Apricot Wheat - Ithaca Beer Company

ThomasMetal75

Massachusetts

3.19/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 2.75

A- Lightly cloudy. Golden straw color. No real head to speak of, or lacing that stuck around for any length of time.

S- Buttered popcorn. Slight sweetness. Clean water (at least I detected it). No real fruitiness is detected in the nose.

T- Everything is light/mild. An artifical buttered popcorn flavor. Almost like the flavor you get from the popcorn Jelly Belly. Only when you swallow the beer do you get a light fruitness. The graininess is very light.

M- Goes down like water. Easy and smooth. Not bitter at all.

Overall, this was not what I'd ever expect from a wheat beer. It's not nasty at all, but the flavors are not pleasant for what is labeled as a "wheat" beer. Try this beer if you are looking for a different kind of wheat beer or anything that is plain mild in flavor and mouthfeel. To me, their are American, German, and Belgian wheat beers that are much, much better than this.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 18:19:14 | More by ThomasMetal75

cjoc83

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Pours a hazy pale straw/gold color with a fingers worth of soapy white head that dissipates quickly and leaves no lacing.

Sweet apricots are the dominant smell, accompanied by candied sugar, a little grainy wheat, and cotton candy. Smells pretty good.

The taste doesn't really follow through with the promise of the nose. Some fake, sweet tasting fruit up front followed by a lot of grain and not much else. Very one-note, almost zero complexity. Not horrible, but definitely not enjoyable. And where's the wheat?

High carbonation with a weird, unpleasant aftertaste.

Overall, not too impressed. I haven't had this in a quite a while, and decided to add it to a mixed six the other day because I remembered actually liking this brew back in the day. Not so much anymore. Smells pretty great but the flavor profile just isn't there. I'll get down on some Flower Power all day, but I definitely won't be drinking this stuff anymore.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 00:10:10 | More by cjoc83

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Slightly hazy pale yellow with one-finger, white, fizzy head that lasted a minute or two. Not much lacing.

S: Strong apricot aroma.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Mild apricot taste. Toasted wheat. Not much of a wheat beer, which is how it is advertised.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation.

O: Smells great and has a good mouthfeel, but the flavor is weak. There was also virtually no head.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 02:52:48 | More by SolipsismalCat

socon67

New York

3.78/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Orange pour with a white foam head that settled. No lacing of note. Slight carbonation.

S - Strong smell of apricots, similar to Snapple peach tea. It slightly overwhelms the grain aroma. Sugary sweet smell.

T - Sweet flavor of apricot in sugar syrup and light wheat. Easily a summer favorite, this quenches the thirst and gives some nod to your sweet tooth.

M - Slightly syrup thick. Leaves a sugary coating in the mouth.

O - Good summer beer and for those that enjoy strong fruit flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 00:15:28 | More by socon67

Pinknuggets

Vermont

2.5/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle to hfs sniffer

A:orange in color and totally translucent with lots of carbonation and thin white head

S: this is one that is as advertised it smells like apricots it's so sweet smelling its almost fake like a sports drink interesting for sure

T:unfortunately the taste follows the nose in a negative way it tastes way too sweet like an artificial flavor there is no wheat flavor at all

M:it's so oily and flat it's almost unpleasant the light carbonation does nothing to better this as there is a weird after taste

O:this started off okay but it might have well been labeled shock top it's that bad didnt even want to finish after getting half way through. I hope ithica's other offerings are better

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 08:29:23 | More by Pinknuggets

FCRICH

New York

2.98/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Head did not last long, cloudy yellow appearance, expected more of a golden yellow look, sweet as expected, apricot taste is kind of artificial. Maybe OK for a hot summer day, purchased in a craft pack, so only have one to drink, which is probably enough for now. Might be a good breakfast drink as a replacment of OJ.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:06:16 | More by FCRICH

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler-pint, the beer is a bright, slightly hazed, orange-yellow coloring with no head but a ton of carbonation bubbling throughout. Aromas of apricot, slightly sour apple, and sugary sweetness. Smells like a candyshop. Flavors are clean and crisp, with a strong apricot charcter in the forefront followed by a roasty grain backbone and tangy apple highlights. The aftertaste is like finishing a Jolly Rancher, with sugary sweet lingering flavors. Crisp, slightly long lasting finish. Refreshing and light, but quickly can bbecome overbearing.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 21:07:06 | More by GarthDanielson

jsisko01

Michigan

3.2/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a hazy, bright golden color with almost no head at all. Minimal lacing as well.

Smell - All I smell is apricots.. Nothing else comes through.

Taste - Apricot is the most dominant.. everything else is barely noticeable. The malts are good but don't come through enough because of the apricot. I also taste the wheat a little..

Mouthfeel - Very light body and light carbonation

Overall - Well.. I don't really care too much for this beer. I guess it's really only for the apricot lovers out there. This is just too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 01:31:27 | More by jsisko01

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.23/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy bright golden yellow in color with light amounts of visible carbonation right at the surface of the beer. The beer has a half finger tall white head that quickly reduces to a very small patch of extremely thin film and a very thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal lacing is observed.

S: Moderate aromas of apricot along with some lighter notes of wheat and citrus. Slightly tangy smelling.

T: The taste of this beer is very similar to the smell with the apricot flavor being dominant - it is nice that the apricot is not overly sweet though. There is a light tangy presence of wheat and just the most subtle hint of lemon citrus.

M: Light bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin/watery.

O: This beer is enjoyable and easy to drink, a very enjoyable beer for hot summer weather. This could be a decent session beer for an outdoor event but probably not an every day drinker.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 21:42:45 | More by dbrauneis

pistola

Ohio

2.53/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Not crazy about this beer. I did not like the overbearing apricot taste. I like fruit beers during the hot days, but not this one so much. less than average for me. I don't think I will be trying it again. I would give a try to another Ithaca beer brand.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 19:27:18 | More by pistola

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.98/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle served in a weizen glass.

L - clear copper color with a white head that thins to a ring.

S - apricots with some wheat in the background.

T - lots of tart apricot flavor blended in with light malted wheat finishing on the tart side with sweetness on the lips.

F - light/medium bodied, crisp and refreshing.

O - I enjoyed this one and I will have it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 20:20:55 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

righthereisay

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased a bottle at the Brews Bros in Mt Lebanon

Smell: Let's face it, it smells like apricots. Not my favorite fruit by any means...but still good.

Taste is rather good for a fruit beer. I always try them (fruit beers), never like them...This one isn't that bad. I could definitely throw these down on a hot summer day. Tangy, malty, not too much apricot. Not too sweet by any means. Very drinkable.

Let's face it. It is a fruit beer. Not in my top 300, but it would do on a summer day. Much better than the usual Miller Lite, and the usual summer beers from Saranac, Sam Adams. etc...also much better than the new Lemonade beers....

I was surprised. Not too shabby.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 01:17:35 | More by righthereisay

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

their version of the now famous magic hat number 9. this is not nearly as good in my opinion. pours a very pale yellow color with a minimal white head. smells overly sweet, like apricot jam or preserves, rather than fresh fruit. heavier wheat malt and some hefe style yeast, peppery and zesty. flavor is kind of a combination of all the aromas, with the apricot coming on first, then the yeast, and finally the malt and a different apricot vibe, a bit more tart this time, very front of the tongue. it actually crisps up nice in the finish, and isnt a bad summer drink with its light body and bubbly carbonation. overall though i think ithaca is best at making hoppy beers, and this foray into the fruit side is not my favotite. passable, even good for those unfamiliar with the number 9, but an inferior poser to those in the know. hang me for that if you want, but i stand by it.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 20:44:59 | More by StonedTrippin

aranheaney

New York

3.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Blue Solo Cup at Heaney Family RibFest 2012:

A-Nice, cloudy with a decent head

S-Very Fruity (as one might expect) peach, apricot, almost no wheat or hops

T-very light, plenty of fruit, overly sweet

M-thickish, not enough wheat

O-while I was hoping for Apri-hop. I got something less, its not bad, but not worth the price point and definitely doesn't stack up top either Flower Power or Cascazilla

How's that for a review Double Simcoe?

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 01:32:31 | More by aranheaney

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a wellington beer glass.

Appearance: A very slight hazy gold, a white head coming off maybe 1/4" off the body.

Smell: Very strong in the apricot/peach category.

Taste: Well this beer comes off strong in fruit(apricot-peach), slightly sweet.

Mouth: medium carbonation, and sticking taste...super smooth.

Overall: Not a bad beer at all, definitely preferred in the warmer months of the year. Has a fresh fruit feel and honestly you can't go wrong. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 03:41:52 | More by BlurryVisi0n

MrOH

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear light gold with a big white head. Good retention. Nice lacing.

Very apricotty. A cross between fresh apricots and the aroma of dried apricots rehydrated in hot water.

Apricots, and then a bit of bready malt background.

Light-bodied, mediumish carb.

It's an apricot beer. I like it better than #9 or ApriHop, fwiw.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 04:16:30 | More by MrOH

PhantasIPA

Delaware

2.73/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The appearance of this beer is a light golden color with a very thin head that dissipated to nothing within a few minutes.

The smell is a weak apricot smell. There is no hop scent or malt scent. It is very one-dimensional.

The taste begins with a very striking apricot taste in the beginning and then quickly disappears. After that the taste is...gone! There is nothing else really to the beer. I was hoping for a sweet aftertaste but it never happened. Very bland after the strong apricot flavor.

The mouthfeel is a little too carbonated for me. It feels almost like soda.

Overall, this beer is a good idea but poorly executed. Too much apricot flavor...maybe with more malt or sweetness it would have more balance.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 01:13:21 | More by PhantasIPA

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

1.05/5  rDev -67.3%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

This beer pours a pale clear yellow with no head or lace. There's a good bit of fizz. The aroma is a small amount of apricot and something else strange. The flavor has an apricot tang but a strange sourness and funk. The mouthfeel is light and very sticky. Ithaca apricot Wheat is not a good beer, there was a sticker on the bottle that said "sample not for resale". Not recommended!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 23:22:45 | More by B967ierhunter177

CraftVA

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A – Color is golden and transparent, with a fluffy white head (which receded pretty quickly.)

S – A delicious fruity scent dominated by the apricots, with a hint of hoppiness.

T – Crisp and fruity up front with some wheat flavors coming in at the end. Somewhat sour.

M – A light on the mouthfeel and very carbonated.

O – A refreshing beer with a nice fruity flavor without being too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 00:00:25 | More by CraftVA

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer has a golden color body with no head or lace to it. The smell is very strong of apricot. The taste is a little bit of malt up front then the apricot hits your taste buds hard but in a tasty way. The mouth feel is nice and smooth and overall is a very drinkable beer espically when it warms up a little bit, the flavors really come to life.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 21:12:18 | More by chefhatt

homebrew311

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into pint glass.

A:Pours a bright pale gold, crystal clear, lots of cascading bubbles, minimal head, no lacing...looks like sparkling apple juice

S: nose features faint wheat malts, a spritz of lemon, and mellow dried apricot

T: taste features much more flavor than the nose lets on, starts off like an easy drinking pale wheat, the apricot comes in in a big way, it has a bit of a candied/artificial tinge to it, throws things off balance a little bit

MF: light body, medium to high carbonation

O: nice feature of apricot, however it is lacking the balance that would make this be more refreshing

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 06:05:44 | More by homebrew311

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up in Totowa even though I hadn't had it in years. I remembered this being weak and watered-down and sure enough, that's pretty much how it was when I retried it earlier today. Fans of fruit beers will not be disappointed by this but for most other drinkers, there's not a lot here besides the apricot flavor and typical mouthfeel of this style.

This poured a fairly dull gold color with a head that didn't last long. The lacing and carbonation were at a minimum as well. It was cloudy but I couldn't sense the wheat in the taste and the apricot was not that lively. It had the consistency of syrup and there was just a bit of honey in the mix to sweeten everything up. This went down as easily as could be and there wasn't much of an aftertaste with the exception of a dull wheat taste that didn't linger for very long.

Because of the low amount of carbonation and light alcoholic content of this, it would be easy to down a few in a sitting. While the apricot is a decent flavor for a beer, there are better offerings out there where one could enjoy that and the drinking session as well. While not bad, this been is unmemorable at best.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 23:01:31 | More by JerzDevl2000

iBeer16

New York

3.83/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed in a pilsner glass.

A: pours a very light translucent gold. Pours with about finger and a half of head of a white color. leaves no lacing.

S: very strong wheat nose, combined with a Nce apricot scent.

T: nice combination of wheat, grains and apircot fruity flavor, also has a slight lemony flavor. Taste ends leaving your mouth with a combination of all flavors, wheaty, grainy, and slightly tart due to apricot and lemons.

M: very light bodied ale with light carbonation.

Overall, not my favorite style of beer, however it is done right. No flavor takes control of the drinking experience, everything is balanced well.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 02:49:37 | More by iBeer16

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle

Appearance – Slightly hazy amber colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there isn't much lacing. The head lasted for only 1 or 2 minutes before is disappeared.

Smell - Grains/wheat, apricots, floral, corn

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a low amount of carbonation and most of the taste is made up of wheat mixed with apricots and lemons. I can also taste some hay and some corn syrup. It ends with a apricot/lemon tart aftertaste.

Overall – In retrospect, I probably should have bought something else. I'm not a huge fan of fruit beers and this one didn't change that fact. I guess it's decent for the style and it does in fact have a lot of apricot taste.. just not something I'd buy again.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 17:31:31 | More by spinrsx

smibroncos

New York

4.13/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. Poured a cloudy straw with a white frothy two finger head, some lacing on the glass.

S. Apricot, citrus grass

T. Lightly apricot flasvored still can taste the wheat, not much in the hops department, but I like the flavor.

M. Medium bodied, fizzy carbonation, mnedium duration

O. Taste just like apricot wheat beer, imagine that.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 23:55:10 | More by smibroncos