20th Anniversary Wit
Deschutes Brewery

20th Anniversary Wit20th Anniversary Wit
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From:
Deschutes Brewery
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Witbier
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 10.29%
Reviews:
101
Ratings:
110
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 24, 2020
Added:
Jun 26, 2008
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
(Retired) Available: June to September 2008
Alc. by Vol.: 5.5%
IBUs: 26
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Boilermaker88:
Photo of Boilermaker88
Reviewed by Boilermaker88 from California

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presented in a 22oz bottle like the one depicted and poured into my Blanche de Chambly witbier glass.
Appearance: hazy golden color topped by a 1" white head that shrank down to a thin skim and left wavelets of lace on the glass.
Smell: slightly bready malt notes, light lemon and tropical fruit aromas; mild spice notes.
Taste: hints of ripe apricots and melon, touches of honeyed orange and spice. Finishes a bit more hoppy than most witbiers I've come across.
Feel: light, well carbonated, refreshing.
Overall, a pretty decent crack at the style. Got a pretty lively hops bite in the finish which is almost a distraction but still a good, easy-drinkin' beer. Worth a try.
Sep 09, 2008
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.51/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Bottle from Toby. 10 years cellared and still doing great. Pale golden pour, no head. Big, full grainy aroma and taste. Slick and smooth. Really nice.
Apr 24, 2020
 
Rated: 3.81 by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

Sep 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by RBorsato from Virginia

Oct 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by harpus from Alabama

Jul 10, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

May 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 19, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by imperialking from Illinois

Nov 13, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by aanth from District of Columbia

Nov 18, 2011
 
Rated: 3.75 by twelveinches from Washington

Nov 17, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by vince4953529 from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of emmasdad
Reviewed by emmasdad from Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Adding this one from one of my notebooks. This one poured a moderately clear yellow color with a dense white head. Aromas of light citrus, bubblegum and clove. On the palate, this one is light bodied, with flavors of bubblegum, clove and light citrus.
May 12, 2011
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

3.67/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Review from BeerAdvocate magazine Vol. II Issue VIII:

Deschutes throws a curveball for their 20th anniversary beer with a Belgian Witbier (White Ale), traditionally brewed with Curacao orange peel and other spices.

Pours clear with a bright golden yellow color. Superb white lacing that leaves rings on the glass after each sip. Light bready, dusty flour, malt aroma, light spicing and a faint pear fruitiness round out the nose. Super smooth with a fluffy, moderate-sized body. Orange peel comes in clean and tight with a slightly sharp bite; light graininess lends a cracker-like flavor. Hop bitterness is light but balancing, with a very faint herbal note. Quick flash of fruity tartness in the middle. Clean graininess in the dry finish.

No doubt this beer is easy drinking; a clean rendition of the style, as there is no cloudiness or noticeable flavor from the yeast.
Sep 14, 2010
Photo of July2Nov
Reviewed by July2Nov from Virginia

3.82/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This one has been in my refrigerator for close to two years! Thought it was about time to bust it out and try it on for size after a hot day.

Appearance: So clear, with a slight yellow-gold color. Minimal lacing with some slight carbonation.

Smell: Nice, sweet wheat scents with some coriander coming through.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Big taste of coriander/clove right upfront. The middle part is very, very smooth and it then finishes with Citrus notes (oranges)...and still the coriander lingers. Overall, This one has a smooth mouthfeel and an ever so slight chewy aftertaste to it.

Drinkability: Refreshing and smooth, this one is perfect for those hot, sweltering days. Too bad it was a limited release. Just wondering why it took me so long to finally taste it. Glad that I did. Sad there isn't anymore in my glass.
Jul 27, 2010
Photo of Mebuzzard
Reviewed by Mebuzzard from Colorado

3.56/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Wow, looks good. I've had this one in the cellar and popped it open for the 4th. I hope I didn't age it too long. By the looks of it, I think I cracked it just in time.
Clear golden color with a magnificant foamed up head. Sticky.

Quick aroma rush contains mostly light biscuit, some spice and clove, and light fruit. These all follow within the flavors. The carbonation may have died down a bit as it seemed a bit flat, but the nice spiciness gives it a kick and refreshing burst. This is quite drinkable, however a bit thin.
Jul 05, 2010
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle into a tumbler. Review of off notes. I probably had this one about a year ago.

Pours a hazy paler gold, with a 1 ½ fingers of bright-white frothy head. This retains with a mostly light wispy look that leaves some light spotty lacing behind. The aroma is sticky smelling in the nose, with plenty of sweet grain and zesty citrus. Coriander, clove, and a deep dusty yeast presence add spice and sharpness to this.

The taste is pleasant mix of grainy sweetness, fruity orange, and lemon zest. Bitter rind and spicy clove and coriander are present but this has a fairly moderate bitterness to it overall as most of the sharpness of this is coming for the spice, which blends with the yeast to form a deeply dry finish. The mouthfeel is lighter-medium bodied, with a firm crispness that keeps the overall feel lively but still easy moving.

This was a quality Witbier with zesty flavors, a vibrant feel, and an easy drinkibility. Another worthy Anniversary beer.
Jul 02, 2010
Photo of webbcreative
Reviewed by webbcreative from Oklahoma

4.23/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Lemon colored pour with 2 finger white head. Aroma = bit citrusy, Im guessing its the grains of paradise im smelling that is giving this a sort of straw aroma, its different, but it smells good, It almost has a weak saison aroma about it. Taste = get a slight does of what you would expect, a bit of lemon, touch of orange, but the grains of paradise really comes through, and gives this wit a more mellow smoothed out flavor. mouthfeel is medium.

Overall this is a really great wit, probably the best i have had. Even though I would have expected an anniversary wit to be bigger all over, its still a great beer.
Oct 10, 2009
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a modest head that leaves a bit of a remembrance behind

Smell: Bready, with vague hints of spice - a bit unusual with the use of grains of paradise added into the Curaçao, coriander and citrus peel

Taste: Opens rather bready, with the orange peel and coriander joining the flavor profile by mid-palate; the finish is rather dry and somewhat grainy

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A very pleasant wit but I was expecting a bit more oomph for an Anniversary beer
Sep 07, 2009
Photo of cptierney
Reviewed by cptierney from California

3.66/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a BEAUTIFUL Moonlight pint glass.

Nice light yellow color to the beer w/ mushrooming head of light fluffy head. Significant lacing remaining after initial head dissipation.

Not the most pleasant nose to this beer. Some citrus notes come through and there is a hint of coriander. The smell is weak overall however and it has to compete with an earthy funk that can best be described as the smell of modeling clay.

Nice M-feel, a light summer beer to be sure, easily gulped and has a lively carbonation in the mouth.

The taste makes you think german hef, though the spicing just doesn't quite measure up. Good citrus flavoring, though I don't detect the "hints of Curacao" that the label promises.

Excellent drinkability. Share one with a friend at a barbeque or after slaying a dragon in still-warm armor. Loves me some Deschutes.
Aug 26, 2009
Photo of ThreeWiseMen
Reviewed by ThreeWiseMen from California

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22oz. bomber picked up at the Modesto BevMo!

Poured into a New Belgium globe (because my summer roommates do not own a single pint glass).

Appearance: Cloudy, pale yellow body with a thin, white, soapy, crown. While I can't see the bubbles, the carbonation appears pretty active: produces a foaming mushroom in the middle of the surface. Occasional stringy lace. An aggressive pour yields at least one finger of foamy white head with much better retention.

Smell: Lots of wheat and banana in the nose, even before it starts to warm (and even more when it does warm). When it does warm, orange zest, coriander, and other spices emerge. Overall, the aroma is pretty mild, but it's pleasant.

Taste: Make sure you let this one warm up for a bit beforehand. Flavor was pretty dull at the beginning for me. As it warmed, wheat malt blossomed and formed a canvas for the other flavors to be painted on. Strokes of tart, juicy orange, peppery hops, coriander, and natural herbs and spices could be found in each sip. Nicely done. As with the smell, the flavor intensity is rather mild. The balance, however, is top notch (as with most Deschutes beers).

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, crisp, refreshing, and even creamy thanks to the wheat malt. Carbonation is perfect - no sting, yet lots of activity. Finishes clean and tingly. This is the beer's best attribute in my opinion.

Drinkability: This is a very mild-mannered wit. Great for a summer afternoon, but probably easy to forget. This is worth a try, but it's undeserving of any hype.
Jul 07, 2009
20th Anniversary Wit from Deschutes Brewery
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 110 ratings