Bootleggers Nakhon Lemongrass White

Nakhon Brewing Company
Brewed at Bootleggers Brewery
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Los Angeles, California USA

Serve in Tumbler, Weizen

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A: The pour on this one is a hazy pale yellow color with a massive white head. S: The lemongrass aroma is really almost overpowering. Lots of coriander is in there as well. A bit of wheat and bread, but they’re sort of drowned out by everything else. Light citrus peel and some white pepper. T: A lot of citrus peel flavor and a strong woody, lemongrass flavor. There is a nice sweetness of wheat bread and a nice bit of sweet spices and esters. Just a hint of pepper and maybe even a hint of vanilla. M: The body is medium and the carbonation is a bit on the high side. O: A lot better than my previous Bootlegger’s-lemongrass experience. Not something I’d drink a ton of, but good.
Earlier Rating: 2/23/2010 Total Score: 3.2
A: The pour is a hazy light golden color with a small white head on top. S: Certainly an interesting aroma to this beer. The lemongrass really comes through to give it sort of woody/grassy aroma and at the same time a nice hit of citrus (not surprising). There is also wheat, a bit of spice, and some floral notes. A lot going on, some might say too much. T: The flavor is definitely full of citrus (lemon and orange) and is very noticeable on the front end. The wheat comes through in the middle, with the usual spice and yeast of a witbier coming out at the finish. M: A nice medium bodied beer with lively carbonation. D: Bootlegger’s is really doing a lot of "different" stuff and I commend them for it. This is a beer that I found to be nice to try, but I don’t know if I’d drink bottle after bottle of it.

26-Jan-11 (22-oz bottle: Purchased for $5.49 at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA) While this beer is a bit sweet, it’s about what you might expect for a domestic version of the style. Sweet, fruity aromas of tangerine, lemon, dried apricot, and peach mingle with bright, spicy aromas of clove, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and fresh herbs for a truly engaging and enticing nose. Unfortunately, the flavor doesn’t live up to the promise of the aromas; the fruitiness is subdued, the peppery, gingery spiciness is muddled, and the maltiness is a bit bready. Not that it tastes bad per se, it just doesn’t have the personality the nose does. As the beer warms, ginger begins to emerge, but the bready, wheaty base becomes more prominent. On the palate, the beer is medium in body and carbonation is light-medium, but even though there is a pleasant spiciness and a touch of acidity in the entry, there is no life to the finish, so the beer finishes heavy and unrefreshing. Hazy with some transparency through the center of the glass, the body is golden in color and the white, bubbly head pours small and fades quickly. Overall, the nose is excellent, but all other facets are average at best. If the finish had better follow-through, the beer would be much more enjoyable and drinkable.

22oz bottle from a recent trade... Pours a hazy/cloudy yellow hue with a thin frothy soapy head... Aroma of lemon and grains associated with a witbier. Not too much lemongrass though... Flavors are sweet and bready with lighter lemon accents, sweeter and no as refreshing as I thought it would be. Very little lemongrass which is unfortunate but not totally absent. Semi-lively carbonation but a bit lackluster from a holistic standpont.

This is not a wit bier by any stretch to me. Aroma is off putting. If it’s lemongrass, then I don’t like lemongrass. Taste is very bready. Not much crispness or citrus. Color is kind cool and murky.

Very cloudy and hazy in color. Light golden/yellow in color. Very refreshing. A light citrus taste with a little bit of the coriander. A very good beer.

Had on tap at Bootleggers Brewery. Pours cloudy yellow with a slight head and good lacing. Aroma is mostly lemongrass with hints of yeast, citrus, and spice. Drinkable, but nothing memorable. Flavors are muddled with lots of citrus and a bit of a wheat finish.

Foggy yellow color/ white head. Sharp lemon, clove, citrusy aromas. light bodied. Sweet n’ tangy vanilla lemonaid, clove, orange zest flavors on a tart pale wheat base. good wit.

22oz bottle. Pours slightly hazy straw yellow with a thick but quickly dissipating head. The aroma consists of citrus, caramel, bread, and slightly grassy. The taste is fairly sweet with a lively mouthfeel and low bitterness.

Bomber from Holiday Wine Cellar ($5.49). I was excited to finally find this as I love lemongrass and all Thai flavors. This is also currently rated the #1 witbier on RateBeer. Pours a honey yellow color with one finger of white foam. Aroma of lemon / lemongrass and orange (presumably from these actual inputs rather than the hops) along with light wheat notes and peppery spice. Flavor is much of the same with the herb-y lemongrass very noticeable yet smooth. Lesser flavors of other citrus and wheat. The lemongrass continues into the finish which also includes a tangy / peppery quality. Light mouthfeel, smooth, and refreshing. Certainly the best wit I’ve had, and it would pair really well with some spicy Thai food. (24, 285)

On tap at Blue Palms. Hazy bright golden with a tiny white head, quickly fading to a thick ring and sparse film. A one finger head will rouse with decent retention. Lemony orange up front with plenty of wheat behind, light spice and I’ve convinced myself of the herbal notes of the lemongrass. Lots of wheat up front in the flavor with lemongrass and coriander following, and a vanilla/almond presence toward the finish, which was semi-dry, minimal bitterness. Moderate sharp carbonation with a light to medium body. Pretty good twist on a wit.