Entries tagged with “Wheat” from Malt & Barley Chronicles

Oh my goodness. This is one special beer -- take whatever you know about apple cider and toss it in the trash bin. Honestly, it's akin to a drinkable apple pie filling. I've even had dreams about trying this beverage as the base for a vanilla (or dulce de leche) ice cream float.

Characteristics: Gold-straw cloudy color; light-to-medium carbonation; thin body; consistent mix of apple and cinnamon and nutmeg with the spices lingering in the finish.

Minor Gripes: it's a little thin, even watery at times (though that could also be the tap from which I was served). And at 3.1% ABV, this Apple Wit could stand a little more alcohol to add some heft.

Bottom Line: The wheat/wit base provides some depth that's missing from the standard apple ciders (Strongbow, Magners/Bulmers, Woodpecker, Woodchuck). If you like the idea of a lambic, hate Lindemann's, and are burdened with wheat/gluten allergies, then this is an excellent choice.

Rating: 6.75 / 10

Like many regional breweries, Bell's is sometimes hit-or-miss.  The Oberon wheat ale has remained fairly consistent over the past 5-6 years, however -- always thicker than it looks, working a subtle line between hop-overload and red/amber roasty notes.

Characteristics: Cloudy, rich gold color, average head and carbonation, medium-to-heavy body, moderate bitterness carries through from start to finish with a slight citrus finish and a grainy feel on the tongue.

Minor Gripes: This ale is VERY temperature-dependent -- too cold and it's just a heavy yellow lager, too warm and it's literally liquid bread.  The sweet spot is very hard to find, especially in a bar.

Bottom Line: Bell's Oberon is a good beer if you like weiss beers and are willing to experiment a little on the heavier side.  At the same time, with summer rapidly approaching in Washington, Oberon season is nearly over (head out to Michigan or Wisconsin to enjoy it for a few more months).

Rating: 5.75 / 10

Beer #2 I brought back from my recent roadtrip to North Carolina... and unfortunately not as solid as the Black Radish.  As noted recently, weissbiers really need to be fresh... and this one was not in the samples I got (two six-packs from the last contract-brewed batch).

Characteristics: Cloudy dirty gold color with a minimal head (even after spinning the bottle), light-to-medium body, watery start with a dominant citrus middle and slightly sweet finish.

Minor Gripes: As with nearly all non-German weissbiers (but not the Belgian-style witbiers), this would be a far better beer when fresh.  It also lacks some of the yeastiness I want from a weiss.

Bottom Line: Worth trying if you're on the Outer Banks some time... but it's not hardy enough to travel well assuming the Weeping Radish gang works out their new distro game.

Rating: 5 / 10

Yet another hit-and-miss weiss... when will I ever learn?  Seriously, I'm about to swear off weissbiers unless I know I'm getting a "just born" bottle, preferably of a tall German persuasion with glassware to match.

Characteristics: Medium gold color with limited head (even after spinning the bottle), light carbonation, slightly chewy body (from the yeast) and lemony finish.

Minor Gripes: Without the yeast, this is a fairly bland beer.  And even with it, this is on the verge of dull. 

Bottom Line: Get it fresh and work all the yeast out of the bottom of the bottle, or don't drink it at all.

Rating: 4.75 / 10

I first found this beer (and brewery) when I lived in Madison, WI.  New Glarus is a Swiss-founded village about 40 miles south-southwest of Madison, nestled among rolling hills and golden-green fields.  The brewery makes 10-12 different brews in the course of a year, but Spotted Cow appears to have become their staple.

Characteristics: Cloudy gold, medium weight, average carbonation, smoky citrus flavors resolving to yeast.

Minor Gripes: Like its witbier brethren, Spotted Cow is inconsistent and ages poorly.  I've had some batches that tasted like lemon Alka-Seltzer, while others make Blue Moon look and taste like Busch Light.

Bottom Line:  When it's on, Spotted Cow is a phenomenal beer for those who like the Belgian wheat / wit style (as opposed to the German style).  When it's not on, you may as well use it to mop the floor.  It's just a tricky beer (but I keep coming back to it...).

Rating:  5.75 / 10 (docked .5 for inconsistency)

Sharpness (via carbonation) and yeastiness (of course) dominate this particular variation on the venerable hefeweisse.  It's certainly a passable summer beer, but the body is perhaps a little heavy for the humidity of a Washington, DC summer.

Characteristics: Cloudy gold color, heavy body, high carbonation, yeasty / smoky finish on a sharp citrusy start.

Minor Gripes:  This beer approaches porter-weight instead of staying in the pils/amber range -- perhaps it's the yeast (and my insistence on spinning the bottle to get all the yeast out).

Bottom Line: A decent if not spectacular variation.  Certainly worth another try sometime before the end of the summer.  Also, you may want to check out the recent NYTimes article (free reg.) for the wine-snobby run at the topic

Rating: 5.5 / 10

Technorati: Clipper City, Oxford, Hefeweizen, Weiss, Baltimore