Abbaye des Rocs Blanche des Honnelles (Blanche Double)

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye des Rocs
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Montignies-sur-Roc, Belgium

Pours out hazy orange, agressive head forming and taking on a cream color. Retention is excellent, a tall mound of frothy carbonation spewing from the center of the thick looking body. Aroma is indeed curious: while there are wheat and coriander notes present, a bold pepper presence is the most noticeable trait. Also noted are sweet fruits(apple) and spicy yeast. Flavor proves that the spicy, peppery nose was no illusion. A very interesting and flavorful witbier, it also showcases more citrus and apple, banana, vanilla custard and spices. Alcohol is zippy and apparent, though not cumbersome. Finishes dry and mildly spicy, a welcome departure from typical beers in this style category. Palate is soft but very lively and coats the tongue in all the right places. Another great beer from des Rocs. If this were any drier it would be too much so, but as it is, it just draws me back for the next sip, very enticing. This brewery just couldn’t recieve enough accolades for innovative and consistent brewing that retains a genuine traditional feel.

Cloudy golden body with a medium off-white head. Overpowering spicy character with cloves, coriander, white pepper and various powder spices flavour. Very malty body full of cereals with a biscuit/flour taste and texture. Fruity flavour is mainly orange peels and maybe some peach. Typical belgian lively carbonation. Short and crisp finish with limited bitterness and no tartness. Far from a light lemony witbier, I find it to be saison-ish. An unusual and surprising beer that breaks the witbier mold like I break most of my promises.

Tap. A very easy drinkable belgian beer! Nice citrus/hoppy finish. Nice medium thick head. Yet another hit by ADR.

Thanks to my Florida Secret Santa for this one! Deep gold with a hint of copper, nice head fades slowly. Aroma of orange, coriander, dry pepper. Flavor starts of with sweet orange marmalade, then goes abruptly dry with coriander and a good dose of a peppery finish. Perhaps a hop bitterness in the finish as well. Not bad, definitely not a traditional wit.

Bottle. Nice cloudy blond/orange body with low carbonation and a decent white foamy head. Relatively complex malty/hoppy aroma with yeasty, citrusy, and spicy notes. Well balanced malty taste that carries yeasty, coriander, and hoppy hints. Ends with a long bittersweet finish. Very good!

bottle-thanks to vyvvy for sharing this fine and unique brew. cloudy orange with a small spritzy white head. funky nose-smells like lots of brettanomices yeast(funk, foot odor). some light citrus in there under all the funk. nice funky flavors which say more saison than Wit. Doesnt have the tartness of a saison so thats the main difference. pretty complex, but definately not a wit i could drink all the time. this thing has a very round body which was fuller than most of the style. cool!

750. You can’t really ask for a nicer-looking beer. Pours deep hazy copper with a towering platinum blonde head of suds and mousse that falls to whipped-egg-white stalgmites but it takes a while. Rich funky green apples and cherries on the nose. No visible carb. Subdued attack; low-medium body, light carb, subtle flavors. Green apples and pears are there, and they carry through the mid-palate, along with some honey and a little bit of grass. This is a soft, lovely, refreshing wit. Great stuff. Starting to wonder whether I have a crush on Rocs or something.

Bottle. Good crisp aroma and decent appearance with a head that thined a little. Flavor is good. Well balanced and nice belgian yeast flavored. Decently smooth.