Snow Shoe White - Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

kojevergas

California

3.49/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

12 IBUs. 4.8% ABV. 12 fl oz aluminum can acquired at a local SoCal beer store and served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average given the brewery. No freshness date. Brewed with orange peel and spices.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a four finger white colour head of nice smooth cream, soft complexion, good thickness, and good (~4-5 minute) retention. Body colour is a cloudy lemon yellow. Nontransparent but translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Appealing and inviting. I'm excited to try it. Right on the money for the style. Vibrant.

Sm: Fresh wheat. Clove from the yeast. Lemon peel. Zesty citrusy notes. Fresh and inviting. Alive. Smells as a witbier ought to, though it could use a bit more depth. An average strength aroma.

T: Mm. The wheat malt base supports the minimal floral hop character, fresh lemon peel, and yeasty clove notes nicely. Some spices - cumin in particular sticks out. Light juicy citrus is a highlight, but again depth of flavour is an issue. It's a simple yet efficient and pleasant witbier. Not horribly subtle. Refreshing, though, and very approachable. No alcohol comes through. Well balanced and built for the style. I like it.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Refreshing. Crisp. Clean. A bit overcarbonated. Too thick for the style, really compromising drinkability. Good body. Complements the flavour profile.

Dr: A drinkable wit that I'd have again, but not among the best in the style. The heavy thickness is the opposite of what a wit demands. Still, it's a damn solid effort, though, and I'd happily pick up a 6er for the right price and occasion. Well worth trying for fans of the style. A well-executed witbier. A tasty offering from Midnight Sun. Hides its (admittedly below average) ABV well.

High B-

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 05:44:57 | More by kojevergas

lsummers

California

3.21/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

I picked up this wit for a Super Bowl, Which was perfect.

Smell is a light wit with some adjunct.

Taste is the same, very light, grape, coriander and reminders of my macro days.

Mouthfeel is very light and fizzy.

Overall, I was hoping for an Allagash white contender and I ended up disappointed. This was perfect for a party of people who prefere macro.

Serving type: can

02-04-2013 02:32:35 | More by lsummers

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

3.63/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Flown in from Anchorage, AK by a buddy that promised me AK beer and Copper River salmon. He made good on both. Poured from a 12oz can into my Eskimo Joe's Weizen glass.

Surprisingly, Snow Shoe pours a very pale and crystal clear straw color with a couple of fingers of pure white head which fizzles down pretty quickly. I was expecting a golden cloudy witbier. No lace to speak of. Not a looker.

Nose brings in very sweet and slightly spicey apple, malt, and grain. That Belgian yeast and corriander dominate.

Flavors ring with sweet sugary pale malt, wheat berries, straw, corriander, and faint orange. All pretty subdued.

This over-filtered witbier is a bit thin and watery when compared to most any in the same style. Carbonation it good. Very crisp.

High drinkability and low abv make Snow Shoe a good beer to "cool off" with after working outdoors in the sun or as a downshift after stronger full bodied brews. Not bad, but a bit lackluster even for this style.

Serving type: can

11-27-2012 02:19:13 | More by DelMontiac

sprucetip

Alaska

3.38/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very light golden color, hazy, with a fizzy white head that fades fast. It does leave some patchy lacing.

Grainy mostly, but with a wee nip of spice and a some malty sweetness, if you give it a swirl and look hard enough.

A little more going on than in the nose. It's still pretty grainy, but with a hint of citrus, a bit more spice than what is found in the nose, and some clearly identifiable Belgian yeasty character.

Good carbonation with a thin body, but not as thin as the 4.8% abv would suggest.

It's definitely better lawnmower beer than the macro lagers, no question. What is there is pretty well balanced, and it drinks easy like a lawnmower beer should. But it really doesn't do much for me, not being into beers this thin and light. But being a MSBC fan, I had to give it a try. I doubt I will be buying much of it, but it will likely be a big hit with the (relative) masses where it is distributed. And it is in cans, which is cool. I reckon this is what the brewery intended, and I am not the intended audience. It is definitely a clean, well made beer.

Serving type: can

06-27-2012 02:42:36 | More by sprucetip

ccrida

Oregon

3.15/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On draught at MSBC, Snow Show White is a bright, pale yellow-gold with a white head leaving decent lace.

Smell is spicy and savory. The cumin, while not smelling like it would as a dry spice, is clearly making it's presence known with the savory notes. Very faint sweetness.

Taste is also spicy, the cumin even more pronounced, and the coriander is bringing it's acrid citrus as well. And there's lots of cereals. Lots of flavors, but no esters, which I really love in this style.

Mouthfeel is creamy and very dry.

Drinkability isn't super high for me, this one is basically just grainy and spicy, and I don't care for either of those flavors in such a pronounced manner. Never like the cumin beers.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 02:52:16 | More by ccrida