Dieu du Ciel Blanche de Février

Bu le 7/3/08, en fut (20 oz) sur place. Jaune blanchie mi-brumeuse, petit collet. Arome de gingembre dominant, un peu de blé épicé. Goût de blé épicé léger, gingembre doux. Pour une blanche hivernale, ça manque du "punch", mais c’est février!

In short: A moderately spicy witbier. Unspectacular but good.
How: Tap at brewpub, new batch freshly put on tap.
The look: Cloudy dark blonde body with a medium white head
In long: Fluffy body. Hay sensation. Upfront taste of those crunchy dried banana slices with some light tropical fruits flavour in the back. Rather yeasty with a meringue feeling and taste. Moderately spicy with the advertised ginger but also a coriander and white pepper sensation. I’m not sure what role the mustard seeds play in the beer but I didn’t pick it up as a flavour. Finish is rather dry. This February Witbier (Blanche de Février) is a good beer but not good enough to make me look forward to February. But then again living in Montreal not even a Febuary Barrel-Aged Péché Mortel would make me look forward to the month of Febuary.

Murky orange, it was translucent near the bottom and more opaque on the way up, but that could have just been the glass...The initial full inch head crashed down into little white islands with the cling on the class acting as rainclouds.
Wheat comes at you first, followed by the wit yeast with the bubblegum and the coriander and maybe a bit of white pepper, unless it was the mustard seed.
Creamy smooth and refreshing (not that we need to be refreshed here in Québec at this time of year!), the mustard seed taste is present in the finish to give it a dry, abruptness that I liked. Didn’t really notice the ginger anywhere, it must have gotten lost somewhere with the wheaty backbone and spicy yeast flavors.

Hazy yellow honey gold hue, with a white head, yeasty nose, fruits notes of citrus fruits, also pineapple, star fruit, with a ginger and coriander spiciness and a wheaten aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a zesty character, yeasty, fruity flavors, a tingling note of pipperness probably from the mustard grains, with a good spiciness accent of ginger, with a delicate tone of floral hops, leading towards a lingering spicy bitterness finish.

Fresh wheat is very apparent in the spicy aroma along with floral hops and subtle yeasty esters. Hazy blonde body is topped by a decent white head that lasts nicely and leaves some lacing down the sides of the glass. Crisp wheat flavours are joined by pleasant ginger and coriander spiciness along with a surprisingly notable bitterness. Light esters blend well with the spices and linger in the aftertaste. Strong, lively carbonation to the light-medium body that is quite refreshing. Sampled on tap at the brewpub.