Ommegang Witte - Brewery Ommegang

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

lancecenter

Texas

3/5  rDev -20.6%

05-19-2013 20:07:51 | More by lancecenter

SonOfKyuss

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-19-2013 14:53:10 | More by SonOfKyuss

dertyd

California

3/5  rDev -20.6%

05-19-2013 00:10:24 | More by dertyd

Muleshark

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-18-2013 20:05:48 | More by Muleshark

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

NYR_Rob

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -20.6%

05-18-2013 01:11:08 | More by NYR_Rob

Jsmick

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -20.6%

05-17-2013 04:44:29 | More by Jsmick

Joey1566

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-17-2013 03:50:10 | More by Joey1566

JakerLou

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

05-16-2013 22:30:14 | More by JakerLou

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

ElijahRivera

New York

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

05-15-2013 03:14:26 | More by ElijahRivera

JeffTheJuice

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-14-2013 20:49:37 | More by JeffTheJuice

Simpleman77

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-12-2013 00:54:36 | More by Simpleman77

banger7

New York

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-11-2013 14:51:03 | More by banger7

pknyc

New York

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-10-2013 01:28:01 | More by pknyc

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -33.9%

05-09-2013 01:55:56 | More by tommyguz

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

ZehrAlte

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +25.7%

05-05-2013 14:19:21 | More by ZehrAlte

schaffer9252

New York

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

05-04-2013 17:39:55 | More by schaffer9252

Kerrie

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -14%

05-04-2013 00:40:05 | More by Kerrie

becorwin86

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-02-2013 16:55:30 | More by becorwin86

djs467

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-30-2013 16:10:29 | More by djs467

Tjvan2

Iowa

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-30-2013 02:28:38 | More by Tjvan2

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