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A Foolish Wit
Pipeworks Brewing Company
- From:
- Pipeworks Brewing Company
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- Witbier
- ABV:
- 4.7%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 8.76%
- Reviews:
- 19
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 20, 2021
- Added:
- Sep 23, 2012
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 8
We're not joking around here, the jester has returned! A Foolish Wit was our original Belgian style wit beer, brewed with amchoor, (dried green mango), lemony sumac, and traditional green coriander. This is a wit that even those wielding the sharpest of tongues will enjoy. Light, bright, and full of lemony wheat flavor, this ale is ripe with mischief.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by TotallyHosed:
Reviewed by TotallyHosed from Illinois
4.04/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Immediately after pouring, there's a white bubbly head that dissipates quickly into a blotchy veil. The color is completely opaque, which is typical for the style. The color takes on more of an apple cider orange, than golden yellow.
On the nose I get banana and pear esters, sweet malt, and some bright citrus. It's exciting to be able to detect the malt backbone in the aroma. All the smells mingle very nicely with each other.
Flavor starts with banana-like yeast, but is quickly beat by some bright citrus fruit. I get just a very small hint of alcohol in the middle as the glass warms. The finish is quite dry and sweet malt flavor lingers along with the fruity esters.
The feel is light-to-medium and full of light carbonation.
This is a very enjoyable and well-executed Witbier and therefore is definitely one for fans of the style. I think what makes this brew stand out is the appearance and the higher than average ABV. The latter point makes the malt backbone more apparent, relatively speaking. I hope Pipeworks makes more variations of this style.
Oct 17, 2012On the nose I get banana and pear esters, sweet malt, and some bright citrus. It's exciting to be able to detect the malt backbone in the aroma. All the smells mingle very nicely with each other.
Flavor starts with banana-like yeast, but is quickly beat by some bright citrus fruit. I get just a very small hint of alcohol in the middle as the glass warms. The finish is quite dry and sweet malt flavor lingers along with the fruity esters.
The feel is light-to-medium and full of light carbonation.
This is a very enjoyable and well-executed Witbier and therefore is definitely one for fans of the style. I think what makes this brew stand out is the appearance and the higher than average ABV. The latter point makes the malt backbone more apparent, relatively speaking. I hope Pipeworks makes more variations of this style.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
3.83/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16 ounce can into a tulip glass. Canned 7/9/20, had 8/3/20.
Pours a bright yellow, cloudy, with a two and a half inch head of spongy foam with good retention and lots of foamy lacing. Aromas of coriander, wheat, Belgian yeast, lemon, malt, light other spices. Has somewhat of a vegetal aroma- maybe from the mango powder, and light funk as it warms. Flavors of wheat, bread, lemon, malt, some orange peel, lighter coriander and other spices than the nose, dried mango as it warms. A little bit of sourness on the finish. Smooth, dry, a good light to medium body, well carbonated.
Solid example of the style. The sumac definitely adds a lot of lemon, the other add- ins show best in the aroma. Enjoyable and worth a try.
Aug 25, 2020Pours a bright yellow, cloudy, with a two and a half inch head of spongy foam with good retention and lots of foamy lacing. Aromas of coriander, wheat, Belgian yeast, lemon, malt, light other spices. Has somewhat of a vegetal aroma- maybe from the mango powder, and light funk as it warms. Flavors of wheat, bread, lemon, malt, some orange peel, lighter coriander and other spices than the nose, dried mango as it warms. A little bit of sourness on the finish. Smooth, dry, a good light to medium body, well carbonated.
Solid example of the style. The sumac definitely adds a lot of lemon, the other add- ins show best in the aroma. Enjoyable and worth a try.
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri
3.93/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can. Poured out a cloudy, straw-yellow color with a small, white head of foam. It left minimal lacing. It smelled of orange, spices, lemon and wheat. Nice spicy bite with cracked wheat and orange notes. Light to medium bodied. Crisp, sharp and smooth.
Aug 19, 2020Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.66/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I tend to use the wit as a summer table ale. Wheat is soft and mildly flavorful like summer fare and the wit's spices also are moderate and do not overwhelm the buds or the food.
A Foolish Wit is not designed for summer fare, but it is a flavorful wit and sufficiently refreshing.
Looks are average, really not much foam or swirling protein. Smells are modestly fruity, but no yum-yum. Tastes have a little more complexity, brought on by a persistent yeast and some drying hops. Bubbly in the mouth, it cleanses the palate well enough, but didn't play particularly nice with my pasta with pesto.
Being a malt-head, I have never been a big fan of Pipeworks. I stereotype their beers as too hoppy and pricey. I also am not impressed by their website, despite charging so much for 12 years. But they have found their market and will continue despite the pandemic. I just hope they start producing better Belgian table ales.
Aug 14, 2020A Foolish Wit is not designed for summer fare, but it is a flavorful wit and sufficiently refreshing.
Looks are average, really not much foam or swirling protein. Smells are modestly fruity, but no yum-yum. Tastes have a little more complexity, brought on by a persistent yeast and some drying hops. Bubbly in the mouth, it cleanses the palate well enough, but didn't play particularly nice with my pasta with pesto.
Being a malt-head, I have never been a big fan of Pipeworks. I stereotype their beers as too hoppy and pricey. I also am not impressed by their website, despite charging so much for 12 years. But they have found their market and will continue despite the pandemic. I just hope they start producing better Belgian table ales.
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois
3.41/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.41/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
16oz can
date stamped 07/08/20
L: hazy golden witbier; tall off-white head
S: spicy wit yeast, herbal hops, peppery coriander, zesty orange, spices, floral
T: zesty orange, spicy/bready wit yeast, peppery coriander; now I probably wouldn't be able to pick these out, but there is a faint mangoey amchoor flavor along with some herbal/floral-ness that I am assuming is the sumac - not getting a whole lot of lemon
F: medium body, moderate carbonation, nicely balanced finish
O: interesting take on a classic style; but I think the sumac and amchoor took away from the beer instead of improving it using creative ingredients
Jul 31, 2020date stamped 07/08/20
L: hazy golden witbier; tall off-white head
S: spicy wit yeast, herbal hops, peppery coriander, zesty orange, spices, floral
T: zesty orange, spicy/bready wit yeast, peppery coriander; now I probably wouldn't be able to pick these out, but there is a faint mangoey amchoor flavor along with some herbal/floral-ness that I am assuming is the sumac - not getting a whole lot of lemon
F: medium body, moderate carbonation, nicely balanced finish
O: interesting take on a classic style; but I think the sumac and amchoor took away from the beer instead of improving it using creative ingredients
Reviewed by darktronica from Indiana
4.09/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pale yellow in color, cloudy and unfiltered with a full finger of head. Gentle Belgian esters, largely floral rather than spiced. Some bright citrus notes and mild lactic tartness on the palate that complement the wheat and florals nicely.
Oct 08, 2019Reviewed by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois
3.82/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.82/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Tasted in a snifter from draft at O'Toole's on July 16, 2019. Made with mango powder and exotic spices. Notes of bright lemon and spices. Feel is light in body.
Sep 26, 2019
A Foolish Wit from Pipeworks Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
101 ratings
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