Southampton Double White Ale

Cloudy yellow appearance; off-white head with light lacing. Plenty of coriander and citrus (lemon and orange; perhaps some grapefruit) in the nose. Surprisingly tart in the mouth; good carbonation, oranges and spice, a bit of white pepper; a witbier with some tartness. Medium, bitter finish showing a traditional citrus and coriander profile.

This is one of the early 2006 bottles that was recalled due to there being too much crystal malt in the mix... Light amber color (maybe deep golden), slightly hazy. Moderate carbonation with a foamy ivory head that bubbles away rapidly. The residual crown leaves some lacing. Aroma is wheat malt, yeast, corriander and clove, banana, and bitter orange. Flavor is a little sour and peppery with undertones of wheat, alcohol, hops, and citrus. Finish is a little dry and bitter with a hint of tart lemon. Medium body and fairly smooth. The alcohol is well integrated. This is a welcomed derivation from "the usual" white beer. The flavor seems to be more complex and sour, but not really reminiscent of a traditional white beer in any way except for the aroma... 22 oz bottle (XXII Reserve), $4.25 from River’s Bend.

My first Witbier at the Great American Beer Festival came from Southampton: the Double White Ale. Prior to the festival I found it difficult to find shades of variety between one Witbier and another. I started by using Hoegaarden as a comparative base by simple virtue of being my first Witbier. From there I made special efforts to dissect other white beers with meticulous attention to detail. Even these precautions and preparations failed to make it a successful tasting venture. But a little side by side sipping at the GABF has mostly corrected this, beginning with this distinguishingly unique Wit. It’s colored like any other wit – faded marigold yellow, clouded with fog and topped with a nebulous white head. The smell is the first indicator that this Southampton take on a popular style is just a bit outré. All the given components of a good white beer are there: popcorn, wheat, yeast, butter and a hint of lemon. Alongside these is a challenging smell to describe. It reminded me of odiferous pulp, the kind of effusive smell that comes from wet paper towels or napkins. Stemming from this came a slightly dusty smell, not unpleasant, but like the particulate dirt in a museum. The taste is another step more creative. It’s definitively based on the typical Wit taste, but with a welcome dimension of sour and tartness, like a lambic. Added to this is a pronounced element of lemon, spice, clove and an encompassing tanginess. It’s much more exciting then any duller witbier on account of the sour cascade, but makes a sudden departure from tradition in doing so. I can’t really decide if its superior or inferior to, say, a plainer white beer. As a more complex beer it is better, but the tongue rippling twang makes it an entirely different breed. Nonetheless, it is a welcome change and all the flavors work together for an eye opening drink It is a new twist on a plain beer that I liked, and more importantly, a tangible disparity between itself and other Wits.

22 oz. brown bomber bottle. No freshness date seen. $3.99 each at Rick’s Gourmet. Pours out a hazy lemon yellow color, with a frothy white head. Aromas are of cloves, bananas, slight bubblegum also. Some coriander in the nose, along with cirtus. Flavors are of sweet malts, cirtus, spices. Medium mouthfeel, decent body. Finishes rather spicy. Alcohol is well hidden.

Lots of carbonation. Medium oak color with a large dense creamy head. Typical yeast aroma along with a stale plastic, bad. No spices in aroma or taste. Finish is watery, odd for a double.

Cloudy, golden appearance, large white head, lots of lacing. Yeasty, spicy aroma dominated by lemon and orange. Tart, medium bodied, decently carbonated mouthfeel. Taste featured wheat, yeast, citrus, along with some lingerinig sweetness. Good depth, although not overly complex.

I’ve been wanting to try this for quite and finally found it on road trip. Pours copper with an off-white head. Very dark appearance for a wit. Aroma has wheat, spice and citrus. Much fuller aroma than I’ve had from other - the wheat seems much richer. Medium body with sharpness and light carbonation. Starts with rich creamy wheat, some spice and bits of orange. It quickly turns sharp and sour with a tart that reminds me of bitter lemons. The finish continues with the lemon sharpness. A different interpretatin of a white. This is good, but not up to what I had hoped for.

[bottle] Hazy yellowish color, with a foamy white head. Aroma of clove, wheat and yeast. Very strong wheat flavors give way to spicy coriander and a bit of sweetness. A nice, stronger wit style.