. The taste is the same, well integrated and balanced spice an zesty lemon juice. Body is airy, clean and crisp with solid carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 17:53:27 | More by cpetrone84

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy light gold, with a smallish white head, which lasts reasonably well but does not leave much lacing. The aroma is a delicately fragrant blend of sweet coriander, lemon zest and orange blossom, with some faint medicinal notes. Subtle lemon peel up front leads into some sweet and spicy coriander. A typically crisp witbier feel is balanced nicely against honeyed orange blossom notes in the mid-palate. The finish is redolent with sweet spice and lingers nicely.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:52:00 | More by Serge

blatantdream

New York

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light hazy golden straw-colored. Head retention pronounced and whitish in color.

Aroma is moderately sweet with perfumy coriander/spices with a bit of zesty citrus reminiscent of cut oranges.

Malts have a honey-like sweetness with a slight citrus finish in the taste. Hop bitterness is low with notes of coriander and dried orange peel.

Medium-light body. Smooth and light creaminess leaving a nice effervescent character from the high carbonation.

Overall pretty good representation of the style. Could have more varied/complex spices and acidity to balance out the sweetness but does carry forth the proper characteristics of the style represented.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 02:38:10 | More by blatantdream

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

maybe im missing something here BA, but this just doesnt blow my mind. it looks the part of a world class beer, huge foaming white head resting forever on top of a just slightly hazy very pale summery yellow body with lots of little bubbles rising eagerly to the surface. it also leaves beautiful patchy thick white lacing on the sides of my tulip as i drink this. its really pretty. the nose though does not match the looks, it smells faintly like lemon peel, but all i can really ascertain from the smell is a pretty standard belgian yeast, light and a little fruity. its a little stinky, like maybe mine isnt the freshest bottle, but still, it just doesnt smell all that great. the flavor is nice, its very very light. a nice wheat malt profile with some grassy notes plays against just a touch of bitter lemon and the doughy yeast. its in fine balance, but its not a very bold flavor, well made yes, but almost boring. the feel is fine, light in body, made heavier by the suds on top and the yeast sediment, and the carbonation is quite active and fizzy. overall a nice beer, but im not sure id score it quite as high as the masses have here.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 01:57:53 | More by StonedTrippin

brureview

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pilsner. Very pale color with a 2 1/2 finger head.

A light fruit, clove, and lemon smell.

The mouth feel was very pleasant- tangy and tart.

The finish was lemon and fruity. Refreshing.

Overall, a refreshing, zesty lemon taste. It's a beer for certain moods- not
a contemplative beer. More for a relaxing evening drink or a warm day.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 01:37:06 | More by brureview

bnes09

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazy orange with floating yeast flakes. Egg shell white head with ok retention and minimal lacing.

Aroma of orange and Belgium yeast, sweet and tart smelling at the same time.

Flavor is mildly sweet with refined cane sugar, fresh orange and baked bread. Hops are subtle and leafy. Descent balance with some coriander. Belgian yeast is present and adds a smoothness to the overall tone.

Medium bodied, highly carbonated, dry finish.

Descent wit. Holds up against many other examples of the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 01:59:35 | More by bnes09

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a weizen glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Hazy pale gold color with a 3-finger white bubbly, fizzy head. Pretty good retention, but not really any lacing. Doesn't have the huge creamy head that I was expecting.

S – Grainy and yeasty with aromas of coriander, pepper, lemon zest, and tangy yogurt with maybe a touch of banana.

T – Starts off sweet with grainy wheat, lemongrass, coriander, and a little bit of banana and finishes with an orange, lemon, and yogurt tartness.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with good carbonation, a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, and a slightly spicy, slightly tart, and dry finish. Citrus and yogurt sweetness and tartness linger along with yeast spiciness.

O – This is a nice witbier that is different than most witbiers that I’ve had. The usual banana, clove, and bubblegum flavors are dialed down a bit and the yogurt-like tanginess is dialed up. I should’ve known better – Belgian beers never fit the mold. The bottom line is that this is a really tasty, drinkable, and refreshing beer that is well-suited for the hot summer months.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 01:58:49 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Danny1217

Florida

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellow with a nice white head that quickly fizzles out. Smells of spice and citrus. Can smell a bit of the Belgian yeast.
Taste is spice up front. Some lemon zest, banana, clove, and all that good stuff. Medium body and high carbonation.
Can't say I've had a better Belgian witbier. This is really good.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 16:56:39 | More by Danny1217

n2185

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy yellow with a finger of white head that fades into a thin layer with little lacing.

S: Spices up front with some peppery notes followed by slightly musty and sweet bread aromas. The finish has a slight tartness to it as well.

T: Light spices notes at first followed by a surprisingly tart fruit flavor with some funky and barnyard aspects to it. The finish is dry and lightly bready.

M: Light body with highish carbonation, this beer is nice and dry, making it really drinkable.

O: A pretty witbier, overall, that's also very unique. It's almost more like a saison or some Belgian pale ales than a witbier. Still, it's enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 04:06:12 | More by n2185

confer

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is the classic.
It looks just like it should. Pale yellow, cloudy and a pure white head.
The smell come across much sweeter than the taste. Lots of lemon, banana and orange in the smell.
The taste is a much more tart than the smell lets on to. The clove/banana taste is there in the finish.
There is a silky wheat feel to go along with lots of carbonation.
A great beer, I will surely get this one again.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 01:21:38 | More by confer

ThomasMetal75

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

*Corked from a pint 9.6 fl oz bomber and poured into a standard pint glass*

A- Dark orange and hazy. Very carbonated. A nice head formed, but quickly died.

S- Overall spicy notes with an orange nose as well.

Taste-
*First taste was of orangey, spicy (not hot spice) notes. Carbonation was present on the tongue.
*Towards the bottom of the bottle (after it was swirled) had the same upfront flavors, but with a apple cider type taste. That apple tartness from the broken-up sediment was real present!

M- Light-Medium mouthfeel. Beer was extremely carbonated in the mouth. For the style, I actually thought it was a lot heavier on the drinkability than Hoegaarden.

*Overall, this was a A beer! I like that it is light enough on the ABV and thin enough on the mouthfeel to be an easy beer to drink. My only complaint is that for the style, the St. Bernardus was on the darker side of the witbiers. I think I remember liking Hoegaarden better since it is lighter and has a refreshing lemon character. The St. Bernardus Wit is a great beer with outstanding flavors that I would certainly warrant picking up if I ever saw it at the beer store again!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 22:53:45 | More by ThomasMetal75

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into wheat glass.

A - Cloudy yellow gold with a large dense white head.

S - Lemon zest, bready malt, Belgian yeast, spicy hops.

T - Lemon, orange peel, banana, pepper and clove - everything I expect from a Wit. Bready malts provide a solid backbone. Slightly tart finish.

M - Extremely smooth and creamy. Light-medium body with high carbonation. Refreshing.

O - Definitely an above average witbier. Great blend of citrus and spicy flavors. I expected a bit more richness and depth, but it's still a highly drinkable and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 00:53:43 | More by mooseo

beergoot

Colorado

4.73/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Light yellow, straw-colored body with a good, two-finger head; white and clinging to the glass.

Sweet cloves and spice; banana and orange notes in the aroma.

Taste is delightfully fruity with a soft bitterness in the end.

Mouthfeel comes across soft and velvety; carbonation caressing the tongue. Clean and crisp finish with a bright sparkle of sweet and sour.

An exceptional little wit beer. Lots of character and a real delight to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 23:19:32 | More by beergoot

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml bottle served in a chalice.

A: Pours a pale yellow cloudy color forming a huge white aired head. Medium retention and many nice lacings left

S: Great spicy smell. Coriander and orange zest giving the tone. Clove. Wheat and Belgian yeasts. Vanilla

T: Follows the nose. Such a damn good spicy, and at the same time, delicate and soft taste. Coriander is a must giving a nice refreshing mouth sensation. Despite the vanilla smell, it has a neutral to dry taste. A bit acid. Bitterness is also very mild

M: Light to medium body. Good carbonation. Spicy aftertaste

O: Delicious Belgian Wit. Saint Bernardus quality. Mandatory

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 20:39:24 | More by eduardolinhalis