Winthrop Wheat
Old Schoolhouse Brewery

Summer is always a great time to enjoy a rye or wheat beer. Winthrop’s Wheat Ale is an American model brewed with 50% wheat malts and makes exclusive use of Hersbrucker hops. It is unfiltered yet shows a clear golden hue.

This is a simple recipe and doesn’t aspire to much theater. The plastic cup they served it in (why on earth a plastic cup on Monday afternoon when there’s plenty of glass to be had?) didn’t lend itself to any lace framework. It’s reasonable to expect all that wheat to stir up a sustained head, but this beer held only minimal carbonation and threw no suds.

Despite such sullenness, this is a tasty and enjoyable ale. The light, mellifluous fragrance is elegant and the taste holds a bright flush of honey-like sweetness that draws to a focused finish. If a discrepancy exists between the taste and the drinkability it arises from a disappointing lack of vigor and body.

Post Script: On the house beer menu, Winthrop mentions that their wheat beer is surprisingly clear despite being unfiltered. It is, and they say there’s, “no need to strain this through your teeth.” If you read this in time, visit their website where they’ve spelled the word “teeth” without the “h”.

This was more of an American wheat than a Hefe but it is well crafted and quite flavourful for the style. I prefer the Honey Rye as a summer beer but I found no faults in this straightforward beer. Could have taken more chances in the banana clove department but still worth trying.