Unibroue Blanche de Chambly

bottle. average white fizzy head (mostly dissapating) into clear golden. aromas of moderate honey, light hops, and some yeast. flavor is initially bittersweet into moderate sweet. lively carbonation. watery mouthfeel. lo.ng finish duration. does not remind me of a wit

Shared this with Oldrtybastrd. Pours a clear yellow with a small white head and has a spicey aroma. This will warm you up on a winter day as it has the right mix for a winter beer. Not too bad.

Cork blew like a gunshot on this one, but not a gusher. Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a small fizzy white head that dissipates pretty quick. Nose is spicy, smells like gingersnaps. I am sure that must be the wheat. Flavour is very much the same, lots of spicy wheaty gingerbread, finishes with a hint of what could be piney resiny hops. They might be a little bit more citrus as it warms up more, I am not sure. Carbonation is pretty strong, but that seems ok with this beer. It is quite light, which as it turns out is very nice. I enjoy it.

750ml bottle. Pours very light orange with a large fluffy white head with very little lacing. Smell is of bread with citrus and sweet fruit. Tastes of bread, wheat, yeast and a little citrus. Medium mouthfeel with a slightly oily sensation left behind. Overall a good and drinkable beer.

12oz twistoff bottle. Deep golden color. Long lasting white head full of tiny bubbles. Pleasant carbonations cascading to the surface. Fruity aromatics with a bit of ripe apple. Nice yeast, dough, some light corriander in attendance. Flavor is a dry malt in a creamy mouthfeel, followed by champange bubbles. very nice malt character, hints of mild orange zest and corriander fruitiness. Great beer for the newbie or the occasional beer drinking girlfriend. Very enjoyable.

Poured to a very pale yellow color with some carbonation bubbles, and a thin white head that dissipated quickly and left little lacing. Nose was fruity apple and the mouthfeel was slightly champagne-effervescent and dry. Flavor was somewhat muted, but a carry over of the apple mouth, all leading to a dry finish. Nothing special here.

Bottle. Poured a hazy gold with a three finger white head. Aroma of yeast and some coriander and orange peel. Flavor was malty with a normal wit flavor. Good beer.

I could write about Unibroue and their beers all day long, though I would much rather be drinking them all day long, good company and good food included of course. Much like German hefeweizen and weisse beers, the Belgian Wit, or White Wheat Ale is a love it or hate it relationship. You either love the spiced, zesty, sour, citric, and crisp style, or you don’t. While I have seen some change their playing field, that is a rare occasion indeed. The most largely recognizable Belgian wit is Hoegaarden, but today I am partaking of and speaking of the Blanche de Chambly from Unibroue. Seeing as how I fall into the “love them” category, expect much open-minded critical bias to ensue.
Pouring a cloudy bleached straw with definite traces of white throughout her body, I pause momentarily near the end of the bottle to swirl, and then watch in delight as all the bottom dregs top her off. Yes, my friends, in the case of Belgians and a few others, dregs are beautiful and tasty.  Her soft cloud-white head fades slowly, sticking to the sides of my glass. Her nose practically jumps out at me with banana, spice, clove, coriander, orange peel, soft wheat notes, and pepper. Already I am in Belgian Wit heaven and I haven’t even tasted her yet. Such a sacrilege cannot be, so I raise my glass and partake of my first of many quaffs. Full, soft, and smooth with a bubbly effervescence which is crisp and refreshing. Ripe oranges on the tip of my tongue, while clove, spices, and lemon zest follow close behind. A tart tangy finish hints of sour dough and a soft chewy banana coats my mouth. An amazingly balanced blend with just the right touch of chewiness compliments the clean and easy-drinking palate. As I near the end of my glass, I find myself wishing for more. Softer and less spicy than some Belgian Wit beers, the Blanche de Chambly from Unibroue achieves her star status through grace and balance. As I revel in a spicy orange aftertaste with a sour zest, I only wish I had another bottle to enjoy.
I find that the largest obstacle people who have never had a real Belgian Wit beer before is the abundant, aromatic, and pronounced spicy and yeasty profile. There are a few macro beers who try to claim themselves as Belgian Wit beers, but they fall so far from the tree that they go beyond misrepresenting this traditional beer style; it’s almost an insult. They aren’t bad beers per say, but they are most definitely not what they claim to be. If you want a real Belgian Wit, then get your tastebuds on a Blanche de Chambly, among others.