Spike
Rhinegeist Brewery

 

 

 

 

Pleasant Belgian Style Wit. The quality is noted, but I was hoping for a bit more from this excellent Cincinnati brewer. Easy and light, but nothing noteworthy.

 

 

 

Trying to become cleaner, crisper, drier and leaning quite hoppy, the witbier of Rhinegeist is quite "Americanized" even as its tendency is geared toward a tart and tangy finish.

Spike pours with a hazy canary-stained straw, decorated with a cottony blanket of froth. Above it all is the clean lactic scent of lemon, lime, green apple and the unmistakable perfume of orange peel and radiant coriander. But to taste, its sweetness is surprisingly wafer-thin and softly doughy and tart.

The taste quickly expels is cookie dough sweetness and races toward the dry grain and soft lactic notes that prop up the malt. What ensues is a redolent tang that takes the citrusy shape of fresh lemon, lime, orange, kiwi, melon and the light creaminess of pawpaw. As its hoppy flavors turn zesty and gin-like, its bitterness is shaped of lemon leaf, herbal sassafras and a zing of white pepper.

Clean and sharply tart, the ale never crosses over to any sour side, but for those who are put off from the grain sweetness and overdone potpourri of common witbier, this rustic but nouveau version should sit well with fans of northern German gose and berlinerweiss. Its medium-light body trails with a piquant bitterness with an aftertaste of lemon pepper, wheat bread and lemony tea.

Pours a golden straw color. Transparent. Not much head retention.

The aroma is mild, but some faint orange zest is noticed.

Flavor is also very mild. There are some slight citrus notes, maybe oranges, possibly pears, but overall the beer seems very light and mild, even for its style.

Mouthfeel is light-bodied. I sometimes enjoy this style of beer, but I'd prefer that this one had more going on in the flavor department.

This is a Belgian Wit, not a pale ale. "A Belgian style American Witbier brewed with Mandarina Bavaria hops and infused with sweet orange peel"

It's decent.

 

Picked up a growler of this at whole foods. It poured a straw gold, translucent, with reasonable head. The flavor was a little bland, some slight banana flavor. Aroma was fruity but faint. Mouthfeel was a mild for a pale wheat, easy to drink. Not my favorite.