Amadeus Biere Blanche

Brewed by Les Brasseurs De Gayant
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Douai, France

Best By Date September 2009; Sampled July 2008
Pours into my 25cl tulip glass with a four-finger thick, almost pure white colored head. The head leaves lots of lace and forms a rocky surface as it slowly recedes. The beer is a pale straw color with amber highlights. It shows a white haze and a pale color when held up to the light. Aromatics of orange peel are quite noticeable as I pour and inspect this beer. Up closer the orange notes gets even more piquant, almost like orange soda in intensity. The sweet citrus is so intense that I would guess there is something other than orange zest used here. A touch of grassy grain is noticeable if you intently smell the aroma for a bit, but the ϋber-citrus tends to dominate over all other aromas.

Dry tasting with a grassy grain flavor up front. Towards the finish the concentrated citrus notes kick in. It tastes like Picon has been added to this beer, and given that this is a French beer this is not too surprising. Very light bodied, quite a bit like water in its quenching character. This has a certain bitterness to it in the finish that is tied in with the more dominant & even lingering citrus flavors. To sum up, there is not much beer flavor to this beer.

This is certainly quaffable, even quenching, but it is quite simplistic for a Wit. The amp’d up, almost artificial citrus character is just a bit too dominant; and I even like a healthy dose of citrus character in my Wits.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

750 ml corked and caged bottle poured a hazy yellow with a lasting white head leaving behind good lacing. Aromas of citrus, clove, coriander, wheat and a hint of vanilla. Palate was light to medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of lemon, clove, coriander, wheat and a hint of vanilla with a smooth lingering citrus finish.

22oz bottle. Pours a extremely light yellow almost clear, doesn’t look quite right. Great nose with alot of big citrus and lemony notes but the traditional witbier spices of coriander. Long lasting pure white foamy head. A very odd tasting beer. If this were a little bolder it would be killer. Lemony watery tasting up front but then the traditional spice and citrus with grassy hops kicks in and the back end saves it from being a total disaster. There is really something missing on the front end though, very watery to start. Very light palate.

750ml bottle (K Market)
Pale hazy grayish yellow, tiny self-supporting head. Very spritey lemony aroma. Slightly fizzy in the mouth, quite watery too. Certainly has a shandy-like feel to it, but its stickier froth makes it feel different as it goes down. Some childrens sweets, orange sherbet, or similar. Not crisp enough, it’s only light, but without the uplifting refreshment some wits can have.

Can. Lemonade and wheat malt aroma. Cloudy pale yellow color with small head. Slightly sweet lemon juice and wheat malt flavor - tastes more like a radler/shandy.

Pale standard wit pour with some spotty lacing. Nose is very fresh and inviting. Very citrusy, kaffir lime leaves, mild bubblegum, and a strange almost menthol quality that really perks the nose. Flavor is a big let down unfortunately. Hint of lime pon the initial taste, some vanilla and baking spices, pretty light all around. Very watery mouthfeel but yet creamy ina way. This is a very clean summer beer that you could essentiall chug on a hot summer day.

Sample from skokie valley rep. Cloudy straw with creamy white with pancake head. Aroma is citrus, clove, coriander, french yeast, medium sweet. Orange, very sweet, yeasty, spice, okay. Thin and watery.

Canned(500ml). -Pours a hazy lemonade colour with medium to big sized frothy white head and acidic nose. Strong citrus and spices aroma with notes of wheat and vanilla. Light sweet finish. A bit watery but highly drinkable blanche.