Summer is over!  I’m not at all opposed to drinking this beer in the winter, but the refreshment that a beer like this gives during hot weather is unparalleled.  So there I was tenaciously and obstinately clinging on to summer (carefree, childhood summers, really).  Dreaming of lazily wasting a warm and perfect day.  This may sound like drivel to some, but to me, certain beers evoke this feeling.

As a point of interest, we have previously review Celis Grand Cru, which was the same brewer that was instrumental in creating the Hoegaarden recipe.  He now brews for Michigan Brewing (guess which state that could be in).  But before he left Belgium, he left Hoegaarden.

The wit beer itself is 4.9% ABV, which is very moderate compared to many beers that we’ve sipped on the site. But never let ABV fool you, this beer has a nice punch when it comes to flavor.

The Pour: A soft, white head sat like a thin cloud atop the very pale and slightly hazed body.  The haze is desirable, in fact, expected of a Wit beer.

The Nose: Having sour mashed recently, I noted that this beer has some slight sour notes on the nose. There was nothing overbearing about it, but it was certainly noticeable.  It’s hard to say whether the souring came from mashing or a lactic acid addition, yet it was there.  Wheat as a grain and Wit yeast are notorious for their phenolic (banana-like) and clove tones.  I personally thought the cloves were more notable in this particular offering.  A slight powdery yeast nose also came through with very little bits of citrus.

The Taste: I knew that I smelled something sour, and my mouth confirmed the fact.  The sides of my tongue were particularly cognizant of this fact.  There was a balance to the sour with a touch of sweet. Those phenols, cloves, and powdery yeast came through the lasting sour notes.  I’d say the cloves slightly edged the bananas.  The citrus tones were not that strong (I know the beer uses orange peel and coriander), although they were present.  In the long finish, the grains and a very slight toasted/roasted touch came through. In fact, I wondered if something like cardamom (maybe it was the coriander) was used in this beer because of tiny amount of the almost smoky quality that I caught on the end.  The finish almost leaves one’s mouth feeling dry and gummy.  It’s funny that the word gummy came to mind because Andrea thinks the beer has some bubble gum tones to it.

Overall, Hoegaarden is a very refreshing beer.  I think it could use a bit more of a flavor punch and a touch more grain.  However, sometimes a beer’s subtleties are its merits.  Pick some up and give it a try.  I think it’s way above Blue Moon.

Mike’s Rating:

Overall Satisfaction:  

Among other Belgian Whites: