First Posted: 7/15/2013
Beer: Witte
Brewer: Brewery Ommegang
Style: Witbier
ABV: 5.20%
Description: Ommegang’s Witte pours a hazy straw-like yellow hue with huge foamy head that lingers and leaves an impressive lacing on the glass. The aroma is absolutely perfect and is very inviting to the senses, bringing out scents of coriander, very sweet wheat, hops, honey, citrus fruits, and just ever so subtle notes of banana and clove. The overall reaction to the taste can be described in one word: refreshing. This is a perfect beer to have on a hot summer day. The spices do not overwhelm the palate at all, but instead offer a nice refined kick that make this witbier even more inviting. The attack of the wheat, honey, and citrus notes will hit the palate first while the subtle spices follow before finishing up quite dry, but still leave the palate feeling refreshed and invigorated. The medium body of the beer combined with the fairly high carbonation also contributes to the refreshing feeling by leaving a very crisp touch on the palate. While this is certainly not the most complicated beer on the market I cannot think of a better beer to have on a warm summer day!
Food pairing: Ommegang’s Witte is a beer that crosses all meal boundaries. Yes, that’s right, this is a great beer for breakfast, or brunch, for those lazy summer days! Any egg dishes will have a perfect counterpoint with Witte, with the citrus aromatics offering an even deeper and more enjoyable experience of your meal. And fear not, bacon and sausages will be overcome by the wonderful acidity within the beer and meld into one delicious dish. For a truly perfect breakfast partner for Witte, check out a wonderful recipe for Eggs, Bacon, and Greens Panini on my blog at idtapthat.org. If you are looking to enjoy Witte with a lunch dish then I recommend a salad, and don’t be afraid to pile on the cheese, chicken, shrimp, eggs, or whatever you like, as this beer can handle it and aid in the melding of the flavors. A perfect dinner accompaniment for this beer is fish; any fish that you typically squeeze a lemon onto works well.
Is it worth trying?: As with all beers that come from Brewery Ommegang, absolutely! Brewery Ommegang has a very well-earned reputation for consistently releasing high quality beers at affordable prices and Witte certainly falls into that category. Also, the witbier style lends itself perfectly to the summer season with its citrus notes and refreshing characteristics, and while this is a great summer beer it is also enjoyable, and available, throughout the year. So use your own wit and go grab yourself a bottle or two!
Rating: W W W W
Where can I get it?: Currently available in bottles at: Krugel’s Georgetown Deli, Wilkes Barre; Exit 190 Beer Deli, Dickson City; Wegmans, Dickson City and Wilkes Barre; and Backyard Ale House, Scranton.
Remember, enjoy responsibly! Cheers!
-Derek Warren is a beer expert, avid homebrewer, and beer historian. Follow Derek’s beer blog at idtapthat.org.
