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Optimal Wit
Port City Brewing
- From:
- Port City Brewing
- Virginia, United States
- Style:
- Witbier
Ranked #93 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #21,109 - Avg:
- 3.77 | pDev: 11.14%
- Reviews:
- 96
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 26, 2024
- Added:
- Feb 04, 2011
- Wants:
- 9
- Gots:
- 126
Belgian style white ale brewed with spices
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ahalloin:
Reviewed by ahalloin from Virginia
4.53/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.53/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Served on tap at the brewery.
Pours a hazy light golden color with snow-white frothy head. Looks spot on for a Wit with the classic unfiltered appearance.
Smell is good strength for a 5% beer with spicy yeast phenolics and bready malt body. The additions of orange peel, coriander, and grains of paradise are apparent but not dominating.
The taste is really outstanding actually. Muted bready malted body up front with slight sweetness puts you at ease, but then a sudden attack of spicy tartness and slight bitterness bring this beer to a bone dry finish that is very satisfying and refreshing. This is one of those beers where you NEED another sip, after each sip. It is really inviting and well balanced with a spectacular finish.
Mouthfeel is nice with a lighter medium body and medium carbonation. Possibly more carbonation would be right for the style.
Drinkability is great. This beer will make Blue Moon drinkers realize what they are missing in a properly made Wit.
Feb 04, 2011Pours a hazy light golden color with snow-white frothy head. Looks spot on for a Wit with the classic unfiltered appearance.
Smell is good strength for a 5% beer with spicy yeast phenolics and bready malt body. The additions of orange peel, coriander, and grains of paradise are apparent but not dominating.
The taste is really outstanding actually. Muted bready malted body up front with slight sweetness puts you at ease, but then a sudden attack of spicy tartness and slight bitterness bring this beer to a bone dry finish that is very satisfying and refreshing. This is one of those beers where you NEED another sip, after each sip. It is really inviting and well balanced with a spectacular finish.
Mouthfeel is nice with a lighter medium body and medium carbonation. Possibly more carbonation would be right for the style.
Drinkability is great. This beer will make Blue Moon drinkers realize what they are missing in a properly made Wit.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by BWestMiller from Pennsylvania
4.57/5 rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.57/5 rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Great taste paired with Peruvian rotisserie chicken and yucca fries from Chicken & Whiskey in Washington DC, where it is sold. Full bodied and refreshing, just the perfect amount of added spices for a festive, well-balanced white ale. Remarkable!
Feb 26, 2024Rated by Nass from Florida
3.61/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.61/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
The pour is dandellion colored. The taste is orange & coriander. Cheers! B
Dec 16, 2023Rated by bv51 from Washington
3/5 rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -20.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Ok not likely to buy again
Apr 15, 2023Reviewed by MAB from Canada (AB)
3.97/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Day 11 of the advent calendar 2021.
Straw colored and with a plentiful white head. Very bubbly. Served mine in a chalice.
Yeast and sweet notes on the nose. Cloves and malt and other citrus-y spices on the palate. Delicious is the best way to describe it.
Medium long finish, great mouthfeel.
Dec 12, 2021Straw colored and with a plentiful white head. Very bubbly. Served mine in a chalice.
Yeast and sweet notes on the nose. Cloves and malt and other citrus-y spices on the palate. Delicious is the best way to describe it.
Medium long finish, great mouthfeel.
Reviewed by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
3.94/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Abundantly flavorful! Straw-colored brew, white foamy head with staying power. Was surprised how in-your-face the flavor was--coriander and orange peel come through beautifully. At first I thought "maybe too much?", but no. This is a full-flavored wit that rivals some of the European wits I've tasted. Well done, Port City.
Oct 18, 2021Rated by LindyBrew
4.95/5 rDev +31.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.95/5 rDev +31.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Perfect Wit
Sep 12, 2021Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.78/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.78/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Bought at the Beer Table in Grand Central Station and drank in its Food Hall.
Looks slightly above average with active protein, but foam faded surprisingly fast.
Smells are a mixed malt bill eventually pushed back by the citrus and spices.
Tastes are balanced, refreshing.
In my mouth, Feel is medium and bubbly enough, yet soft like wheat... particularly on this hot, muggy day in New York's Dog Days.... Gets me ready for the subway.
Optimal Wit is one of Port City's cash cows. And for good reason, it does its job. It's refreshing, balanced and reasonably priced. Port City claims to be the DC metro's first crafter, founded in 2011. If so, it has brought brewing culture to the nation's capital. And for that, it deserves very good OA Hugs.
Aug 23, 2021Looks slightly above average with active protein, but foam faded surprisingly fast.
Smells are a mixed malt bill eventually pushed back by the citrus and spices.
Tastes are balanced, refreshing.
In my mouth, Feel is medium and bubbly enough, yet soft like wheat... particularly on this hot, muggy day in New York's Dog Days.... Gets me ready for the subway.
Optimal Wit is one of Port City's cash cows. And for good reason, it does its job. It's refreshing, balanced and reasonably priced. Port City claims to be the DC metro's first crafter, founded in 2011. If so, it has brought brewing culture to the nation's capital. And for that, it deserves very good OA Hugs.
Optimal Wit from Port City Brewing
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
460 ratings
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