Alaskan White - Alaskan Brewing Co.

Todd

Massachusetts

2.73/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz brown bottle. Pours a semi-hazi dirty blonde colored beer with a crackling head and very little lacing and retention. Definitely doesn't look like a Witbier.

Wheat, citrus, and a soft dusting of spices in the nose. Light-bodied, fizzy carbonation, round palate. Malty upfront with some fruity sweetness mixed in. Notes of orange and rind. Lemongrass. Wheaty edge. Mild powdery spices; mainly coriander. Finish is dry with some wheat husky notes, hint of breadiness, and lingering rind and spice.

Not a bad beer, but it misses the mark as a Witbier, which this was based on according to the Alaskan website. And the expect Belgian characters are not present (which makes me wonder if they used a house yeast strain vs. a Belgian one), like complex yeast flavors, and the style's trademark cloudiness and sediment that's a big part of the experience. Instead, the beer seemed too clean (partially filtered, I'm guessing) and dumbed down.

Basically I expected a Witbier, but got an American Wheat Ale w/ some spices.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 06:13:15 | More by Todd

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

05-20-2013 02:55:58 | More by RuckusDu

danfix99

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -13%

05-20-2013 01:03:47 | More by danfix99

Kreaux

Texas

2/5  rDev -42%

05-19-2013 03:40:02 | More by Kreaux

kjkinsey

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

05-17-2013 19:07:15 | More by kjkinsey

GoodFellaBeau

California

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

05-17-2013 02:36:52 | More by GoodFellaBeau

Texasfan549

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

05-17-2013 00:05:19 | More by Texasfan549

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Alaskan White has a thick, white head (which doesn’t stick around very long), a clear, bubbly, yellow-golden appearance, with a descending light cloud upon swishing and pouring in the bottom bottle contents, and minimal lacing left behind. The aroma is of white wheat bread and sweet grain husks, and the flavor is of sweet, white wheat bread, a touch of lemon, and subtle coriander. Mouthfeel is medium, and Alaskan White finishes mostly dry, refreshing, and easy drinking. Overall, this is a good beer, and I mostly enjoyed drinking it (once).

RJT

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 15:23:57 | More by RonaldTheriot

aty11b

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +23.2%

05-14-2013 01:24:10 | More by aty11b

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

05-13-2013 23:04:23 | More by AmandaSchaefer

tclang

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -13%

05-12-2013 20:55:36 | More by tclang

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

05-10-2013 14:03:28 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

superspak

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got in a trade with swingracex. 12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 4/12/2013. Pours hazy golden straw color with a 1 finger foamy white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace that lingers for a bit. Minimal lacing on the glass. Aromas of pear, coriander, orange peel, wheat, light pepper, light clove, floral, and yeast earthiness. Ok aromas with decent balance and complexity; but there is not much going on here other than the spicing. Taste of pear, coriander, orange peel, wheat, pepper, light clove, floral, and earthy yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of light fruit, coriander, orange peel, wheat, pepper, floral, and earthiness on the finish for a short bit. Good balance of spice/malty flavors, without feeling watery; and no cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth and fairly crisp mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a solid witbier. Solid balance of flavors and easy to drink; just really not all that exciting. Enjoyable stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:36:43 | More by superspak

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

05-05-2013 21:08:09 | More by ZEB89

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

05-04-2013 13:08:11 | More by SmellsofMahagony

cre83

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

05-01-2013 19:04:14 | More by cre83

rdooley

Texas

4/5  rDev +15.9%

04-27-2013 16:34:35 | More by rdooley

Tiernan

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

04-26-2013 14:34:45 | More by Tiernan

Bockrules

New Mexico

3.26/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

poured from the bottle into my "Alaska White" pint glass

A - Pours a hazy gold with a slight orange hew with tons of yeast in suspension. Very little carbonation rises to the creamy, 1-finger, white head. Head dissipates quickly and is gone about a third down the glass. Leaves behind a few pitiful splotches of lacing.

S - Strong aroma of orange and cinnamon on a wheat malt background greets the nose upon opening the bottle. In the glass it almost smells like orange soda.

T - Orange sweetness and wheat malt upfront. The body is a solid blend of moderately peppy hops, orange and coriander mingling on a sweet wheat malt backbone. Orange and coriander as the beer passes over the back of the tongue fades to dry yeast, orange, coriander, light cinnamon and wheat in the finish.

M - Very light bodied and slightly watery. Carbonation seems on the low side, making the beer come off a tad flat. Extended cellering in my refrigerator my be partially to blame, but this beer isn't quite up to snuff.

I immediately regret buying the pint glass before buying the beer. Although decent enough as a heat beater, there is nothing memorable enough about this brew to entice me to purchase it again. By far the worst of the Alaskan products I have sampled, and I suspect I would go with the ubiquitous Golden, Colorado alternative before giving this another shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 05:31:54 | More by Bockrules

J_Dub

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

04-24-2013 01:23:33 | More by J_Dub

slimntubbs

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -27.5%

04-21-2013 05:33:09 | More by slimntubbs

MaddDogg84

Texas

4/5  rDev +15.9%

04-12-2013 02:33:16 | More by MaddDogg84

FrizWhiz

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

04-04-2013 04:08:14 | More by FrizWhiz

legette

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

03-29-2013 05:40:22 | More by legette

four91

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -13%

03-14-2013 18:52:58 | More by four91