Whirlwind Witbier - Victory Brewing Company

BuckSpin

Maine

2.5/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This is the oddest review I have posted. I am a big witbier fan, and also really enjoy Victory. I picked up a split 6 pack at Victory, and this was the 1st one I tried. I had to have a 2nd to confirm my initial thoughts.

Poured a cloudy, murky, dull pale gold with a quickly disappating 1/4" head of loose white clinging foam.

The nose is usually the best aspect of most wibiers. But this one..odd..familiar...lite sweetness...what is that? No. It can't be. Sniff again. Its...cured lunch meat...bologna to be specific. Whoa..

OK, so the nose is freaked, how about the taste? Unusually soft, some spice, light citrus, little peppery on the pallete, no...wait...not again....oh my God ....bologna! This is unreal. For what its worth it finished crisp.

This had to be a bad batch, If someone at Victory is reading this, please tell me some young brewdude screwed up a batch. You couldn't possibly have released this intentionally. I tried 2 bottles, and this is one of the worst tasting beers I have tried yet. Anyone want 4 Whirlywinds?

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2005 02:44:30 | More by BuckSpin

ElGuapo

New Jersey

2.6/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

pours yellow and a bit cloudy. this is a white beer with a kick. i did not have this with lemon to tone it down, and it was just not for me. i am not a huge white beer fan, but the hacker-pschorr was much better

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2002 10:00:11 | More by ElGuapo

jcdiflorio

West Virginia

2.6/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a tall wheat glass from a 12oz brown bottle with a crimped-on cap.

Very pale,hazy,straw color with a tall creamy white head falls a bit quickly to a coating. The carbination the same livey at first,but dies down quickly never looks flat at all though.

Delicate aromas mostly clove,some bannana with spicy yeast character.


Lots of clove in the taste,very grassy with some spice and yeast tastes. Tastes like a clove flavored water,just a bit light on taste for me.

Very light watery mouthfeel,almost like drinking water. Lacks taste to be drinkable for me. Not offensive in any way,just nothing to keep me interested. Would be a good starter beer for the ladies.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2007 23:40:17 | More by jcdiflorio

Nipitato

Massachusetts

2.6/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up a bottle at Julio's Liquors in Westborough, MA.

A: Straw hue. Cloudy and opaque - hazy. No head whatsoever. Visible effervescence.

S: Creamy sweet vanilla aroma with a citrusy lemon scent and some coriander. Malt aroma pokes through. Very floral and sweet. Missing spicy notes.

T: A very disappointing taste. Dry tart finish is the only flavor characteristic that makes this taste like a witbier. No underscoring sweetness. No spicy flavors. Orange/citrus flavor is flat, weak, and funky.

MF: Medium body. Highly carbonated. Creamy from high carbonation.

D: This is a disappointing offering from Victory, which is one of my favorite breweries. It's missing most of the good things about a witbier. Not particularly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2007 16:37:18 | More by Nipitato

jhu1995

Maryland

2.7/5  rDev -27%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pours a gold color with a think white head which quickly dissipates. No lacing at all. Smell was clovelike with some yeasty notes. Taste was weak. Very faint clove like flavors and not much else. Very water-downed and light-bodied. Easy to drink but not much else going on. Expected more.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2007 02:54:08 | More by jhu1995

Mitchster

Michigan

2.73/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours out to a milky pale blond, barely able to muster a small white head with poor retention and sparse lacing. Not the best looking witbier around. Carbonation is moderate. The aroma is wonderful and has the same yeast strain appeal as Golden Monkey with a brisk and large nose full of orange peel and coriander, apple and banana esters. Mouthfeel is crisp with a light to medium body. The taste begins with a lemony citric note which is brief and quickly is covered up by oxidation and bitterness in the middle. There is an interesting bitterness which combines with a suggestion of lime, akin to Kaffir Lime Leave which I get in my Thai dishes. This is unfortunately marred by a ruddy aftertaste like wet cardboard. Belches of licorice root or anise? Bizarre.

Not one of my favorite Wits. I was expecting much more from Victory, who brew some wonderful beers. Bizarre, odd flavors throughout and probably tainted by oxidation. Needs cleaned up with some more sweetness. Just not tasting good to me. For what it's worth, I bought a 6'er of this and took 5 bottles of it back to swap for some odd-n-ends singles.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2006 01:07:09 | More by Mitchster

JRed

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a transparent light honey color with small fleeting head. Weak artificial vanilla extract aroma makes me turn away. Feeble taste of light floral, stale vanilla, and watered-down hops. Drinkable but not enjoyable, i prefer a thicker and richer wheat beer. There's no personality here and no richness of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2009 02:01:42 | More by JRed

witster18

Tennessee

2.78/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not one of Victory's stronger offerings.

Whirlwind is anything but. It's a very basic witbier with not much in the spice/fruit tones. The alcohol is the dominant flavor here. It's not an awful beer by any means, but it's definitely a 'safe' offering. Nothing to write home about.

Pours with a whispy white head -true to the style but not as hazy as I'd like, and the viscocity and lacing leave a bit to be desired.

Smell is faint lemon/sugar. Taste is tart lemon/alcohol heat. Not much spice in this... both the intial taste and aftertaste/belches come off as near sprite-ish... Maybe it's better on tap, but I'm not too crazy about this...

I bought 7 bottles of beer. 2 bottles of this. That 2nd bottle will be sitting around for a while.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 21:46:16 | More by witster18

far333

Connecticut

2.85/5  rDev -23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Having never been a fan of wheat beers, but having always been a fan of Victory beers, I figured that if I was going to learn to appreciate this style, then this brewer would be the one to show me how. Although I am still not enlightened as to the delights of wheat beers, I have to say that Victory seems to have nailed this style. The color was a deep golden yellow, with cloudiness that prevents seeing through the glass. The head is bright white and lingers for a little while. The aroma is strong, reminiscent of a belgian ale. The flavor attacks the senses immediately, and delivers that big round taste that envelops the tongue. There are hints of citrus and pine, no hop to speak of. It's a big flavor, just not one that I can gravitate toward. Victory seems to have done a masterful job with this style, but I can't seem to get through the entire glass.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2003 03:39:47 | More by far333

Bitterbill

Wyoming

2.85/5  rDev -23%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Purchased at Wilbur's Liquors in Ft Collins as part of a mixed 6 Pack.

This pours from 12oz bottle(Best by Apr 30 08) a cloudy yellow with a small head of foam. Not much is left after a few minutes other than a ring around the edge of my glass and some lacing.

The smell is of yeast and citrus and wheat and clove and banana. It's not a bit shy on the nose. ;^)

The taste is big and citrusy up front with flavours of clove and some banana but it all works up front only..the flavours fall off quickly midway through and it finishes really watery. If at least some of the flavour lasted, I'd have liked it more. Pretty disappointing for me and I'll not revisit this brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2007 00:00:56 | More by Bitterbill

ptykozoon

California

2.85/5  rDev -23%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours ugly yellow with no head, lots of sediment.

Light citrus, the usual suspects - belgian yeast, spice and fruits albeit died down.

Astringent, plenty of spice and subtle fruits. Dulled lemon flavor and sedimentiness. Watery.

Dry, muted finish

Not too refreshing for a witbier, didn't really like this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2010 19:07:16 | More by ptykozoon

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

2.88/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Victory- Whirlwind

Appearance- cloudy light yellow with very little soapy white head.
Smell- strong clove aroma, not much else.
Taste- Strong clove and rose hips/ flowers?! No banana not alot going on in here.
Mouthfeel- slighty tart but easy to gulp down.

Overall- nothing special here. Has a nice tart flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2006 20:01:03 | More by NJpadreFan

SilentSabre

Georgia

2.88/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I had this on draught a few weeks ago at the Taco Mac on E/W Connector, but wanted to have a go at it in a bottle. I must say, it is quite different. Appearance is much more on par with style guidelines from the bottle, with a pale yellow, cloudy look remenicent of Hoegaarden or Wittekerke. Smell on draught was very *average*, while smell from the bottle seemed a bit richer, and thus, a little more impressive. Taste on draught is very good with loads of spice and delicious flavours. Taste in the bottle was muted spices and seems a bit thinner. Mouthfeel in the bottle seemed a bit less impressive than draught, as well, and likewise, drinkability. I enjoied this for sure, and would probably buy it again, but it's a bit better on draught.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2007 00:28:38 | More by SilentSabre

Tone

Missouri

2.88/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy, pale gold color. 1/4 inch head of a white color. Poor retention and poor lacing. Smells of lemon, slight tart malt, hint of hops, and slight sweet malt. Barely fits the style of a Witbier. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with a high carbonation level. The feel is also slightly watery. Tastes of lemon, pale malt, slight sweet malt, and a hint of hops. Overall, more reminiscent of a Weissbier than a Witbier.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2010 20:01:35 | More by Tone

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

2.9/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appears cloudy yellow gold color with a weak quickly dissipating head.

Smells like some very sweet malts. Not much smell overall.

Tastes like cotton candy, this beer is very sweet. There is a bit of a honey taste in with the malts. No hop bitterness detected.

Feels a bit light and under carbonated. I would not drink more than a few of these.

What happened Victory? first the pils then this one.... hmmmm, maybe there is some funk in the brewery that bothers me...

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 01:17:54 | More by EwaldEichstaett

jwc215

New Jersey

2.93/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

"Best enjoyed before Oct. 14 06"

Poured a hazy gold with a thin white head that quickly disappeared.
The smell was a bit musty - some subtle spices are in the background, as is the yeast.
Clove and a touch of other spices are present, but are taken over somewhat by a mildewy yeast. A slight touch of hops is noticeable.
It was a bit too thin - watery. Leaves a cleaner, and more refreshing, feel than I had expected considering the taste and smell.
Overall, it's not terrible by any means, but it's disappointing nevertheless. It's not a very good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2006 17:01:26 | More by jwc215

sloejams

California

2.93/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I really like some of Victory's beers. Prima Pils is one of my favorite pilseners. Old Horizontal is a top notch barleywine. With this in mind, Whirlwind Wit, now distributed on the West Coast, is a major disappointment.

It looks and smell fine enough. Aroma-wise, perhaps a bit more coriander and spice than I like in my wits but there's a clove smell than ties it somewhat together. Taste is but maltier than expected. The wheat is cllovey but it has a smokiness that is altogether non-witbier. Even if it's not awful - the strange flavors lower the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2008 04:39:44 | More by sloejams

jackndan

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Victory Whirl Wind: In a twelve ounce bottle, with an extremely long blurb about the beer on the side, which I did not bother to read. I swirled the bottle to get the yeast in the pour, so it was a hazy golden color. The head was a big disappointment: very small head that dissipated very quickly. The aroma was also a surprise, as it was missing the banana yeast aroma that I had expected. Instead, the aroma was very citrus, predominately orange.

The taste was not all that nice either. It had a fairly strong citrus taste, but not a traditional wit beer taste. The yeast taste was absent. The beer was OK, easy to drink and refreshing, but I’ve had lots and lots better wheat beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2003 07:15:03 | More by jackndan

bigreduw64

Wisconsin

2.98/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Just picked this one up today, been looking forward to trying some beer from Victory, this is my first.

Pours a pale yellow color, slight haze, not as much as other witbiers that I've had.

At first smell, it smells like ham. Wierd smell to get from a beer. I pick up some floral notes, but not a lot.

Taste: Very mild flavor, not the most flavor I have gotten from a Witbier. I pick up some banana and floral tastes in it, does not have much malty or hoppy taste, but I wasn't expecting that.

Overall an easily drinkable beer. I will finish the six pack that I bought, but probably won't buy another. I have had many better beers of this style.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2006 07:24:50 | More by bigreduw64

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

2.98/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle, served in a pint glass.

A - clear yellow with a white head that settled some but came back with a swirl of the glass.

S - lemon zest aroma.

T - light malted wheat with a citrusy finish.

M - light body, mild cabonation.

D - ok drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2007 00:14:06 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

ggroller

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Looks like a witbier in the glass. Thin, light fluffy head that was gone in a flash. No lacing at all on the glass as I drank.

It smells like a witbier but doesn't taste like one. It has a very salty and peppery finish. Also notes of celery and grass in the finish. Wierd.

Not the best mouthfeel and not very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2005 20:57:27 | More by ggroller

finepaws

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a cloudy pale straw color. At middle of pour I poured straight in, as I was getting no head. And never did. Just small lacing around edges. Didn't have much smell, maybe some grassy citurs? Clove? Not sure. Tasted very tangy, and peppery. I expected more citrus and spice. Mouthfeel was light and fresh, but still tart and tangy. Didn't like that tang much. For the style, I've had better. I'm no beer judge, but it didn't seem as good as other witbiers I've had. I'll still drink it, but not one of my top choices.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2005 23:04:07 | More by finepaws

jhollick

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

This is seriously the palest beer I have ever senn, and that includes BMC and its bretheren. It was a pale yellow, and poured with little head. There was minimal lacing througout the beer, and a moderate amount of carbonation.

The smell was another story. It was a nice mix of aromas, with banana, citrus, apple, pepper, and the yeasts typical of the style. I could smell it all day and not get sick of it.

As it turns out, the smell was the high point of the beer for me. As expected based on the appearance of the pour, the mouthfeel was very watery; not impressive at all. The taste mirrored the mouthfeel somewhat. There is some decent stuff in there, but overall the flavor is lacking in both strength and quality. It was noticably watery going down, especially in the aftertaste. The mix of flavors before that were also pretty subdued. There just isn't a lot going on here.

Its drinkable and not offensive, but it is a very mediocre beer. I'm hoping that I got a bad batch, because I typically expect a lot more from Victory than this.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2006 22:09:29 | More by jhollick

BigMike

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a brown 12 oz bottle. Drink by date of April 15 2009.

Pours a cloudy apple juice color. Nice white head that disappears quickly.

A very citrus aroma with a spicyness to it.

Flavor is lemon/grapefruit and spice.

VEry crisp and refreshing. Highly carbonated.

This is an average witbier but a very refreshing summertime beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2008 00:27:07 | More by BigMike

yesyouam

New York

3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is hazy and hay-colored with a tiny white head. The aroma is predominantly of clove and maybe some pear. The flavor is a light sizzle of citrus: simple lemon and clove that ends with a plastic finish. Good lawn mowing beer.
(rated Apr 10, 2007)

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2008 06:47:13 | More by yesyouam