20th Anniversary Wit - Deschutes Brewery

JBuff41413

Colorado

4.3/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Hazy light honey color with an inch light foamy white head that dissipates quickly. The lacing is very good and leaves your empty glass looking great.

S- Earthy notes, with some citrus and beautiful coriander comes out.

T- Citrus ( orange), with a nice honey sweetness. What I really loved is they changed it up with Indian spices and lots of coriander. The balance of this beer is incredible.

M- Thick and creamy, just how I like it.

D- This beer is thick, but it is also very refreshing so I feel it is a Very drinkable beer.

This is a very balanced and complex beer for the genre. I really enjoyed it and will go pick up a few more tomorrow. If you can get your hands on it, for sure try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2008 05:29:00 | More by JBuff41413

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

11-19-2012 00:31:43 | More by t0rin0

imperialking

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

11-13-2012 20:36:52 | More by imperialking

aanth

California

3/5  rDev -21.1%

11-18-2011 03:08:34 | More by aanth

twelveinches

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

11-17-2011 06:50:42 | More by twelveinches

vince4953529

California

4/5  rDev +5.3%

11-15-2011 03:58:59 | More by vince4953529

emmasdad

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Adding this one from one of my notebooks. This one poured a moderately clear yellow color with a dense white head. Aromas of light citrus, bubblegum and clove. On the palate, this one is light bodied, with flavors of bubblegum, clove and light citrus.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 03:38:16 | More by emmasdad

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue VIII:

Deschutes throws a curveball for their 20th anniversary beer with a Belgian Witbier (White Ale), traditionally brewed with Curacao orange peel and other spices.

Pours clear with a bright golden yellow color. Superb white lacing that leaves rings on the glass after each sip. Light bready, dusty flour, malt aroma, light spicing and a faint pear fruitiness round out the nose. Super smooth with a fluffy, moderate-sized body. Orange peel comes in clean and tight with a slightly sharp bite; light graininess lends a cracker-like flavor. Hop bitterness is light but balancing, with a very faint herbal note. Quick flash of fruity tartness in the middle. Clean graininess in the dry finish.

No doubt this beer is easy drinking; a clean rendition of the style, as there is no cloudiness or noticeable flavor from the yeast.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2010 05:08:38 | More by BeerAdvocate

July2Nov

Hawaii

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one has been in my refrigerator for close to two years! Thought it was about time to bust it out and try it on for size after a hot day.

Appearance: So clear, with a slight yellow-gold color. Minimal lacing with some slight carbonation.

Smell: Nice, sweet wheat scents with some coriander coming through.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Big taste of coriander/clove right upfront. The middle part is very, very smooth and it then finishes with Citrus notes (oranges)...and still the coriander lingers. Overall, This one has a smooth mouthfeel and an ever so slight chewy aftertaste to it.

Drinkability: Refreshing and smooth, this one is perfect for those hot, sweltering days. Too bad it was a limited release. Just wondering why it took me so long to finally taste it. Glad that I did. Sad there isn't anymore in my glass.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2010 03:31:29 | More by July2Nov

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Wow, looks good. I've had this one in the cellar and popped it open for the 4th. I hope I didn't age it too long. By the looks of it, I think I cracked it just in time.
Clear golden color with a magnificant foamed up head. Sticky.

Quick aroma rush contains mostly light biscuit, some spice and clove, and light fruit. These all follow within the flavors. The carbonation may have died down a bit as it seemed a bit flat, but the nice spiciness gives it a kick and refreshing burst. This is quite drinkable, however a bit thin.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 05:59:56 | More by Mebuzzard

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a tumbler. Review of off notes. I probably had this one about a year ago.

Pours a hazy paler gold, with a 1 ½ fingers of bright-white frothy head. This retains with a mostly light wispy look that leaves some light spotty lacing behind. The aroma is sticky smelling in the nose, with plenty of sweet grain and zesty citrus. Coriander, clove, and a deep dusty yeast presence add spice and sharpness to this.

The taste is pleasant mix of grainy sweetness, fruity orange, and lemon zest. Bitter rind and spicy clove and coriander are present but this has a fairly moderate bitterness to it overall as most of the sharpness of this is coming for the spice, which blends with the yeast to form a deeply dry finish. The mouthfeel is lighter-medium bodied, with a firm crispness that keeps the overall feel lively but still easy moving.

This was a quality Witbier with zesty flavors, a vibrant feel, and an easy drinkibility. Another worthy Anniversary beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 15:55:10 | More by Kegatron

webbcreative

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lemon colored pour with 2 finger white head. Aroma = bit citrusy, Im guessing its the grains of paradise im smelling that is giving this a sort of straw aroma, its different, but it smells good, It almost has a weak saison aroma about it. Taste = get a slight does of what you would expect, a bit of lemon, touch of orange, but the grains of paradise really comes through, and gives this wit a more mellow smoothed out flavor. mouthfeel is medium.

Overall this is a really great wit, probably the best i have had. Even though I would have expected an anniversary wit to be bigger all over, its still a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 21:08:36 | More by webbcreative

brentk56

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a modest head that leaves a bit of a remembrance behind

Smell: Bready, with vague hints of spice - a bit unusual with the use of grains of paradise added into the Curaçao, coriander and citrus peel

Taste: Opens rather bready, with the orange peel and coriander joining the flavor profile by mid-palate; the finish is rather dry and somewhat grainy

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A very pleasant wit but I was expecting a bit more oomph for an Anniversary beer

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2009 01:48:04 | More by brentk56

cptierney

California

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a BEAUTIFUL Moonlight pint glass.

Nice light yellow color to the beer w/ mushrooming head of light fluffy head. Significant lacing remaining after initial head dissipation.

Not the most pleasant nose to this beer. Some citrus notes come through and there is a hint of coriander. The smell is weak overall however and it has to compete with an earthy funk that can best be described as the smell of modeling clay.

Nice M-feel, a light summer beer to be sure, easily gulped and has a lively carbonation in the mouth.

The taste makes you think german hef, though the spicing just doesn't quite measure up. Good citrus flavoring, though I don't detect the "hints of Curacao" that the label promises.

Excellent drinkability. Share one with a friend at a barbeque or after slaying a dragon in still-warm armor. Loves me some Deschutes.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 01:38:45 | More by cptierney

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz. bomber picked up at the Modesto BevMo!

Poured into a New Belgium globe (because my summer roommates do not own a single pint glass).

Appearance: Cloudy, pale yellow body with a thin, white, soapy, crown. While I can't see the bubbles, the carbonation appears pretty active: produces a foaming mushroom in the middle of the surface. Occasional stringy lace. An aggressive pour yields at least one finger of foamy white head with much better retention.

Smell: Lots of wheat and banana in the nose, even before it starts to warm (and even more when it does warm). When it does warm, orange zest, coriander, and other spices emerge. Overall, the aroma is pretty mild, but it's pleasant.

Taste: Make sure you let this one warm up for a bit beforehand. Flavor was pretty dull at the beginning for me. As it warmed, wheat malt blossomed and formed a canvas for the other flavors to be painted on. Strokes of tart, juicy orange, peppery hops, coriander, and natural herbs and spices could be found in each sip. Nicely done. As with the smell, the flavor intensity is rather mild. The balance, however, is top notch (as with most Deschutes beers).

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, crisp, refreshing, and even creamy thanks to the wheat malt. Carbonation is perfect - no sting, yet lots of activity. Finishes clean and tingly. This is the beer's best attribute in my opinion.

Drinkability: This is a very mild-mannered wit. Great for a summer afternoon, but probably easy to forget. This is worth a try, but it's undeserving of any hype.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 15:23:16 | More by ThreeWiseMen

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a straw gold color with tall fluffy white head into a pint glass. OK retention leaves some decent lacing. Smells of wheat, yeast, pepper, clove, coriander, and lemon zest. Tastes of orange and lemon up front, then coriander and clove. Grainy wheat and yeast follow then some peppery spice with a lite banana and bubble gum finish. Medium-light in body with nice carbonation. Somewhat syrupy with a crisp feel. Pretty standard wit, but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2009 23:44:41 | More by HopDerek

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

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

22oz. bottle into shaker pint on 5/17/09. Thanks to HopDerek for sharing!

A - Poured a slightly gritty-looking golden body with pouffy white head that receded to a patchy film but flared up with each swirl of the glass, leaving sticky foam along the sides of the glass.

S - Spicy and yeasty nose with hints of clove, pepper, coriander and a good bit of citrus character suggesting lemon zest.

T - Spicy and peppery flavor with clove notes and prevalent citrus character. Grainy malts complement the spicy flair and keep the flavor balanced. Finishes with a subtle bubblegum sweetness with minimal hop bitterness.

M - Light to medium body with a light syrupy texture and a spicy finish with a touch of bitterness on the palate.

D - Very good Witbier with lots of spicy character. Happy anniversary, Deschutes!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 02:42:09 | More by ffejherb

yeastsipper

California

2.42/5  rDev -36.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Deschutes, Deschutes, Deschutes. You make some of my favorite beers, but this was a huge letdown. Very light straw colored beer that unfortunately looked the color of urine. Nice white head though. Smell is pedestrian. Wheat and yeast, a touch of citrus. Taste is almost exclusively wheat. Just nothing there for me really. Maybe some herbal notes, but I am looking hard for something other than wheat and carbonation. The beer doesn't taste bad, but it is painfully boring. Nothing going on at all. This might be nice on a hot sunny day. Unfortunately it is 1030 at night and I want some flavor. Frankly, almost a drain pour, not because it is bad, but because it is boring enough to want to move on to something else. Huge disappointment. Seek out Deschutes in general, but this is one to avoid.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2009 05:32:05 | More by yeastsipper

Phillyduke

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Served into a tulip glass. Beer is straw yellow and quite clear with some visible floating particulate. Not much noticeable carbonation despite the glassware. A huge fluffy 2+ finger head of white foam recedes over the course of a couple minutes to a fine, soapy cap with some similar lacing clinging to the sides of the glass around the meniscus

S: Smell is a bit one dimensional. A slightly funky Belgian yeastiness is really all I get. Overall it's crisp and clean, but virtually no traces of the orange peel and coriander mentioned on the label.

T/M: Clean and crisp with a spot-on tingly refreshing carbonation and a light body. Taste is well balanced...no real standout flavors, as the yeast tends to overpower things a bit. I am detecting some graininess and a touch of citrus...more lemon than orange, especially when the beer is cooler.

D/O: Overall a nice, smooth, well-balanced and easy-drinking Wit, but lacking the little extra "zing" to make it truly memorable.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 01:43:28 | More by Phillyduke

rowew

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 22 oz bomber, label is a nicely designed logo with the 20 prominently displayed. No date, but there is a 2008 on the label.

Appearance: Pours a bright golden with just a slight haze, thick head fades slowly.

Smell: Lots of wheat, some of the normal spice aroma I associate with a wit - lots of yeast, some coriander and citrus.

Taste: Again - fairly typical wit flavors - there is just a hint of metallic in there that isn't pleasant.

Overall impression: A fairly average wit beer - might be a nice session beer, but seems like an odd choice for an anniversary beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 22:11:40 | More by rowew

maskednegator

California

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Clearer than expected. Straw. Fluffy, off-white head.
Smell: Yeast, bell peppers. Minor cinnamon and orange peel notes.
Taste: Oranges, bread, clover, spice.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied, well carbonated.
Drinkability: Super.
Verdict: Very refreshing, quite delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2009 16:31:25 | More by maskednegator

litheum94

California

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into snifter.

Pours out a medium, straw yellow color with a thin, white head.

Yeasty aromas with a hint of orange peel and honey. Missing that spicy aroma typical in other wits.

Flavors begin with a slight honey tinge. There is a citrus (lemon?) flavor as well. Finishes with a yeasty, earthy flavor. Very light mouth feel.

Over all, a decent wit, although it is missing the spices that I love from other wits. Very high drinkability however, so I can't complain too much.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2009 04:24:56 | More by litheum94

Yetiman420

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks MASPuros for the trade.

One 22oz bottle split between two standard pint glasses. A little bit of yeast sediment distributed equally which created a slight haze with interesting micro particles suspended in the beer.

Orange in the aroma and a thin head.

Nice dry finish which is an indicator of a quality wit in my book. Very nice beer - light and fluffy which high drinkability. Could not detect the grains of paradise which is probably for the better with a beer this light.

Smooth orange flavor really comes through about 3/4 of the way.

A very good beer across the board. One of the top 5 wits I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 16:36:49 | More by Yetiman420

maximum12

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've been on a mission. To find a witbier that blows my socks off & makes me weep, much the way The Abyss, or Pliny, or Blasphemy, did the first time I tried them. I'm looking for the category killer. I figured Deschutes was the next logical place to turn.

This wit is true to form. Very light golden in color, with the smell of fresh mown grass & brats sizzling on the grill.

Not bad. Along with the regular grassywheatycitrus stuff, there is a bit of spicy kick to this that draws a bit more interest than your standard wit. Nice.

Bubbly beer, plenty of carbonation. Slides down like a Juicy Lucy, quick & easy. I can see this for a power-session beer. Pretty good beer, one of the better wits I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 02:30:58 | More by maximum12

errantnight

California

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

An interesting Anniversary idea... a wit. Not an imperial wit... a wit. And a bit out of season. Oh well... I've sat on this one for a bit, busting it out for a beer dinner...

Pours a cloudy, orange-tinged color with a thin, creamy, lasting head. It's dark for a wit.

Aroma is spicy and peppery against a light waft of that distinct wheat malt aroma. A bit of citrus, but it comes across more of lemon than orange.

The taste is relatively full and dense, with a few waves of flavor coming in. There's a forward yeasty burst with some esters rolling into some moderate mid-palate sweetness which brings some citrus notes and a peppery spice that backs into a drying earthiness. It works, but it's a bit full, and while I think they actually balanced the spices quite nicely, it's a bit shy of refreshing, which is something I'd look for in a wit.

A nice twist, certainly worth trying, and I bet with the spice this lasts until the warmer days, perhaps a good one to have just as the sun is starting to set.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 01:13:58 | More by errantnight