River Horse Double Wit - River Horse Brewing Co.

number1bum

Pennsylvania

2.4/5  rDev -35.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Extra from BeerTruth.

Pours a hazed musty golden color with about two fingers of off-white head. Head keeps a decent, thin lace with a solid layer around the rim.

Smell is sweet, syrupy sweet, and very fruity. I do not find it pleasant. It smells as much like fruity pebbles as Leiny Berry Weisse. The fruitiness is all over the place - citrus, passion fruit, Lord knows what else; but none of it is good. Add a dash of armpit and it's just a mess. Bleh.

Taste is not much better. It's not as fruity pebbles like, but it does have a harsh, grainy bite to it that makes it just as unpleasant. It does, however, make it slightly more tolerable. It's also quite spicy which is a redeeming value. The finish is clean, at least, with some lingering earthy yeast and spices. To top it all off I even get a hint of alcohol. This is a confused mess.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with very aggressive, spritzy carbonation. The carbonation is a redeeming value because it does not allow much lingering. The grainy bite makes it a bit harsh.

This is a mess. The more of this 'style' I try, the more I am convinced that Double and Wit do not go together. Give it up brewers, it just doesn't work.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 02:13:09 | More by number1bum

Kwak

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

nice four pack a little pricey would have been happy if it was a six. it poured nice hazy dark straw with a thick head the smell was a little off not the fruit i expected a little strong for this type of beer wasn't all that nice to drink it was a little harsh even for the seven%. i think they over powered the taste with the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 07:22:40 | More by Kwak

philbe311

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -32%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Actually a very visually appealing witbier... Light bronze coloring with an extreme haze... Extreme amounts of very rapid paced carbonation... A beautiful lush rocky white head reminicent of a snow drift... Loads of foam clings to the sides of the glass...

S - Wet cardboard... Apricot... Honey... Orange... Corriander...

T - Honey... Orange concentrate... Candied lemon cough drops... Faint wheat... Aftertaste is of unripened apricots... The taste seems forced and overly artificial...

M - Slightly sticky... Medium bodied... Moderate carbonation on the tongue...

D - Other than a terrific appearance this brew is very very rough around the edges... A rather disappointing brew from River Horse that I will be avoiding in the future...

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2009 01:58:08 | More by philbe311

epicness

New York

2.58/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: Golden hazy yellow, with a slight head that dissipates fairly quickly. It was actually gone before I was even able to type to this point. You can see quite a bit of bubbles rising to the surface through the pretty cloudy beer.

S: Strong lemon scent, which makes me think the taste might be slightly sour. Pretty much dominates the smell of the beer. There's also a bit of wheat and coriander in the background, but they seem rather faint to me.

T: Lots of lemon up front in the taste, as expected. I'm not a HUGE fan of the taste of lemons, but actually this doesn't bother me too much. It's not sour at all, and actually rather sweet. Along with the lemon, you get spicy notes, which fade into a dry wheat aftertaste. It's not a big taste, but I'm definitely left wanting a little bit more. Maybe I had a different expectation of the taste. I'm definitely let down. Again, it's not a bad taste, but it's just not a large enough variety on the taste.

M: The carbonation is very high. Prickly on the tongue and all the way down, although I'm sure a little bit of that is the alcohol. Light to medium bodied.

D: It's alright. Seems like the more I drink of the beer, the more I start to taste the lemon, and the alcohol. Doesn't seem to be mixed all that well, and it's kind of a turn off the way the lemon and alcohol tastes are overwhelming me. I definitely couldn't see myself drinking more than one of these in a sitting.

I'd give this beer a one thumb down. It's not a beer a would recommend to someone, yet it's not terrible enough to drain pour.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2010 02:08:17 | More by epicness

mlhall55

New Jersey

2.83/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

I am not a big fan of the Belgian brew's, this one was a bit spicy. I found it to be heavy and filling as well with a bit too much sweetness. It was a bit too thick for what it was. I could drink one or two of these and then I would have to move on. too much flavor I suppose.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2009 21:27:49 | More by mlhall55

jsisko01

Michigan

2.9/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a very hazy, yellow-orange color with a centimeter thick white head that dissipates instantly. Has nice lacing.

Smell - Sweet with clove and a strong whiskey/alcohol aroma.

Taste - Very sweet with a strong honey flavor.. Orange zest, clove, coriander, pepper, and maybe some other spices. Has a less than pleasant whiskey/alcohol aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with a creamy texture. Medium carbonation.

Overall - After a while the alcohol flavor started making me gag... The flavor was great but not the aftertaste. I couldn't even finish the beer. Maybe this just isn't my style of brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 05:54:27 | More by jsisko01

JunkYardJake

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass.
First ''double wit'' for me. Not sure what to think about the concept since I love witbier for it's refreshing, delicious and easy drinking nature. Pours nice into the tulip with a fat foamy head. Cloudy and golden with some bubbles. Smell is less intense than I expected with more of a wheat nose while the spices play second fiddle. First taste is a alot of spicy yeast and the sting of fusel alcohol. I let it warm up a bit and some of the subtleties came out. The orange peel, coriander and wheat flavors are present but kind of muted and don't really fit together nicely. Carbonation is high and lively across the tongue. This brew improved as it warmed but was still very rough around the edges. Simply put, not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 02:38:17 | More by JunkYardJake

WCBCFrank

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy, hazy yellow-white. Not as much head as I anticipated, it being a Belgian Wit. Some muted citrus and lemon zest notes....a little flat in the back of the throat.

For the novice: Tastes like a homebrew version of Hoegaarden.

Personally: River Horse Double Wit is a bit of misnomer...there is nothing inherently "double" about it. Overall, I'm neither here not there with this beer. It's average.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2009 18:28:42 | More by WCBCFrank

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into pint

Clear soft golden glow with a thin topping of white head. Fades out completely without retention or lacing.

Notes of cracked pepper and spice with a formidable sweetness. Touches of honey and yeast with fruity esters and light warmth.

Yeasty and sweet up front with honey. Cracked pepper, assorted spice, wheat and straw. Thicker backbone, touch of citrus and fruit. Slightly cloying on the back end with a boozy spike.

Fuller medium body, slightly higher carbonation level, sticky and bubbly on the tongue. Fairly average, too sweet and unnecessary alcohol level. I usually look for refreshing, snappy flavors in witbiers, but this doesn't really do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 19:21:06 | More by xnicknj

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.1/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

12oz bottle into my Russian River pint glass

A: Hazy reddish-orange with a dense white head.

S: Orange and coriander dominate the nose with a good dose of wheat thrown in for good measure. Hints of pepper too. Pretty good!

T: Overly spicy - back off on the coriander, there! Starts off spicy and is followed by an orange zest flavor that's almost astringent. Over the top. Dry finish

M: Overly carbonated - it literally foams up in my mouth. Pleasing finish, though

D: Don't think I'd drink another. In fact, I poured this down the drain :-(

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2008 18:29:49 | More by DefenCorps

Proteus93

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A hazy straw yellow... a creamy head, receding to a modest quarter finger of creamy white.

S: Sweet and malty... a full aroma, loaded with spicy scents - orange peel / coriander.Nice on the nose

T: .. not so nice I can say on the tongue. Intense spiciness. The coriander flavours are quite big and citrus orange peel adds even more to the mix. A little too overdone for my palate.

M + D: A full body, but enough carbonation to give it a crispy edge. Ultimately a little over the top, and I found myself having trouble with finishing it. I think the last little bit might end up being sacrificed to the drain.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2008 00:35:28 | More by Proteus93

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.15/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Huge thanks to tx8000shx for tossing in this sweet extra. Love those state ticks. Poured from a bottle into a tulip.

A: Cider brown with golden highlights. Tiny wisp of head and no lace left behind.

S: Initially I'm getting a strange burnt rubber aroma. Once it warms I can pick up belgian yeast, coriander, nutmeg, anise and the usual belgian spice profile.

T: Not a huge flavor blast. I pick up a hint of smoky bacon at first. This slowly fades into belgian yeast and spices. There's a modest alcohol profile in the finish.

M: Medium body with nice and creamy carbonation.

O: Not very good. The only thing that impressed me was the mouth feel.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 23:30:27 | More by beerwolf77

Risser09

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pilsner - fridge - 2009

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden orange and yellow color with plenty of active, fast-moving carbonation. The chalk white head reaches 2" quickly, but recedes at a slow pace. A plateau of foam is created when the edges recede quicker than the rest of the head. Thick foam clings to the glass after all that.

Smell: Fruity aromas of apricot and peaches are very dominant. It's reminiscent of a dried, Turkish apricot, really. Wheat malt and yeast play a subsidiary role to those fruity aromas.

Taste: Yeasty forefront with a strong wheat flavor. Alcohol is noticeable despite the small 7% abv. More of that apricot flavor is sensible with a sourdough bread finish. Weird.

Mouthfeel: Pinchy with hops and alcohol. At the same time this beer is carbonated and sweet. Lots going on.

Drinkability: A very different brew. I wonder how much thought was put into this beer, as it has so many clashing flavors going on. Okay.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 11:43:39 | More by Risser09

jmalex

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It's nice to actually drink a summer style in summer rather than the imperial stouts and big Belgians I'm always opening.

APPEARANCE: Pours into my Allagash tulip a golden orange color with a massive creamy white head. It takes its time dropping to a large rocky cap, eventually settling out at one finger's height.

SMELL: One of the most spiciest witbiers I've ever had. But it's much more than coriander. There's almost a winter spice / nutmeg thing going on in it, and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. The orange and citrus are there as well, along with a pretty aggressive abbey yeast character. Very unique and distinctive.

TASTE: Quite sweet with just as much wheat malt character as yeast esters. The spicing here is much more subdued as is any citrus. This to me is more reminiscent of a tripel than a witbier.

MOUTHFEEL: Medium bodied with an average level carbonation. I'd prefer a bit more dryness, but it does advertise itself as a double wit.

DRINKABILITY: Okay for a beer of this size, but it almost seems like it should be even better. For a style that I'd want glass after glass of, I'll be holding myself to one of these only.

A decent execution of a hard-to-grasp version of the style. Worth trying, I suppose, but don't go out of your way.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2009 22:06:30 | More by jmalex

StJamesGate

New York

3.25/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours cloudy goldenrod with no head to speak of. Nose is waxy yeast and cooked apples; phenols, too. Sour green apples with some clove spice. Coriander peaks out as it warms. Not altogether pleasant doughiness builds at the end. Fizzy, medium, some burn.

Note: No Brewer's Reserve, just "Double Wit" on the label, but same ABV some I'm assuming same beer.

A wit after a bock is a bad idea, I realize now. Nevertheless, not enough going on here. Definitely not "double" anything.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2010 23:09:42 | More by StJamesGate

samie85

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a hazy yellow with the slightest bit of white head.

S-Smells of lemon, wheat, Belgian yeast and coriander.

T-Lemony upfront with some subtle spicy notes and wheat, and finishes with that characteristic dry, spicy Belgian Yeast note.

M-The carbonation is pretty full and prickly, with a medium body.

D-Not a bad beer by any stretch of the imagination, but I know I couldn't finish more than one of these. The yeast and the coriander become too much for me after awhile.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 22:12:48 | More by samie85

emsroth

New York

3.3/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

App: Cloudy gold. Huge 4 finger head with even a gentle pour.

Amell: Sour apples, grape like white wine, faint alcohol, fruity/sour yeast.

Taste: A light taste. A slight sweetness followed by a slight sourness. Ends with a distinct, belgian flavored bitterness. As it warms, the grassy hop character makes itself known. Not enough of the wheat flavor; too much hops for a witbier.

Nice full mouthfeel with great carbonation. Definitely something i'll drink again, but not stellar.

The taste was too light and lacking for me, with an unbalanced hoppy/malty bitter aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2009 16:37:53 | More by emsroth

metter98

New York

3.38/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: It's cloudy yellow and came with a very big head.
S: The aroma is rather faint but smells of citrus and some spices are detectable.
T: The taste is mainly dominated by spices and some of the wheat; if there is any citrus or hops flavors they are barely noticeable.
M: The beer feels light-bodied on the palate and a little raw because of the amount of spices clashing with the wheat.
D: It's drinkable but not as light and refreshing as other types of wit beers. The amount of spices and underlying alcohol also probably play a role with this.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 18:59:26 | More by metter98

maddogruss

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got a bottle of this in a River Horse mixer.

A: Pours a dark gold, hazy body with a thick, off-white head that was very silky with very good retention and lacing. Very good for the style.

S: A sweet citrus, malt smell with some banana ester and clove notes. Slight alcohol undertones were also evident. Very nice for the style.

T: A fairly alcoholic taste with some earthy, metallic notes. The sweeter, "wheaty" and banana notes were evident in the aftertaste, but it was mostly the alcohol that commandeered my taste buds.

M: A fairly smooth mouthfeel that was a little overcarbonated. Pretty good overall.

D: A pretty decent mouthfeel and taste combination. A little more banana ester or clove evidence could have made this one smoother by hiding the alcohol a little bit. The appearance, however, was very nice.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2009 21:22:23 | More by maddogruss

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A cloudy light golden colored body has a good amount of lazy, slow moving carbonation bubbles. The head is massive, creamy, and bright white. Retention is great, and the head leaves some thick, sticky rings of lacing on my glass.

The aroma is a good one. A bread undertone with a wheat twang along with a bunch of spices. Coriander, maybe chammomile are in there with some orange zest.

The taste isn't bad, but I have to say that the aroma was better. The spices really take over. Coriander is there, and I would still guess chammomile, but I would also say there are other floating around. A hint of orange zest and a little bit of that nice wheat twang and bready flavor.

The mouthfeel is surprising light and well-carbonated. It works ok though.

OK drinkability. Overall, an interesting brew that is some what over spiced.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2009 05:44:18 | More by Hojaminbag

wheelinshirt

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz brown longneck bottle from blue dog in lansdale for $2.50 or so, poured into a dimple mug.

Cloudy with a decent size fluffy white head, okay retention and some lacing. Somewhat standard if a bit tame.

Smell seems a bit bitter or maybe just abrasive but as it warms a little bit it comes into its own, not great but the orange peel and yeast spiciness stand out well against a bit of booziness which I don't really appreciate in a wit. Taste is like a good wit with a little bit of everclear added. I'm not really sure what imperializing witbeirs is supposed to add to them exactly, but I don't think it works--in this one at least. Not bad, just unnecessary.

Mouthfeel is light, lively carbonation. No alcohol burn. No complaints.

Drinkability is high for a doubled beer. If you are in the market for a bigger belgian white than go ahead and grab one. I picked this up pretty cheap as a single bottle and it is definately worth trying but not worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2008 02:31:26 | More by wheelinshirt

ATPete

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

12oz

It pours a thick, hazy, yellow/orange color, lots of floaties and a decent one finger white head. The nose consists of mainly citrus fruits, big banana notes and sweet wheat/yeast. The beers got a big body, almost too big for its style. Grainy, wheat texture, big fruit notes, citrus brightness, tons of spices and a big hop bite on the finish, booze is definitely apparent. Its not terrible, the body is really killing this one for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2008 15:44:57 | More by ATPete

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: gold in color, medium head, high carbonation, cloudy with sediment

Smell: lemon, cardamom, and wheat

Taste: wheat, orange, cardamom, coriander, and alcohol.

Mouthfeel: sweet start with a bitter middle due to the alcohol, and a sweet finish, light bodied, high carbonation

Drinkability: This one is ok to drink. It tastes like a high ABV Blue Moon. The alcohol is a bit overpowering in places. Not bad, not great. I might have another.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2009 17:42:45 | More by tigg924

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A nice hazy dark amber brown, almost orange with a half an inch of head.

S - Smells like a decent Witbier I get strong clove and mild yeast tones with some tart lemons and alcohol.

T - Not as cloying with alcohol as others stated but not really very enjoyable. The spices of clove and coriander are kind of muted so I question the age of the bottle. Yeast is mild but the overall beverage is kind of lackluster.

M - Medium bodied I had no trouble finishing it.

Overall again yet another beer from these guys I didn't really like. I plan on trying their triple horse and oatmeal milk stout soon so hopefully they will not suck.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 01:30:00 | More by DrDemento456

guinness33

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice looking cloudy golden colour with a big frothy white head that puffs ever so slightly over the top of the glass. Residue left on the glass after each sip is kept to a minimum.

The aroma is a pleasant blend of wheat, hints of spice, yeast, floral hops, perfume and a touch of alcohol.

Flavour is more of the same, except a bit of juicy, citrus flavour comes through here that was surprisingly not picked up on in the aroma. Spice notes are toned down a bit as well, but the subtle hints of alcohol still linger here and there. Finish is a bit dry and a bit tart. Mouthfeel is light bodied and perhaps the slightest bit under carbonated, but not bad.

This is a pretty nice brew overall. I'd like to see more stuff like this out of River Horse than most of their every day brews. Definitely worth a try and one that has me interested in other potential Brewer's Reserve offerings from River Horse.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2008 02:27:08 | More by guinness33