La Grande Blanche

Brewed by De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Lochristi - Hijfte, Belgium

Serve in Tumbler, Weizen

22 oz bottle: pours cloudy straw, golden with a decent off white head. Bread yeast, citrus lemon zest, pungent earthy notes. Milky consistency with a thicker mouthfeel. Sedimentation allows the spices to concentrate and hit you with that added kick expected in an Imperial. This is a hard style to differentiate in and this offering surely is distinctive.

UPDATED: JAN 27, 2011 Tap. Clear yellow pour with a thin white head. Citrus, orange, and wheat on aroma and taste. Very tasty.

[Tap] Hazy orange in color with a huge white head. Aroma of banana, bubblegum, sweet wheat malts and some spice. Grainy in taste, with sweet esters, clove and coriander dominating. Noticeable alcohol throughout. Average mouthfeel and carbonation levels. I am a fan of the style, but this one is meerly OK.

Orange and straw co-mingle together in my large hefeweizen glass while a small white head leaves blotchy clumps in her wake. After the head settles, a few swirls produce thick layers of lace and an even thicker head. Big wit beers can be a delicate brew to conquer, but as I dip my nose quite literally into hers I know I am in good hands. There is rusticity to her aroma which immediately sets her apart. Thick with whole loaves of bread made from the finest grains, they are met with navel oranges, mango, honeydew, and a background sense of greenness. Some may wonder what I mean by green; it’s the same as digging one’s nail into the stem of a tree or the outer husk of unripe bananas, and in the case of La Grande Blanche, unripe honeydew and mango. Delightful. Not as much spice, but I think that works to her favor. For a heavy Belgian wit her palate practically dances across mine. Various soft breads roll around in my mouth for a chewy celebration of the grain. Let us not forget the wheat for she is there in high form. Melting into her bready profile are juicy mangos and navel oranges with the green bitterness of their skins creating a bright palate cleansing experience. The rusticity which tainted her nose is nowhere to be found in her palate. Honey joins bread while coconut and honeydew comingle with their fruity cousins; a wee bit tropical but not quite. Belgian wits are usually enjoyed in largesse, though 750ml is larger than typical but I had no problem drinking my way down to her very bottom.

Well played, I would definitely encourage the drinking of the La Grande Blanche sooner than later.

This is one ugly-looking beer out of the bottle and into the glass. A hazy light orange color with tons and tons of junk in suspension. Very thin lacy head. Low carbonation. However, what this one lacks in appearance, it makes up in character. A lemon-pepper aroma. Complex yeasty flavors with lemon and wheat-bread notes. Very drinkable, slightly peppery finish. Sort of saison-like.

Cloudy burnt orange with an egg-shell white head that left very nice lacing. Aromas of mildly spicy yeast, coriander and black pepper. Tartness of green apples plays against the sweetness of toasted malts on the tongue. Smooth creamy mouthfeel, gentle but lively carbonation, and a sweetish finish.

Tap, City Beer Store. A big but very drinkable witbier. This beer is a concentrated dose of summer. The aroma is all sunny wheat, mild spices, citrus and yeasty goodness. The taste is sweet but pleasing with a dry, yeasty finish. The citrus, sugary lemons and tangerines, is stronger in the mouth. Mouthfeel is light but full, rich but drinkable. It’s interesting on the palate, managing to be both thick and light. I didn’t expect to like this beer so much, but it won me over.

Bottle from Total Wine. Pours a solid inch of white head over a golden body. The nose is subtle with hints of wheat and yeast. Flavors continue with more wheat, hints of lemon and citrus. A crisp finish rounds out the medium body and medium/full carbonation. The higher ABV is slightly apparent for the style. Not bad.