Arcadia Whitsun Ale - Arcadia Brewing Company

Dave_in_GR

Michigan

3.28/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance is a translucent, cloudy amber with a tiny bit of residual head. Lots of carbonation that quickly fades.

Smell is very faint, maybe a bit of citrus, but nothing very distinctive.

Taste is a bit more powerful, with a mix of coriander, wheat malts, and orange.

Mouthfeel is very light and dry, with lots of carbonation.

An easy to drink summer beer, but for me it falls behind Oberon in terms of taste and smell.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 21:29:27 | More by Dave_in_GR

BWED

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

12 oz. into a tumbler

A- Amber, burnt orange, turbid, with a thin 1/4" light tan head, retains barely, slight lacing and legs.

S- Sweet toffee, slight orange peel. A little spiciness.

T- Toffee, not much else. Maybe a little citrus. Very sweet.

M- Carbonation is very light, almost syrupy in feel.

O- I think this falls short of the wheat style. I think they tried to find a mix between a wit and Oberon. Lacks a lot of character both of those styles exhibit.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 16:25:03 | More by BWED

mfnmbvp

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle, with the date reading 02/28/2013, so I could be just a bit late on this one. Have had this one from the bottle and from the can before, although I can't say it's been one of my favorite outings from Arcadia Brewing.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Aggressive pour down the middle of the glass yields about a quarter inch of fizzy white bubbly head that quickly dissipates. Cloudy murky orange body with a light lemon tinge around the edges. I remember a far larger foam when poured from the can last time I had this beer.

S - Soapy carbonated wheat / yeast smell. Some faint banana. Some peach. Not my favorite smell at all. Dusty and muted smelling all around.

T - Tastes a bit better than it smells, but still very little action happening beyond a bit of golden wheat / grainy and a Belgian yeast type taste. Light fruity cherry, orange, and lemon with some peppery spice and coriander, but it is all pretty faint. I suppose none of the flavors are overly dominant, so it is fairly well balanced, I will give it that. Virtually no honey smell or taste on this whatsoever.

M - Fruity, bubbly, carbonated. Medium bodied, but slightly over carbonated for my liking.

Overall, this beer is not really to my liking. It is fairly light and drinkable with a moderate 6.20% abv, and would definitely make for a refreshing beer on a hot summer day, but it's not one of Arcadia's finer offerings.

Arcadia Whitsun Ale ---3/5.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 03:39:15 | More by mfnmbvp

patpbr

Ohio

3.76/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours murky orange with a bold head that quickly went away. Scent is faint grains and a little citrus. Sweet malt, honey, and orange with spices. Finishing dry with low to moderate bitterness. Interesting style that is easy to drink. I would try again on a warm day.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 03:55:36 | More by patpbr

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.11/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into tall, straight pint glass; head is thick, 1.5 inches, color of head is brighter white with larger bubbles; color is copper, translucent, decent carbonation.

Smell is thin, not much presence of any wheat, maybe some light caramel and biscuit and grains.

Taste is also a little thin, dry, not much sweetness, malt flavor is thin, not much if any wheat, maybe some light toast and biscuit; hop bitterness is noted but no specific flavor.

Mouthfeel is dry, somewhat overcarbonated, there is some residual sweetness to counteract but dryness presents first.

Overall, very thin, dry beer for a 6% abv wheat beer - flavors are not offputing but could use something to distinguish from the graininess.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 22:49:40 | More by mvanaskie13

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

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

Got one of these in a can so I know it fresh!

A - Pours cloudy with a orange tint yellow color and a 1/4 inch of head.

S - Smells of obvious honey (like a smack to the face) touch of orange peel and a nice bit of spices but I am not getting much wheat at all (weird...)

T - Seems to drink more like a spiced English pale. Slight pale malts clash with orange and honey with a bit of spices and no noticeable ABV but not much wheat flavor at all which is what love in a wheat beer. Pity,

M - Light to medium yet high octane for the style.

Overall quite a strange wheat beer with little wheat taste. If they toned that up a bit I believe it would make for a great Witbier. Still not bad though.

Serving type: can

09-07-2012 03:35:35 | More by DrDemento456

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12oz brown pop top; deft. like the new label better than the old one. No date that I saw, but as this is a seasonal and HyVee keeps their beer freshly rotated, I'm not concerned.

Appearance: Deep golden-orange hue into my Duvel tulip, crowned with a nice, creamy ivory cap which shows great retention (no doubt helped by the glass). Slightest bit of sediment in the glass.

Smell: I wasn't aware this was brewed with honey, but not that I know, I'm not at all surprised. Significant, sweet honey aromas are right up front (I really liked this), backed by the fruity/floral characteristics of your good (if garden-variety) witbier. Floral notes, spice, and honey come together pretty nicely. A few swirls brings a HINT of alcohol to the party.

Taste: More witbier character and less honey than in the aroma, though there is a little bit of drying honey flavor on the finish. There's also a bit of pale malt in here, which wasn't appreciated in the aroma, and a bitterness that seems more than the stated 17 IBUs, and a little high for this beer. Becomes increasingly perfumey and floral with warming.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, feels big for the 6.2% abv.

Conclusion: They call this a 19th-century English-style festival ale. I know that I've read that some earlier English ales used spices and other flavorings, though I'm not familiar with this specific tradition. It kind of seems like a cross between a traditional Belgian wit (albeit crystal clear, less fruity/spicy) and an extremely clean, medium-hoppy English pale ale. The combination won't appeal to everyone, and I'm not even sure I'd want an entire six-pack of it to myself, but a couple would certainly be enjoyable. It's one real downside is that this beer, marketed as a summer quencher, is actually fairly substantial, in flavor, mouthfeel, and gravity. Perhaps this might be better suited as a sort of harvest beer? Perhaps a couple of points higher with a bit less bitterness (is some of this coming from the orange peel?) and a dollar or so less than its $9.99 price-tag.

83 B

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 02:34:13 | More by BedetheVenerable

jhartley

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed on April 1, 2012. Bottled on March 14,2012.
Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a Poco Grande flute glass.
A-Orange-amber color; floaters. Thick 2 finger head, less than their Angler's Ale which turned into a major eruption of foam. Tight bubbles. Leaves a mild amount of lacing.

S-Didn't pick up on too many pronounced aromas; faint orange and some malt.

T-Spices, malt on back end. Turned more "wheaty" as it warmed up a little.

M-Light carbonation, no lingering flavors/tastes.

O-Not too bad, not great to me either. I just can't get past the floaters in the beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 11:34:44 | More by jhartley

Brenden

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the look, I would think this beer was filtered, a clear, completely unhazed dark gold in color. The white head rests at two fingers in height, slowly and steadily fading down to a foam that leaves good lacing on the glass.
This is a nice American wheat: the foundation is strong, the citrus and spices are evident but not overdone, blending well, and it's just ever so slightly hoppy. Yeast adds a dimension while remaining moderate in flavor. I know honey is almost entirely brewed out, but when done well, it's still a presence; that's true of this beer. The flavor is stronger than the aroma, which could use a bit more to push it up a notch, but is very nice regardless. For a Belgian, this wouldn't be a standout, as the Belgian yeast strain isn't present, but it never claims to be. For an American, I don't know that a whole lot more could be expected. Truly great.
The body is good, light enough for summer and hot weather but verging on medium with good, level carbonation and a refreshing crispness. The smoothness underneath adds to the enjoyment.

Serving type: can

06-28-2012 15:53:03 | More by Brenden

jsisko01

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours an orangish-golden color with a centimeter thick head that dissipates quickly. Leaves a soapy-like lacing. There's chunks of yeast floating in the glass also.

Smell - The orange zest is the most dominant aroma, it's nice. Followed by citrus, honey, feint coriander, wheat, and hops.

Taste - The coriander is a little strong, it's quite hoppy also. Citrus, orange zest, honey, pepper, and wheat. Slight bitterness in the finish. Possibly some clove in this but I'm not 100% sure..

Mouthfeel - Light bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall - It was a little spicier than I was hoping for but it's still good. Seems more like a witbier in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 04:40:50 | More by jsisko01

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Kind of tan to orange colored, mostly clear, head was fair and about a finger, lacing was pretty good.

Wheat is big on the nose. Honey and citrus, a little floral and some grassiness. Taste is similar but a little more fruity and citrus, very nice!

Body is great, IMO, very soft and luscious on the tongue, easy to drink, very full for a pale wheat. I like the body a lot tho, regardless of whatever the style is supposed to be, so I'm rating it highly in this area.

This is actually an excellent pale wheat ale, and the fact it's in cans makes me even more ready to pick up another sixer. Perfect fishin' beer.

Serving type: can

05-25-2012 00:51:56 | More by AlCaponeJunior

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.03/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I picked up a bottle of Arcadia's Whitsun Ale last week for $1.69 at The Lager Mill. I have had this beer before and I thought it was ok, but I was told they changed the recipe so I thought I would review it and see how this beer stacks up to it's biggest competitor. Oberon, so lets see how it goes. Bottled on March 5th 2012. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a Weizen Glass.

A- The label looks ok, but I think Oberon's is much better. It poured a nice burnt orange color that was somewhat clear and had a nice orange tint when held to the light with three fingers worth of velvety head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left hardly any lacing. This is a good looking beer, but I wish it had some lacing.

S- The first thing I pick up in the aroma is a good amount of wheat followed by some orange rind and coriander. After that I get a pretty noticeable earthy honey aroma that really sticks out in this beer and gives it an earthy mead like aroma. This beer had a pretty unique aroma for that style, the honey makes it really different, it's ok but to me the heavy honey aroma seems out of place.

T- The taste seems to be pretty similar to the aroma. It starts off with a lighter malty and wheaty flavor followed by some orange rinds and some coriander. After that I get a higher amount of medium sweetness with a pretty heavy earthy honey flavors. On the finish I get s low amount of bitterness and a sweet malty orange rind flavored aftertaste. The taste is just ok, much like the aroma the honey is a little too dominate and overshadows all those spicy, wheaty and citrus flavors that I like and expect from the style.

M- Smooth, slightly crisp, with a lighter amount of medium body and a high amount of medium carbonation that is slightly prickly. This beer had a pretty average mouthfeel.

Overall I wasn't impressed with this beer and I thought that it was a pretty average example of an American Pale Wheat Ale, the heavy honey aspect that makes this beer lack the balance that comes with a good American Pale Wheat Ale. This beer had ok drinkability it went down smooth, but the flavor couldn't hold my attention so one is enough for me. What I liked most about this beer was the appearance, it looked nice and I thought the color was really good looking. What I liked least about this beer was the heavy honey aspect that seemed out of place in this beer. I wouldn't buy this beer again, I would much rather have an Oberon, I would tell someone to drink an Oberon instead of this beer, it's a much better example of the style. This was another underwhelming beer for Arcadia, it seems like they can make some pretty good dark beers but I haven't been impressed with most of their lighter beers. I had this beer side by side with Oberon, and Oberon was pretty much better in every aspect, it is much more fitting to drink on a warm summer afternoon in Michigan. I think I may have liked this better before the recipe change, the honey is too dominant, this beer needs another recipe change and they can start with cutting out a lot of that honey, better luck next time guys.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 03:41:25 | More by StoutHunter

superspak

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into weizen glass, bottled 6/14/2011. A bit too old but lets give it a shot. Pours to instant head after a loud release of carbonation upon opening(no gusher though). Eventually turns out to be a hazy and cloudy deep orange color with a dense and fluffy 2-3 finger off white head with great retention that reduces to a thick cap that lingers. Some slight bits of lacing cling to the glass. The yeast seems to have clumped up and is floating around in the glass like bits of ground pepper. Aromas of orange peel, lemon, coriander, light pepper, bread, and not much else. Pretty weak aromas without much complexity; but not offensive. Taste of orange peel, pepper, coriander, wheat, spicy yeast, and breadiness. Some lingering notes of bread, wheat, orange, and spiciness on the finish for a bit. Medium body and carbonation; with a bit of a creamy mouthfeel that drinks very smoothly. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming after the finish. Other than the grainy appearance and weak aromas; this was pretty solid stuff. Good balance of flavors and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 04:20:45 | More by superspak

JizackFH

New York

3/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Found this review while going through an old beer notebook of mine.

This beer pours a hazy golden orangish color. It has about a finger of white head on it. The head doesn't have the best retention, and it leaves behind just a little bit of scattered lace on the glass. The nose has a good amount of wheat and lemony city aromas. There are also some scents of oranges, spice, and a tiny bit of hop presence. The taste pretty much follows the nose. It starts off with some grainy malt and wheat. There are some bright fruit flavors and just a little bit of hop flavor. There is quite a bit of lemony citrus, mostly on the back end. The finish leaves some lingering wheat, spice, and citrus on the palate. This beer has a medium body and decent carbonation. It goes down easy and has a smooth feel to it. It has a refreshing quality to it, and there is some graininess as well. This has decent drinkability. It goes down easy, but it just doesn't stand up to a lot of the witbiers that I've had. I think it is worth a try, but don't expect too much out of it.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 14:36:18 | More by JizackFH

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to the legend woodychandler for yet another canned beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a cloudy golden color with a 1 inch head. Smell is of oranges and spices. Taste is very flavorful, oranges, spices, a bit on the sweet side. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a quality beer.

Serving type: can

12-01-2011 18:06:15 | More by tone77

Dope

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A nice clear reddish-amber pour. Decent white head, okay retention and lacing.

S: Honey, orange and wheat primarily.

T: Very wheaty, spicy coriander/pepper with some decent orange in there. Can't really pick up the honey that I can smell.

M: Medium body, nothing out of the ordinary.

O: Nothing special, pretty simple wheaty beer not unlike a blue moon.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 01:59:32 | More by Dope

madeofsteel

Michigan

3.7/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a lovely golden color, with about a finger worth of head that dissipated pretty quickly, leaving a soapy layer on top. Almost no lacing.

S - Wheat, orange zest, and coriander. Not very complex, but appetizing nonetheless.

T - The orange is noticeable, and there's some sweet-wheat going on... funky spiciness that I'm not too sure about. Bitter finish.

M - Creamy with very fine carbonation. This one goes down nice and smooth.

O - It's nothing to write home about, but I wasn't really disappointed either. There are better renditions of this style, but it came in a sampler pack with other beers that I know I like. So-so.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 00:51:44 | More by madeofsteel

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: The color is a mostly clear hazy copper color with a tangerine edge. A bubbly off-white head fades to a ring shortly after pouring.

Smell: The aroma is full of soft wheat, some citrus zest, a bit of honey, coriander and spice, and a bit of grass.

Taste: The flavor starts out sweet but turns to a mostly simple pale wheat flavor for most of the sip. Some orange zest and coriander are noticeable in the middle along with a medicinal phenol, and the end has a bit of oily grass.

Mouthfeel: There is an unfortunate oiliness to the feel that I cannot understand the origins of. Other than that, the carbonation is crisp, which is typical for the style. The body is a little bit fuller than average compared to other pale wheat ales I have had.

Overall: Maybe I would like this better on a warm summer day, but I did not really connect with this beer. The flavor is ok, but the mouthfeel is not that good.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 04:15:36 | More by KickInTheChalice

Tone

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy, copper color. 5/4 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of slight honey, sweet malt, slight citrus (orange), and a hint of hop. Fits the style of an American Pale Wheat Ale. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of slight honey, hint of wheat, slight sweet malt, hint of citrus, and a hint of hops. Overall, great appearance, but lacking in aroma and body.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 13:48:57 | More by Tone

DCon

Missouri

3.35/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bought a 12 FL Oz can of this from the Tin Can Tavern & Grille in St. Louis (Locust Location), MO for $4.75. Poured from the bright yellow can with a orange on it & grass on the bottom of the can into a 16oz Pint Glass. No freshness date to be found.

Aroma- A VERY strong Orange Soda aroma starts it off (a definite Fanta aroma, so I went in for a drink to make sure this was actually beer!). Tons of wheat follow this sweet beginning.

Appearance- Pours a .5 finger head that dies quickly. Has a very cloudy body with a dark orange, almost amber colored body. Usually pale yellow to gold. Clarity may range from brilliant to hazy with yeast approximating the German hefeweizen style of beer. Big, long-lasting white head.

Flavor- Has a ton of wheat flavor but then not much sweetness or the orange aroma that I experienced in the aroma. Very dry finish and actually, a bit of rye seems like it was brewed into it.

Mouthfeel- Light Bodied, Medium-High Carbonation, Smooth, and then nothing special. Wheaty finish.

Overall Impression- Going in for the smell, it started off like it was going to be a killer summer beer! This all changed after the taste... Not enough body and the orange flavor almost never came up... Either way, I'm going to be sticking to my Wheach when I want a great, refreshing brew for the summer. Wouldn't mind trying this one on-tap though.

Serving type: can

11-07-2011 00:00:17 | More by DCon

BB1313

Ohio

2.8/5  rDev -20%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz can poured into a pint glass. Pours a hazy dense orange, great fluffy white head and sticky lacing. It's a really good looking beer; sediment noticeable. The aromas are kind of sour. I'm picking up some citrus, especially orange. More orange peel in the flavors, along with some spices. Coriander is noticeable in the nose and flavors. Honey makes its presense known as well. The yeast is there, lacks hops. Mouthfeel is nice, smooth, light, and nicely carbonated.. I just wish it was a little more crisp. Nice beer, I just wish it had more spunk.

This beer is kind of different, it's nice, but nothing special at all. Something is off in the flavors, which really hurts. It's definitely something appropriate for the warmer weather. And I will admit the more I sip, the more I enjoy.. but it's still flawed.

Serving type: can

10-13-2011 01:37:10 | More by BB1313

ONUMello

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz can poured into a pint glass
A: Hazy amber color; two-finger head that lingers
S: Somewhat muted, but getting peach pulp and hints of citrus and a tea.
T: Again, peach and tea with a bit of bready malt and a hint of citrus and coriander.
M: Fairly light, smooth.
O: I enjoyed just sipping this during a football game. Pleasant, and a bit of good complexity.

Serving type: can

10-02-2011 21:24:17 | More by ONUMello

oline73

Maryland

2.75/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a can into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a slightly cloudy light amber color with two fingers of off white head. The head disappears completely leaving no trace.

Smell: Strong yeast along with citrus and spice. There is a mild tartness to it.

Taste: There is a ton of coriander in this beer. I'm picking up some citrus and wheat as well. There is a slight sourness to it, I'm not sure if it's supposed to be there, but it actually is one of my favorite parts. Not wonderful.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: The sourness should have been stronger. I didn't really get this beer and I wouldn't have it again.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 00:24:40 | More by oline73

NotMyRealName

Illinois

2.4/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

The taste of coriander and orange peel is in the foreground, and the taste of beer is in the distant background. The effect was like drinking cold herbal tea in a glass that was unwashed since someone drank beer out of it. When I first poured it into a glass, I had high expectations. It's colorful in a glass. I normally have a high opinion of Arcadia Ales due to Sky High Rye, and I suppose I can give them credit for trying to be experimental with an offering such as Whitsun. I understand they may have wanted to give the center stage to coriander and orange peel, but I would preferred that stage to be shared with some bold hops.

Serving type: can

09-23-2011 11:28:35 | More by NotMyRealName

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz can into a pint glass.

A: Pours a murky orange a bit of soda-pop head.

S: Not too much here. A bit of orange, some hops and slight yeast profile.

T: Orange and citrus fruits shine, the yeast makes a surprisingly clear impression. It's not too sweet at all (thank God!) and is very well rounded and balanced. It is just a little on the bland side, however.

D: Nice little extra kick from the ABV is completely unapparent. Mouthfeel is crisp and slightly oily.

Overall: Won't become anyone's favorite, but this is a great little easy drinking summer ale with a decent amount of strength and at $8.50 for six 12oz cans its perfect for hiking, boating, or other summer excursions. Solid beer!

Serving type: can

09-07-2011 19:57:16 | More by JohnnyChicago