Coronado Orange Avenue Wit

Brewed by Coronado Brewing Company
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Coronado, California USA

Serve in Tumbler, Weizen

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The taste is overwhelmed by the bubbles. Either it’s too cold or they’re making it up about the smorgasbord of flavours that should be present, perhaps I left them in the bottle when I poured the first part. Disappointed much.

Draught at the Yard House, Honolulu, HI
Deep blond color, clean, with small creamy head. Light aroma, very light honey. Dry mouthfeel, lean; not much wheat, but at least there is a light lemony and orangey touch, light honey, very light chamomile; correct bitterness.
Simple but not bad.

The aroma had light fruit notes, oranges, light grain and malt notes also. The beer poured a hazy pale yellow color w/ slight head and lacing. The flavor had big oranges with a light spicey note, and just a little bit of a grainy, malty note. The mouthfeel was light and creamy.

02-Nov-09 (22-oz bottle: Purchased 13-May-09 for $4.19 at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA)
This is pretty clearly a fully revamped recipe from the old Orange Avenue Ale I had years ago at the brewpub, and it really is a completely new beer. Having said that, Coronado may be calling this an Orange Pale Ale for marketing purposes, but it’s clearly an attempt at a Belgian-style witbier. And it’s not unsuccessful. The beer pours a hazy yellow body, but instead of being cloudy, the sediment is larger in size, kind of like sand. The bubbly, off-white head rises to about half an inch before settling quickly to a bubbly ring. Orange peel dominates the nose, but coriander is obviously present as well, with a background aroma of wheat. Similarly, the order of prominence in the flavor is orange peel, coriander, and wheat, with a touch of grassy hops for good measure. A bit of astringency and apple skin dustiness in the finish. Light bodied, but not thin, and carbonation is medium-high. Overall, not a bad beer at all, but the orange is a bit overbalanced, although, that’s clearly the intent for a beer named Orange Avenue OPA, from a brewery on Orange Avenue, where orange trees used to grow in years past. Decent, but not a repeat purchase.

24-May-06 (Draft: Coronado Brewing Co. in Coronado, CA)
Haven’t been here since they rehired their old brewer back, so let’s see if his second go-round is any better. Orange Avenue Ale is served with a huge orange slice over the rim of the glass, so eating that first is a nice way to start. Mmmm, a tasty, sweet wedge of orange it is too! The beer is yellow in color with a slight orange tint, and is fairly cloudy. The large, foamy, off-white head settles to a filmy layer. Having thoroughly enjoyed that tasty bit of citrus, I’m hopeful this will be a pleasant fruit beer. Wow, orange ale is right! Tastes like a hoppy, moderately bitter blonde ale with plenty of orange juice added in, but orange juice like what comes in a plastic container that needs no refrigeration until opened. I can smell the orange first and foremost in the nose, plus there really isn’t much in the way of malt or hops here anyway. Without the oranges, I think it would smell like a cheap blonde ale. The palate is tangy and well-carbonated, light-medium in body, fairly crisp from the bitter finish. Not a bad beer, but easily the best part of this was the orange wedge. (6, 3, 5, 3, 12 = 2.9)

Tap at CAH. Pours a hazy yellow/orange with a medium creamy white head. Aroma of orange zest, a little medicinal, wheat and some Wit yeast spiciness. Flavor of the same, kind of a light orange meets Wit spicing. Kind of thing and not all that great.

bottle from superdave 9/27/09 and reaffirmed later... hazy yellow-ochre with a huge off white head. faint aroma... really faint, actually... skunky grassy hops, pale malt and mild orange blossom/floral sweetness. the flavor is fairly similarly faint and not very orange-like... honey, stale pale grain, grassy hops and some spice. oddly, i get some alcohol vapor sting in the nostrils. light to medium bodied with a bit of a chalky texture. not a strong showing. 5/3/5/3/11/2.7

Bottle shared with batten. Kinda okay i guess. like a bluemoon with honey. good for getting girls to drink beer i suppose. meh.

22oz bottle. Rating #34. Kind of a medium gold/yellow color. Very unassuming aroma, didn’t get anything at all out of the glass. Flkavor was pretty light as well, a little hops, a small bit of alcohol actually ƕ%?), really nothing to write home about. ꀙ)

Draught at Churchkey. Clear light yellow. Aroma of oranges and sweaty feet. Taste is very acidic lemon, a bit unbalanced. No urge to try this one again.

Lightly hazed golden pour with a white head. Sweet grain and wheat aromas, mild tartness, and a ton of orange peel. A little bit of grass and some honey. The flavor is heavy on the grain notes. A bit of honey, a lot of grass, and tons of orange peel. A hint of wheat, some bread sweetness, and perhaps a hint of spice.