Celtika Blanche

Brewed by Brasserie Celtik (formerly: Douar Men)
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Cléguérec, France

Corked bottle and served in my Hoegaarden tumbler: Looks the part with the classic cloudy "white" golden hue with a fizzy head and okay lace. The aroma has notes of lemon zest, orange peel, coriander, floral and herbal hops, and an initial phenolic band-aid vapour that did go away causing no further discourse.

The taste has a beautiful blend of zesty acidic fruit and light handed spice over a layer of wheat husk and some quick dashes of barnyard funk. The mouth feel makes this beer for it is light, effervescent, and very refreshing. Dry and mostly clean finish adds to the sessionality of the brew.

I love when people slam a beer who don’t have a clue what the style is suppose to be. This is an exceptional version of the classic style of witbiers. Tart and lightly spice and oh so refreshing. GET YA SOME.

Poured a hazy dark yellow color with a large white head. Yeasty aroma with notes of dust, light spice and light fruit. The aroma felt dry. Light fruity malt flavor. Finish is mildly bitter and spiced. Very lively mouthfeel.

Celtika White Beer label 750ml. Oranges and spices. Felt this was a pretty grand beverage. Thick white head which lasted quite a while. Flavors of oranges and spices was well balanced.

Bottle. Pours a hazy golden-orange with a small to medium white head. Aroma of yeast, fruit and spice. Was refreshing because had some bitterness at the finish; light fruit and yeast throughout. Moderate spice.

Bottle sampled on 8/16/06: Pours a hazy golden with a big, well-lacing frothy white head. Aroma has a nice sweet biscuity maltiness and a touch of coriander pepper spice. Body starts with a full, semi-sweet and earthy pale maltiness with some doughy biscuit and mild coriander toward a smooth, balanced finish.

23-Apr-07 (750 ml corked and caged bottle, Best Before 31-Jan-07: Obtained 06-May-06 in trade with Otter, thanks Jeremy!) Releasing the cork required pliers, but the eventual success unleashed a very loud and forceful pop. Yeasty aroma with fruits such as white grapes and orange citrus, but there is a fairly strong and inappropriate phenolic component as well that takes several minutes to finally blow off. Fortunately, the flavor is not similarly affected. Fairly fruity flavor, more fruity than I recall in any other witbier, but I can’t say it’s disagreeable. Spicy, hop flavor and bitterness starts slow and shows a moderate crescendo into the finish. The typical flavors I’m expecting, namely coriander and citrus, are present and in balance, but are far from the focal point like in many American versions of the style. Wheaty malts are only mildly bready and thus don’t weigh down the beer like some examples of the style. Medium-bodied and very highly carbonated, the beer is quite refreshing and lively on the palate, thanks also in part to the zestiness of the spice and hops. Hazy and golden in color and the high carbonation makes for a tall, off-white, billowy head that slowly recedes, leaving spotty lacing on the glass. Overall, though featuring somewhat unusual characteristics for the style, this interpretation is wonderfully balanced, flavorful and enjoyable. Not bad for a Belgian-style beer made in the Celtic tradition by a French brewery!

Slightly darker than I’d expected, thin white head, nice fruity spicy nose. Quite full bodied but still clean and refreshing, certainly well carbonated! Finish is good, the fruity flavours linger well. Nice!

A maelstrom of strong yeasty spices is unleashed on the palate…It quickly quiets down and leaves behind a lemony acidity…Pleasant and unusual wit…