The Naked Pint (16 page)
Authors: Christina Perozzi
Sadly, the Witbier is another style of beer that has been bastardized with a lemon or an orange wedge squeezed into it. Now we love fresh lemon or orange juice, and maybe you just want to add that to your Wit to create something new, but we are encouraging you to take a sip first. Understand what the beer’s nuances are, and you may find that the beer is great on its own. Give the brewer a chance to show you his or her creation (see “NFL Draught” on page 72). Here are some Witbiers that we dig:
ST. BERNARDUS WITBIER:
Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV, Watou, Belgium. A quintessential true Belgian Witbier with subtle orange peel and spice. Nuanced, clean, and dry. 5.5% ABV.
ALLAGASH WHITE:
Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, Maine. An American craft version true to style. Subtle coriander and bitter orange peel. Well balanced, dry, and complex. 5% ABV.
LOST COAST GREAT WHITE:
Lost Coast Brewery, Eureka, California. A White Ale brewed with lemongrass. Citrus, herbs, and fruit with a dry finish. 4.8% ABV.
HITACHINO WHITE:
Kiuchi Brewery, Ibaraki-ken Naka-gun, Japan. Like biting into a crisp pear; from a great Japanese brewery (originally a sake brewery) specializing in Belgian styles. 5% ABV.
ORCHARD WHITE:
The Bruery, Placentia, California. Hailing from a wonderful small brewery in Orange County, brewed with coriander and lavender. Notes of wheat, oats, and citrus peel. 5.7% ABV.
ST. BERNARDUS WITBIER:Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV, Watou, Belgium. A quintessential true Belgian Witbier with subtle orange peel and spice. Nuanced, clean, and dry. 5.5% ABV.
ALLAGASH WHITE:Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, Maine. An American craft version true to style. Subtle coriander and bitter orange peel. Well balanced, dry, and complex. 5% ABV.
LOST COAST GREAT WHITE:Lost Coast Brewery, Eureka, California. A White Ale brewed with lemongrass. Citrus, herbs, and fruit with a dry finish. 4.8% ABV.
HITACHINO WHITE:Kiuchi Brewery, Ibaraki-ken Naka-gun, Japan. Like biting into a crisp pear; from a great Japanese brewery (originally a sake brewery) specializing in Belgian styles. 5% ABV.
ORCHARD WHITE:The Bruery, Placentia, California. Hailing from a wonderful small brewery in Orange County, brewed with coriander and lavender. Notes of wheat, oats, and citrus peel. 5.7% ABV.
All-American: Wheat Beers Born in the USA
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE:
ADDING FRUIT TO BEER. APPLE PIE. FOOTBALL AND SOUVENIRS. CITRUS FLAVORS. CLOUDS. BREAD. BEING LOVED BY ALL AMERICANS.
ADDING FRUIT TO BEER. APPLE PIE. FOOTBALL AND SOUVENIRS. CITRUS FLAVORS. CLOUDS. BREAD. BEING LOVED BY ALL AMERICANS.
If you just can’t let go of the idea of putting a lemon into your wheat beer, then the American Wheat beer styles might be more to your liking than the traditional Hefeweizen. The American version of the wheat beer still uses the unfiltered, cloudy goodness of a traditional wheat beer, but instead of using a yeast style that adds banana and clove to the mix, American Wheats use a different kind of yeast that is much cleaner, if you will; in other words, this brewing method is missing the esters that are present in the German and Belgian versions. This is why many Americans are often surprised by the fruit and spice present in the Bavarian, German, and Belgian styles of wheat beer. They are used to American Wheats, which do not give off such distinct flavor notes.
American Wheat beers (some of which are confusingly labeled Hefeweizen) are medium bodied, super subtle, and refreshing, with a hint of citrus and biscuit, and a very mild hop presence. Because of this, American Wheat beers are often served and sometimes even marketed with a lemon or an orange wedge perched on their rim. While we generally pooh-pooh the use of fruit as a beer garnish (see “NFL Draught” on page 72), if you are going to do it, now is the time. You are much better off squeezing lemon into an American Wheat than a German one. The fruit will still kill the head and deaden the aromatics, but at least it won’t necessarily clash with any strong flavors in the beer. American Wheat beers are a good gateway beer for any beginner looking for something simple. Try some of these:
GUMBALLHEAD:
Three Floyds Brewery, Munster, Indiana. Brewed with a touch of lemon, nice grapefruity hops, and some heft on the tongue. 4.8% ABV.
CRACK’D WHEAT:
New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin. An interesting take on the style; cinnamon and clove mixed with definite citrus notes. Hybrid style that uses both Bavarian and Wisconsin wheat. 5.9% ABV.
BLUE STAR GREAT AMERICAN WHEAT BEER:
North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, California. A fine example of a no-frills American Wheat. This beer boasts unfiltered lemon notes. Very light fruit on the nose, with a dry hop finish. 4.5% ABV.
SIERRA NEVADA WHEAT BEER:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California. Simple in the best way, with big citrus on the nose and hints of spice; a mild bitter but nonassaulting finish. 4.4% ABV.
GUMBALLHEAD:Three Floyds Brewery, Munster, Indiana. Brewed with a touch of lemon, nice grapefruity hops, and some heft on the tongue. 4.8% ABV.
CRACK’D WHEAT:New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin. An interesting take on the style; cinnamon and clove mixed with definite citrus notes. Hybrid style that uses both Bavarian and Wisconsin wheat. 5.9% ABV.
BLUE STAR GREAT AMERICAN WHEAT BEER:North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, California. A fine example of a no-frills American Wheat. This beer boasts unfiltered lemon notes. Very light fruit on the nose, with a dry hop finish. 4.5% ABV.
SIERRA NEVADA WHEAT BEER:Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, California. Simple in the best way, with big citrus on the nose and hints of spice; a mild bitter but nonassaulting finish. 4.4% ABV.
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