Brugs Tarwebier

Brewed by Brasserie Union (Alken-Maes / Heineken)
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Jumet, Belgium

Thick, opaque, orangey-tinged colour. Almost chunky with the yeast in the glass. Good head retention. Aroma is dominated by cloves - it would seem more like a hefeweizen than a witbier if you couldn't actually taste it. Lightly wheaty taste, nice and crisp but seems to be lacking something. No apparent spice character and without the nice subtle maltiness of Hoegaarden.

Pale yellow, cloudy, with a small white head. Very slight hint of citrus aroma, otherwise nothing there at all. Fairly typical wit flavour, but without any of the "extra's" often associated with that, soch as coriander or lemon. Slightly more bitter than typical also.

On tap: yellow, kind of green color. fruity acidic nose. No head. Spinach like taste, acidic too. Not that good.

Grapes, sour aplle and some chalk in both aroma and flavor. Yeasty, just a bit herbal. Yeast bitter aftertaste with some muscat grapes. Lacks balance.

Bottled. Bought in France as "Brugs, Blanche de Bruges", but Tarwebier also appears on the label. According to Tim Webb's book, this is brewed by Palm, not Gouden Boom and also by Alken Maes in France. However, my bottle said Brasseries Kronenbourg in microscopic print and, sure enough, if you look at the Kronenbourg website, it appears there, so I guess Kronenbourg has taken over the brand and may be brewing at least some of it in France. I also noteiced that my bottle was 4.8%, rather than 5%. Looks like someone has been monkeying around with the recipe and (unless this was a duff bottle, which I will test as I have 5 left in the six-pack) messed it up. The appearance is cloudy pale yellow as it should be, but everything is downhill from there. Poured very flat and lifeless. Smells and tastes of weak lemon barley water and very dull on the palate. No more prickle than you would get in a Beaujolais Nouveau. Thin mouthfeel and nondescript finish. Pretty poor stuff, but drinkable (just).

(As Blanche de Bruges) Citrus. Papery like stale pizza box. Cloudy pale yellow with white lacing head. Light carb with medium watery body. Peppery wheat with clove. Mild gingerbread finish & light bitter after. OK white.

On draught. Small white head and a light yellow hazy body. Wheat and citrus aroma. Flavor is citrus, wheat and some hops. Crispy feeling. A little lighter than the typical Wit beer.

On tap at Bierodrome, London. This is one of the dryest wit beers, with a very chalky flavour and powdery mouthfeel. It works well when draught, but is marginally less impressive from the bottle - I think it does need to be chilled.