Long Root Wit
Hopworks Brewery

 

Not sure what user beertunes is talking about - the beer is within all stylistic guidelines for a Belgian wit, and is true to the style flavor-wise as well. This is an incredibly refreshing, and surprisingly on-point Belgian witbier. In what feels like an age of massively overstated flavors and ever-bigger beers, HUBs Long Root witbier is both a testament to sustainable agriculture that might support brewing in the future, as well as flavors that support the sustainability of the palate from burnout. The beer definitely ticks all the boxes for adhering to the classic style, and the use of Kernza grain adds its own twist. Hope this beer sticks around, and that fans of the style seek it out. I'd get this again. Canned 10/1/2019, amazed that a beer with this much age on it still has tons of flavor.

Pours a dense white foam that has slightly longer than average retention, fading to a thin ring around the perimeter of the glass. Lacing is excellent, with large blotches, small dots, and a few patterns on all sides of the glass. Body is a mildly hazy golden yellow color, (SRM 3-4). Opacity of about 20-40%.

Aroma is fairly classic Belgian wit character: spicy phenolics, moderate earthiness, yeastiness, and mustiness, sweet dry hay/grass, the faintest of hints of coriander and citrus peel.

Flavor is of a moderate spicy Belgian phenolic character, a touch of coriander, the notion of orange peel yet no detectable flavor, some lemon balm, light pale malt sweetness. Front: moderately spicy Belgian phenolic character, pale malt sweetness/character, a bit of dry and sweet grass, a touch of coriander, and some light mustiness from yeast. Mid: stronger pale malt sweetness/character, slightly reduced spicy Belgian phenolic character, small levels of coriander, dry/sweet grassiness, just a touch of earthiness and mustiness. Back: moderate earthiness, yeastiness, and mustiness; spicy Belgian yeast phenolics; sweetness as from pale base malts and dry, sweet grass; hints of coriander and dry citrus peel. After: lingering sweetness, faint hints of spiciness, light touches of Belgian yeast, slight coriander in the background.

Beer is light in body, with carbonation of fairly high intensity, yet not high enough to make this spritzy, rather just pleasantly, pillowy foamy (~2.5 vol CO2). Closes dry, with medium stickiness on the lips and palate.

(B, B+, B+/A-, B, B/B+)

12oz can poured into 14oz teku. Poured a lightly hazy medium orange (nothing white about this Wit) color with 1/4 inch of white head that immediately dissipated, and left no lacing.

Nice grain, yeast, spice, and orange notes in the nose.

Same on the tongue, with the orange being stronger at the back of the palate.

The body was light and crisp, with good carbonation throughout.

Drinkability was very nice. Easy drinking and crisply refreshing.

Overall, a nice beer. doesn't really fit the template of a Wit, if the brewery listed this as a different style, it woulda got a higher score. Worth trying if you see it.