Sweetwater Hummer

Formerly brewed at Sweetwater Brewing Company
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Atlanta, Georgia USA

On tap at Summit’s Wayside Tavern (Snellville). It was served in a pint Sapporo glass. It was a cloudy yellowish in color and at Summit’s they fill the glass to the brim, so no head. Hummer has a very fruity aroma. The initial taste is of banana and citrus, and it has a nice hop bite at the end.

On tap at Summits in sandy springs. Overall this is a somwhat clean tasting wit. Pours with a bit more clarity than expected although there is a slight haze and a thin white head that fades. Aroma is spciy with some clove, but then some alligator pepper and coriander dominate. Wheaty sweet flavor with more citrus and a somwhat slick finish but relatively crisp and easy drinking. Decent witbeer.

Yeasty aroma is slightly funky with a mash of aging citrus fruits. Cloudy yellow body with a slowly diminishing thumb thick white head. Wheat malt fore, some toned down spice and citrus. Thinner than other Wits I’ve had, but slightly more refreshing too. Has some faint herbal notes to that fade into more concentrated citric notes int he finish. Solid.

Obtained via trade with beeryum. Spice, orange and lemon in the nose. Poured a very clear pale yellow, the yeast sediment at the bottom didn’t really get into suspension. Flavor has notes of sweet wheaty malt, spiciness, orange zest, banana and lemon. Very well-balanced and flavorful. Medium body, smooth texture and moderate carbonation. Good stuff!

Bottle: Courtesy of beeryum via trade. Very nice aroma of banana, corriander, light orange peel, and pepper. Pours a slightly hazy golden-orange with a nice white head that lasts a minute or so. Orange is the first flavor to hit and is just the slightest bit acidic and tart. Banana and yeast follow shortly and really lend a nice sweet balance to the flavor. Finishes wheaty with some corriander, pepper, and some flowery bitterness. Definitely one fo the better witbiers I’ve had. This is great during the winter. I can only imagine how great a summer time brew this would be.

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with goldtwins, thanks Larry!) Expecting the dose of coriander of the typical witbier, I’m instead surprised to get a moderate shot of tart lemon citrus and a light Belgian tripel type of sweetness and banana flavor, each offsetting the other and keeping the beer in balance. But is this a witbier? Not when drunk chilled, where it seems more like a standard Belgian golden. Lemon citrus decreases and the coriander along with a modest yeast and bready wheat flavor pick up as the beer warms up, and this is where the witbier character tries its best to emerge, but only partially succeeding in my mind. The lemon is an integral part of the nose throughout the session, with the other aromas of coriander and wheat always playing a more minor role. Body is medium, but could use more tartness, and less sweetness to be more refreshing on the palate. Hazy pale golden color. Small whitish head fully dissipates after awhile, leaving no lacing on the glass. Not a bad beer by any means, but this beer hasn’t really captured me and after about eight ounces, I’m sicking of drinking it.

12 oz bottle, thank you to Jacob (aracauna) for this one: Golden body w/ a thin white head. Wheat malt and coriander are very apparent. Lightly orange citrus w/ a some spicy, peppery yeast. Well balanced w/a tart, dry finish. A bit of a yeasty aftertaste and a slightly medicinal phenolic as well. Wheat malt w/ a bit of orange citrusy flavor and coriander in between the spicy peppery yeast and finish. Spritzy m/f w/ a lighter body. Smooth. Refreshing and tasty. Not the best Wit, but very solid.

On tap at the Brewgrass Festival in Asheville, pours a cloudy pale yellow. Like other wheats, smells and tastes like bananas, bubblegum, some cloves. But this one was pretty tasty. I like it.