Struise Witte

Brewed by De Struise Brouwers
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Oostvleteren, Belgium

Serve in Tumbler, Weizen

21-Jul-08 (330-ml bottle: Purchased 03-Apr-08 for $3.69 from liquidsolutions.biz) This is an odd Belgian white, not exactly to style. For starters, it pours much darker, more of a hazy, medium-dark golden color. The whitish head pours filmy and fades to a razor-thin ring. The beer smells very doughy and papery, as if it’s seen a year or two of aging at room temperature. Bright aromas of citrus, spice and coriander are strangely missing. A similar story on the palate, with heavy, papery doughiness dominating. Lightly toasted wheat bread, mildly tart lemony citrus and just a hint of herbs offer some contrasting flavors, but only the citrus is able to offer much in the way of balance. It’s much heavier in weight too, the medium body only somewhat offset in the entry by the mild acidity of the citrus, but this fades in the finish, leaving stale doughiness to linger on an unrefreshed palate. Medium-high carbonation is fizzy. Overall, this hasn’t been an enjoyable drinking experience. It’s clearly not to style, but that’s only an observation, not a reason to dislike any beer.

Bottle. Large fizzy white head that mostly expired, one ring of lacing, hazy, and a straw hue. The aroma was sweet, citrus, yeasty, spicy, some tartness, herbs, and fruity. The flavor was sweet, spicy, tart, herbs, fruity, crisp and refreshing. The mouthfeel was tingly and this beer is medium bodied. Easy to drink, refreshing but I did not care for the flavor enough to want this beer again. Not a bad beer per se, it just did not leave me wanting more.

Bottle. Slightly opaque golden yellow pour with a thick frothy head that thins out quickly. Aroma of belgian yeast, wheat, sweet malt, coriander and other spice, and some citrusy notes. Similar flavor with more maltiness than I’m used to in wits. Medium to light body with good carbonation. One of the better wits I’ve had recently.

Tasted 07/12/08, poured from a bottle.
Pours blonde with a fizzy small white head that reduces to a nice tight bubbled ring leaving some lacing. On the nose, slight tartness, hints of honey, apples, grape skins, brett spiciness, wheat, floral aromas. To the taste a little tart, sweet, wild flowers, grapes, a pronounced impression of grape skins, and an Orval-like spicy/warming brett. Drying finish, well bodied.

bottle. Appearance: bright clear golden yellow color. Half inch fizzy white head bubbles up pretty quick, clears to leave a nice ring and thin layer. Aromas of thick, sweet wheat grains, notes of coriander and orange spices, and a thin, yeasty twang. Flavors of sweet, grainy wheat bread, sharp yeast notes, sharp citrus lemon and orange, slight notes of fruity tartness. Palate is very full flavored, full bodied on the palate, with some lingering sharpness and a bit of a slick finish. Overall an Interesting and tasty brew, a better witte than many. Sharpness detracts a bit.

33cl, from Geers Oostakker, easy to drink, yet complex Belgian White, cloudy, small head, good brew

33cl. bottle at home: Surprisingly crisp and clear for a Wit. Perhaps it just settled out well in this bottle. Just a faint haze. Aged straw color with a foamy (large bubbled) white slowly diminishing head. Surprising malty sweetness on the aroma just under a coating of lemon drops. Oatmeal cookie character from wheat I assume. Lemon drop character turns to fresh orange zest as the aromas blow over. Malt drops and is replaced by wheat. Tongue first picks up on citrus peel and a drop of lemon juice sitting on top of very light brown bread. A low herbal note winds its way through the citrus offering a slight bitterness. Could be from hops? The wheat, with the citrus, starts to turn tart towards the end on the sides of the mouth. Then running to the middle of the tongue, the tartness mixes in with some bread dough. Orange peel. Faint touch of malt (almost toasted malt) on the very end. Slight phenolic note on the aroma as the glass is finished.

Had at Delerium Cafe in Brussels on June 22. Pours a cloudy gold with a frothy white head. Aroma of citrus, sopice, and banana. Taste has a sour element to it, and the flavor is not quite as bready as other beers. That being sid, it was both enjoyable and interesting. I also enjoy style busters.