Last Friday was a rough day following a rough week, and I did not manage to share a beer review with y’all. However, on Sunday I enjoyed the new Widmer brew and made some notes to post. This is a Belgian style ale, and overall I was very pleasantly impressed by how true to style they managed to be. With most American commercial examples of Belgian styles, I have been underwhelmed by the nods they give to their European forebearers. A particular brewery in Colorado comes to mind whose products claim to be Belgian, but all taste the same. They just have a light version, a dark version, a strong version, etc…But I’m not going to name names.
My first impression was that this is a beautiful beer. It poured crystal clear with a wealthy, foamy white head. The beer is golden straw colored. The photo posted here makes it look a little orange, which is misleading because of the mash tun drying in the background. The odor is subdued, but complex. It’s somewhat bready, floral, and mostly fruity. The yeast character is noticeable in the smell.
This beer is very lightly hopped, so the flavor is immediately dominated by the malt as well as fruity characteristics imparted by the Belgian yeast (freakish little microbes, those Belgian yeasts). The hops come through after the initial hit of malty sweetness, and they are floral, spicy. The beer is nicely carbonated, and it bubbles around in your mouth. It’s sweet, a little heavier than I would expect, and it definitely coats the mouth.
Overall, for a 6.5% beer this is quite drinkable and tasty. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a session beer, but it’s very approachable and enjoyable.
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