Ommegang Witte - Brewery Ommegang

Damian

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Drank from a 1 pt. 9.4 fl. oz. corked and caged bottle
Served in a pint glass
Thanks to my dad for this bottle.

The initial pour yielded a crystal clear, golden yellow body. When the yeast was added, the liquid darkened and turned turbid. A surprisingly small, fluffy, eggshell colored head topped the liquid, but it quickly dissipated. No lacing whatsoever.

Spice notes came through strong in the nose. Lots of clove and coriander. Crisp Belgian yeast notes. Touch of citrus. Lemon and orange peel were most apparent. Hint of dull smokiness. Overall, very interesting and complex.

The flavor profile was significantly more muted than the nose. Pale malts and crisp wheat notes appeared up front. Hints of spices in the center. Coriander was detectible. Tart lemon notes came through on the back end and carried into the finish. Slightly bitter and quite dry. Some mild, earthy hops were also noticeable.

The mouthfeel was highly effervescent. Light, crisp and fluffy on the palate. Almost Champagne-like.

While not the most complex witbier on the market, this offering from Ommegang is tasty, refreshing and highly drinkable. It would be a perfect warm weather sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 03:42:23 | More by Damian

bsp77

Minnesota

3.91/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Extremely cloudy, pale yellow with a very nice, sustained white head.

Smell: Dry wheat with just traces of coriander, clove and orange peel.

Taste: Dry wheat backbone rounded out with sweeter orange peel and some clove notes. The coriander is noticeable on the finish. Overall, the yeast is more spicy than fruity, which lends to the beer's refreshing character.

Feel: Lght body with lively carbonation. Finish is very crisp and dry. One of the best mouthfeels I have experienced for a Wit.

Overall: Crisp and refreshing with a fantastic mouthfeel, although the aroma is muted and the taste profile is not as complex as some Wits. Very good overall, even if not one of the best for its style, nor one of the better Ommegang brews.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 04:01:56 | More by bsp77

horsehead717

Connecticut

3.89/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Hazy straw. Decent head that lasted several minutes.

Aroma: Fruity, mostly lemon, but maybe a hint of banana. Fair amount of yeast. Maybe a note of bubblegum, too. Not a ton of hops, of course, but more hops present on the nose than I expected from a wheat beer; pleasantly surprised. Quite a bit going on here.

Taste: Similar to the aroma; lemon. Sweet, but not overdone.

Mouth-feel: Light body. Medium-high carbonation.

Comments: Very nice beer. Refreshing on a warm day.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 18:55:59 | More by horsehead717

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.69/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by mixylplik3, thanks for the opportunity Matt!
Pours a lightly hazy deep straw color with a smallish white head that dissipates quickly. Aromas of citrus and pepper with a hint of honey like sweet maltiness. The flavor is a light and sweet with a fair amount of orange marmalade and light tart citrus. Light earthy hops are barely perceptible and a light bready maltiness that provides some balance. Light body with a spirited level of carbonation and a sweet bubbly mouthfeel. The second wit for me in two nights, that's some kind of record. Nice light easy drinking brew, maybe I'm starting to see the allure in this style.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:49:49 | More by johnnnniee

BeerManDan

California

3.93/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color was a very heavy hazy looking mustard yellow with a medium amout of white foam and no lace. The smell had a yeasty, citrus and flower like aroma. You can taste the yeast, citrus like orange peel with a touch of, like rose pedals. The nice balance of sweetness/bitterness on the palate and the aftertaste lingers for a nice amout of time.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 05:09:29 | More by BeerManDan

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very good, tasty, and easy-drinking beer from a brewery that consistently puts out quality products. Looks great, tastes, great, refreshes. This could easily be a spring and summertime regular option. Sure, I'll turn to the superb German and Belgian brews for wheat ale satisfaction. But you can't go wrong with this.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 01:19:13 | More by Beer-A-Lot

BrianScottK

New York

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

Nice mustard-yellow color, with a frothy, fluffy, white head. Smells of fresh-cut grass and dandelions. Very lemony on the fore with a really smooth, full-mouth coating upon swallowing. Slight piney aftertaste that doesn't linger for more than a second.

A simple, light, refreshing wheat beer, perfect for summer Sunday Fundays.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 03:33:53 | More by BrianScottK

alex_hart

Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

appearance: beautiful pour with a 3 finger head that slowly dissipated to one finger. Good lacing throughout the drinking experience.

Smell: Belgian yeast, citrus, orange peel, flowered sweetness. Very pleasant in every way. Looking forward to the first sip!

Taste: Follows the smell closely with the citrus coming out strong on the front end, and then it eases into some light belgian funk. Light and wheaty.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation with a light fluffy body. Very easy to drink, and enjoyable all the way through.

Overall: This is just a good easy beer to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:58:07 | More by alex_hart

Hollybee

Washington

3.33/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Nice, golden color, beautiful white, quickly dissipating head, thick lacing.

I enjoyed the smell. It's slightly floral, orange, plastic.

Flavor is sweet, citrus, malt, honey but fades pretty quickly.

Mouth feel I wasn't pleased with initially it felt under carbonated, but further in, it's quite nice, enough carbonation to cut the sweetness, but medium bodied enough for me.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 01:25:50 | More by Hollybee

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.61/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Ommegang Witte has a very thick, white head and an initially clear, straw appearance, with lots of bubbles. When I swished the bottom contents of the glass, a huge gray cloud descended in the glass. There is some splotchy lacing left behind. The aroma is of peppery coriander, citrus, and sweet, white bread. Taste is of the same, with an increasing bitterness as one drinks it down and a hint of banana as well. Also, one can detect a tap water flavor, which is often encountered with wheat beers. Mouthfeel is medium, and Ommegang Witte finishes on the dry side, sweet, and drinkable. Overall, it’s a good beer.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 20:20:11 | More by RonaldTheriot

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.76/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Light golden color with bliliant white head with not a lot of retention. Some lacing with each sip but falls back to the beer almost instantly. Hazy brew with visible sediment. Some citrus and spice in the nose. Has that typical wheat beer smell. Hints of orange. Like the aroma you get a lot citrus, orange peel, lemon in the taste. Good ammount of spice. Some fresh bread. Feels smooth in the mouth with a light medium body. Overall a smooth wheat beer, not overly wheat. Very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:59:45 | More by Burkbom23

superspak

Michigan

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled on 3/28/2012. Pours hazy pale straw color with a 2 finger fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big lemon, pear, orange peel, coriander, pepper, clove, wheat, cracker, floral, herbal, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy esters with good strength. Taste of lemon, pear, orange peel, coriander, pepper, clove, wheat, cracker, floral, herbal, grass, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of light fruit, citrus, coriander, pepper, clove, wheat, grass, herbal, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of fruity/spicy esters with wheat; with a moderate malt balance; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish as expected. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium bodied; with a very smooth and crisp mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with zero warming noticed after the finish as expected. Overall this is a damn nice witbier! Great balance and complexity of fruity and spicy esters with wheat; and extremely smooth to drink. This is spot on to style; a very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 04:18:05 | More by superspak

Utica_Brew_Review

New York

3.91/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 2.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light, clear golden appearance. Nice carbonation stream. Tart, citrus, tart aroma. Tastes as it smells. Taste beats the color. Great complexity. Light and drinkability is great. Awesome on a summer day. Really refreshing. Finishes true to its character.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 18:39:51 | More by Utica_Brew_Review

joeseppy

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A sickly pale cloudy yellow pour with white crisp head.

Smells yeasty with citrus zest and some spice.

Spice upfront and bready malt flavor thickness. Got some mellow lemonade twang to it.

Carbonation thru and thru. Did quench the thirst.

Can't see myself drinking a lot of these in one session due to the lemony aspect of this. Almost like a summer shandy. I guess its alright. Nice to mix up with once in a while in the summer heat.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 15:24:39 | More by joeseppy

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Here's a new review based on this on tap:

Pale yellow with a green hue. Good start to the head but it settles to rim bubbles. Some spots for lace.

Banana and clove waft to the nose initially. Soft very lightly malted barley and light alcohol round out the smell.

Soft and fruity flavors of apple, banana and cream. Not much wheat here. Carbonation is modest for the style. The finish has a small touch of spice like thyme and white pepper. Short aftertaste.

–—————
3.5 4.0 3.5 4.0 3.5 (bottle)
Good white head that dies more quickly than most Wheats. Yellow color and mildly cloudy.

Great wheat start to the aroma. Crisp and light in the nose.

Spritzy yet full-bodied. Strong wheat flavor. Sour finish and long lasting aftertaste. Pretty run of the mill in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2013 21:09:27 | More by smcolw

mralphabet

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Poured a hazy straw yellow color with a good fingers worth of head that dissipated quickly to a thin ring with a touch of lacing.

S: First thing I'm getting is lemons with touches of coriander, wheat and yeast. Good witte.

T: Wow everything in the smell is crashing through... Little on the tart side right up front with the coriander kicking in midway through. Little on the wheaty, yeasty side at the finish.

M: Pretty light bodied with a very sharp carbonation. Aftertaste is clean and light, with notes of lemons.

O: A very nice wit good ABV so you can drink a few, A nice beer, not the greatest wit but a good beer worth looking for.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 01:48:25 | More by mralphabet

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours only slightly hazy straw color. Nice white head. It dies down to a thin skin. Plentiful amounts of lacing.

S-Yeasty. Bananas. Wheaty and lightly citrusy. A bit of hay.

T-Yeast is again prominent. Subtle spicing. Bananas again. Straw and hay too. Lighter notes of lemon.

M-The pinnacle of the beer. Soft and cushioned. Messaging bubbles. Dry with a hint of noble bitterness. Tight bubbles but they aren't harsh. Light-medium body.

O/D-Pleasant. Went down quick. Enjoyable enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:00:53 | More by VelvetExtract

AmitC

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle with a best by date of 5/28/12 So this is pretty old.

Pale straw color. Less than a finger thick white colored head that fades away rather quickly. Some bubbles and just ok lacing. Not much.

Aroma is of fruity Belgian yeast, slight coriander and some spices. May be a bit of peppery cloves. Some grains and overall dry fruit mixed nose. Strength is moderate to good.

Flavor is a mix of what nose has to offer. Zesty, spicy, coriander, some pepper. Slightly grainy. Very dry finish. Has no sourness. Slight amount of tartness that just starts to appear towards the half way mark.

Mouth feel is light to slightly medium. Moderate carbonation. No astringency. Very light and easy drinking beer. Sessionable all the way.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 00:14:57 | More by AmitC

macrosmatic

Florida

3.21/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a CCB pint glass.

A: Pours a slightly hazy light gold. Forms a thin white head over fairly low visible carbonation.

S: Pilsner and light cracker malts, and almost a skunky yeastiness.

T: Big pilsner malts and wheat graininess, with a light fruitiness of orange/citrus peel mixed with the weird skunk flavor.

M: Light body, good carbonation sensation, low alcohol presence.

O: I don't get this one. It's not a favorite style of mine, but this one seemed to still fall short. I'm disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 05:00:26 | More by macrosmatic

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Been a while since I have had a witbier or anything from Ommegang, for that matter. Pretty thorough wheat beer. Lemon tang with a bready and yeasty thing going on. Smooth feel. Extremely easy to drink. A good production that sticks to the parameters and has a consistent delivery.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 09:52:58 | More by RblWthACoz

Jumpov

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Poured into an Ommegang chalice. Muted yellow color, cloudy and beautiful. Smells of slight floral and citrus note. The taste of the Witte has some subtle saison to it, and the coriander is distinct. Overall a delicious and flavorful beer, though not Ommegangs best, certainly their most suitable for the hot summer days.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2013 02:05:31 | More by Jumpov

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Clear pale yellow with two-finger, white, fizzy head that lasted a few minutes. Not much lacing.

S: Spice, citrus, apples.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Sweet wheat and citrus. Apples and spice.

M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation.

O: Pretty good Witbier. Nothing stands out as particularly awesome, but it was nice and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 01:48:22 | More by SolipsismalCat

grittybrews

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured a bright but cloudy pale yellow. Two fingers of bright white head, quick-receding with light lacing. Mildly sweet aroma of wheat, light lemon, and spice.

Light-bodied, creamy, and ample carbonation. Light honey and wheat up front followed by lemon, a hint of orange zest, and gently spicy hops. Clean finish without much bitterness.

Balanced and refreshing. Pretty light overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:44:11 | More by grittybrews

fmccormi

New York

4.5/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Straight pour from 12oz pry-off bottle to a tall Ommegang flute; bottling date of October 24, 2012 with a freshness date of October 2013 printed in black ink on the neck of the bottle (“PKG ON 10/24/12 BEST BY 10/2013”).

Appearance (4.5): Three solid fingers of bone-white, crackling foam comes off the pour, capping a very hazy (cloudy) body that is a very pale yellow-amber color. This beer has truly excellent retention, too, with a finger-thick head sticking around even a few minutes after pouring. It also has surprisingly thick, pronounced lacing, too: a couple of fat, thick, broad splotches of foam hang around on one side of the glass, the other side sporting some scattered suds.

Smell (4.5): Very clear notes of warm, dry straw and coriander dominate the nose, smelling extraordinarily dry and rustic with fresh-baked wheat bread and just a little sweetness mixed in. The orange in the brew is very restrained but fits nicely between the subtle malt sweetness and the fruitiness of the yeast profile.

Taste (4.5): The dry, rustic, straw-like character in the nose translates well in the palate, offering a very dry, biscuity character that works well with the moderate spiciness of the coriander and actually offers a nice springboard for the orange in the brew, which comes off as light and sweet, and somewhat more noticeable than in the nose. The wheat character lends a modest tartness that complements the fruitiness of the yeast profile well, creating a lemony flavor that’s bright and floral. Crackery, dry, floral, lightly tart and spicy.

Mouthfeel (4.5): Effervescent, with extremely soft, voluminous carbonation filling whatever space it can; the body is light, dry, and very crisp—this is practically the definition of quenching.

Overall (4.5): Somehow, I never realized just how good of a beer this is. For me, it nails the style pretty damn well but has its own unique character, no doubt the product of Ommegang’s characteristic yeast profile(s). It’s not a style I gravitate towards, but the bottom line is that this example of it is just plain awesome. Way to go, Ommegang.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 01:21:11 | More by fmccormi

Guden

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- A pretty cloudy yellow with a large head that fades into a thick layer but leaves no lacing.

S- Sweet wheat and malt blend with continental hops, peppery spice and lemon/orange citrus. There's some good stuff here but it comes off muddled. The pepperiness of the spice seems to build over time and dominates in a way it shouldn't.

T- Again the sweetness of wheat is the strongest trait with definite coriander and orange. Better than the nose, but not by much.

M- Fairly thick, as it should be, but low in carbonation which keeps it less refreshing.

O- This is just an alright wit, it's not on the level of Allagash White or even Hoegaarden, but it is drinkable

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 00:37:03 | More by Guden