The Beers of Summer (Part 4)

A proper witbier, served in a proper tumbler glass

Man, this “beers of summer” series is just like the fast and furious movies… against all logic to the contrary, they just keep making more. Hopefully, nobody dies… too soon?

If you've been following along at home, so far we've traveled from Germany to Belgium and back to Germany. Today, our virtual tour of summer beers takes us back to Belgium, to break down the classic Belgian style known as witbier.

Last week, while breaking down hefeweizens, I told you that there are (basically) two types of wheat beers – weissbiers and witbiers. There are also sour varieties, but they don’t fit neatly into any established groups, so for the sake of this explanation, let’s just ignore them for the moment.

If you remember, hefewiezens are German top fermented ales that are made with at least 50% wheat in the grist bill. By contrast, a witbier (aka white beer or witte) is a barley/wheat, top-fermented ale brewed mainly in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is brewed with either raw wheat or wheat malt, and there is no prescribed ratio from wheat to barley. Many brewers have been known to add oats as well to help with lautering, which will give the beer an even lighter and cloudier finish. The finished product appears hazy, or “white” when cold due to suspended yeast and wheat proteins in the beer, hence the name “white beer.”

These monks are getting medieval on their beers... see what I did there?

Witbier is a descendant from the medieval beers that were brewed with gruit instead of hops… in the pre-hop era. Gruit was a blend of spices and other plants that flavored and preserved medieval beer. Witbiers are still made with gruit today, which consists of coriander, orange, bitter orange, various oddball spices at the brewer’s discretion, and a little bit of hops. This combination of spices, fruit and hops give the beer a slightly hoppy flavor, as well as a somewhat sour taste due to the introduction of lactic acid. Witbiers are also known to have a crisp mouthfeel, which is a byproduct of the wheat and the lively carbonation.

Witbiers are often served with a lemon, but just like with hefeweizens, you should avoid this practice. In the case of witbiers, they are already citrusy, so there is no need to add a citrus wedge, and all you’re really going to accomplish is screwing up your head retention.

Pretty straight forward, actually...

Many brewers here in the States have taken a liking to witbiers, and have done a very good job of sticking to the style. Some such American versions of the style are…

Allagash White – Allagash Brewing Company – Portland, Maine: Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel, this beer is fruity, refreshing and slightly cloudy in appearance.

White Rascal – Avery Brewing Company – Boulder, Colorado: A truly authentic Belgian style wheat or “white” ale, this Rascal is unfiltered (yup, that’s yeast on the bottom) and cleverly spiced with coriander and Curaçao orange peel producing a refreshingly zesty classic ale.

Ommegang Witte – Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, New York: Uniquely refreshing and less sweet with more of a wheat tang in the finish.

Florida Cracker – Cigar City Brewing – Tampa, Florida: Florida Cracker White ale is brewed with unmalted wheat, orange peel and coriander and then fermented with a French Saison yeast strain to give it a spicy and dry finish.

Optimal Wit – Port City Brewing – Alexandria, Virginia: Optimal Wit is brewed with raw wheat and oats, and steeped with coriander, orange peel and grains of paradise. This ale is a pale golden color with a bit of cloudy haze from natural yeast in the bottle. This unfiltered ale offers layers of complex, nuanced flavors that evolve in the glass. It finishes crisp and refreshes the palate.

Alaskan White – Alaskan Brewing Company – Juneau, Alaska: Alaskan White Ale has a soft, slightly sweet base with the unique spice aroma of coriander and crisp, citrus finish of orange peel. A light and effervescent body combined with the smooth palate creates a complex and delicate beer that is deliciously refreshing in any season.

Great White – Lost Coast Brewery – Eureka, California: A Crisp beer with a hint of citrus, made with two-row malted barley, unmalted wheat, a secret blend of Humboldt herbs, crystal clear mountain water and ale yeast.

And as always, look to your local brewers to lead the way. This time of year, and in many cases all year round, your local brewers are serving up their own interpretations of the witbier style and the results are usually amazing.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!