Wolaver's Witbier
Otter Creek Brewing

Wolaver's WitbierWolaver's Witbier
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From:
Otter Creek Brewing
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Witbier
ABV:
4.6%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.38 | pDev: 15.38%
Reviews:
70
Ratings:
74
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 09, 2013
Added:
Jun 02, 2004
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by waughbrew:
Photo of waughbrew
Reviewed by waughbrew from Massachusetts

2.3/5  rDev -32%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Recycled-looking label with an older-person color scheme and no date code. A series of numbers can be found on the bottom of the bottle, but it is not clear if I am supposed to make something from it or not.

A very hazy pale orangy-yellow beer with a decent cap that stays for a bit and laces a bit, but has a strange inconsistency in bubbles that does not look totally attractive. Perfumy orange peel dominates with some earthy coriander backing it up. A bit of composting vegetation. Bright and pleasant, but incomplete. I get a sense that there is going to be something missing from this brew. The flavor confirms this, with a weak showing. Thin and soapy, the brew has some fruit and some tang, but no balls and no bite. The finish is skanky. Malt? Hops? I know the style does not call for much of either of those, but this comes off like they didn't use any of either. Sorry OC/Wolavers, I love wits, I like organic, and I have enjoyed many of your beers in the past, but this one needs to be scrapped.
Sep 25, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.75 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Mar 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Varkias41 from New Jersey

Mar 15, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by jfcaa193 from Canada (QC)

Feb 05, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by ElGallo from New Hampshire

Nov 19, 2011
Photo of ajmoody76
Reviewed by ajmoody76 from Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
bought at the local beer stop. twelve ounce bottle pours cloudy yellow. thin white head. looks good. not much lacing.

get mostly malt on the nose. some spicing in there for sure though. cloves and the like. no off odors.

sweet taste. good orange peel presence with some of the spices in the background. dry citrus aftertaste.

light to mid body beer. enough carbonation. organic beer which is cool. good beer. bought as a one off. will check this out again next summer in six pack form.
Oct 27, 2009
Photo of mralphabet
Reviewed by mralphabet from Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Poured half in to glass.... very clear with a very thin white head. Color is an orange yellow. Swelled the rest in the bottle and poured into the glass.... Now we get the cloudiness you expect from a unfiltered Wit.... Head disappears pretty quickly.... not much lacing.

S: The bottle says it all .. Lots of orange, coriander, lemon, spices, wheat, & yeast. It is right up in your nose... very pleasant.

T: It is a wit through and through... Lots of orange, coriander, clove, spices (pepper), touch of lemon with a mild malt then a quick flash of hops at the end.

M: Pretty average for a Wit... More body than I expected due to the yeastiness.... yet fizzy, smooth, sweet, very crisp and amazingly refreshing.

D: Very drinkable on a hot summer day by the grill.... Due to the yeastiness a few will due you.

Organic and good.... I'll check out their other offerings.
Jul 16, 2009
Photo of mltobin
Reviewed by mltobin from Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On-tap at Mahaffey`s Pub in Baltimore.

Appearance is a nice hazy yellow with a one finger white head.
Smell is lemon, some vanilla, very pleasant and inviting.
Taste is crisp and citrusy, very easy and refreshing for a warm spring, summer day. Mouthfeel is a bit tart, but that is fine by me. Drinkability is very good on this Wit from Wolaver`s. Although it is not one of the best options for the style, the beer is good. I am really surprised that this beer has received a handful of sub-par reviews.
May 27, 2009
Photo of tittymcj
Reviewed by tittymcj from Connecticut

1.94/5  rDev -42.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
Pours out a very hazy light yellow/gold, with no head and no lacing.

The smell is very lemony, with definite orange zest. It is also a lot of corn.

The taste is very much like a BMC. A lot of dry corn flavor, with a bit of orange.

Very thin body, with heavy carbonation and a residual BMC aftertaste.

Not drinkable at all, simply because I can't stand to finish the first glass.
Feb 09, 2009
Photo of ericlawton007
Reviewed by ericlawton007 from Connecticut

2.04/5  rDev -39.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5
Hazy yellow in color, with thick, quickly receding head. Smells like dirt and bananas. After a couple whiffs I timidly tasted the beer wondering how it could taste different from the smell. It didn't. The yeast is present in the aftertaste. The only thing good about the taste is that it is weak and doesn't last long. Drinkability automaticaally gets a low score because one was hard enough to get down.
Jan 20, 2009
Photo of MTNboy
Reviewed by MTNboy from Germany

3.54/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This Wit was alright it was not as good I had heard well at least that is my opinion. Do not get me wrong it is an OK beer but not a great Wit. It has a nice golden color that is slightly hazy. It is a great looking beer. I have to give it that. There is a lot of white lace and head. It has light lager like aroma even though it is ale. It started off sour as I drank it got a little sweeter and I started to notice the orange and coriander a little more. It has a wheat and clove aftertaste. It has a bit of a fizzy and light mouthfeel.
Dec 25, 2008
Photo of jdhilt
Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

2.86/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours a two finger white head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Ugly clear very pale amber color. Light carbonation and light-medium bodied. Slight wheat nose. Flavor is citric and wheat. Tart/hoppy aftertaste. $1.45 for a 12oz bottle from Gillingham's Woodstock, VT.
Oct 23, 2008
Photo of RblWthACoz
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Okay, okay. For REAL! This is the last wheat of the season. No lie, superfly.

Pours a clear yellow with a white head. Grassy nose with an overall earthy tone. Flavor is a bit off balance. A bit too much tang on top of grass. Decent I suppose. Feel has a slightly fuller biting carbonation and the liquid is okay. This is an alright wit, but the other Wolaver offerings beat this by a longshot.
Oct 05, 2008
Photo of scottg
Reviewed by scottg from Vermont

3.74/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle poured into a weizen glass.

Pours a cloudy gold color with some orange and a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Lots of wheat and sweet orange aromas with some lemon notes. Orange peel is the dominant flavor with some pepper/corriander and light lemon flavor. High carbonation, light body, crisp and clean, mouth cleansing.
Nothing special but very drinkable and refreshing.
Sep 10, 2008
Photo of thekevlarkid
Reviewed by thekevlarkid from Maryland

3.42/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled on tap at the Otter Creek/Wolaver's brewery in Middlebury, VT. Poured a hazy but not quite cloudy golden yellow. White head dissolved quickly to a thin ring that laced decently. Aromas as expected, orange juice, wheat and some coriander. The flavors were tart, citrus and dry wheat with generic spices lurking in the background. Lacks any malt flavors however and is clearly misbalanced. Crisp finish. Good mouthfeel and light to medium body as par for the course. A decent brew but not impressive.
Aug 28, 2008
Photo of Halcyondays
Reviewed by Halcyondays from California

3.58/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 oz. bottle, bought at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa,

A: Pours a hazy yellow with rather small white head, leaving light bubbles and a rim around the glass for the reaminder of the drink.

S: Strong orange zest and grapefruit upon opening the bottle, on pouring lemon rind becomes more evident.

T: Orange centered witbier for sure, coriander only comes up lightly. Notes of bubblegum and fennel as well.

M: Light, crisp, juicy, moderate acidity, mild but biting carbonation.

D: Solid witbier, it's nice to see more organic brews on the market. Nothing to wow you, just a good drinkable summer ale.
Aug 25, 2008
Photo of changeup45
Reviewed by changeup45 from Florida

2.41/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Not something I'll probably have again. Very hazy, muddy water look to it with a small head that tapers off to absolutely nothing in seconds. Looks more like a grapefruit juice than beer. The taste is quite citric with banana and orange notes in there that turns tart at the end. I felt like I was drinking an orange soda water rather than a beer. Quite a bit of carbonation here. I didn't even really find it all that refreshing.
Aug 23, 2008
Photo of zymurgy4all
Reviewed by zymurgy4all from New York

3.8/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer pours a straw yellow with a nice tight white head. It has some cloudiness, but it depends on how much you swirl the yeast in the bottom of the bottle.
It has a nice aroma of corriander and a slight citrus smell. The flavor is mellow with a residual bitterness probably from orange peel and not hops. The mouthfeel is full and soft. Very easy to drink. This one is better than Blue Moon for sure, but I don't think it is quite as good as Hoegaarden.
Jul 28, 2008
Photo of iceball585
Reviewed by iceball585 from New York

3.57/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A- Golden yellow color, semi-cloudy, thin white layer that disolved to a thin ring, lots of tiny bubbles rising throughout

S- Oranges, yeast, wheat, floral, light malts, fairly sweet

T- Yeast, orange peels, lemons, wheat, grainy, slight herbal flavor

M- Light body, medium/heavy carbonation, fizzy, tangy, watery, dry finish

D- Worth trying

Definitely an interesting combo of flavors but slightly lacking. Not an instant favorite but worth buying again. This would be a nice summertime brew.
Jun 26, 2008
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a cloudy light yellow color, with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of coriander, orange peel, Belgian yeast, wheat and a little bit of hops.

T: The taste is bready and spicy with flavors of coriander, wheat, Belgian yeast and orange peel. The malt character is on the thin side but still hearty enough to provide some substance. The hops presence is mild but normal for the style. The after-taste is spicy and slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a good beer but there are certainly other Witbiers that I would pick first.
Jun 22, 2008
Wolaver's Witbier from Otter Creek Brewing
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 74 ratings