La Grande Blanche
De Proefbrouwerij

 

The appearance was a semi-hazy bronzed yellow color with a finger's worth of white foamy head that slid off at a moderate pace. Some speckled lace wove around the glass nicely.
The aroma had some floral sweet to red apple and subtle pear fleshy character. Light honey, subtle wheat and a touch of hay round out the end. Light grass.
The flavor moderately blended the sweet portions of the prior mentioned aromas and added a touch of lemongrass. Aftertaste speaks of the sweetness of those flavors and added in a touch of damp grain.
The mouthfeel was between light and medium bodied with a good sessionability about it. Gets quite smooth rolling over my tongue in a gentle way. ABV felt fine. Carbonation felt appropriate.
Overall, nice witbier, I like the honey aspect in it, a bit different than what I'm used to but still would have again.

 

Listed in the "1001."

 

American brewers simply cannot help themselves- the yearning to "imperialize" beer styles is apparently too strong to be ignored. And when they turn to imperialize the witbier style, it always- always- always ends up in a sticky, spicy soupy beer... except for when this Belgian brewery does it.

With a moderate uptick in strength, the finesse ale shows slightly darker hues than its original counterpart. A thick lather builds on the beer and endures the session- revealing the softness of powdered sugar and citrusy spice. Wafts of white pepper, light cumin and balsa balance the wheat sweetness in both aroma and initial taste.

As its richer body layers on the middle palate, its pillow texture keeps the soft malts of light bread, confectioner's sweetness and light grain supported as well as smoothens out the tang of citrus peel, coriander, pepper and slight smoke. Its citrus tilt invites a light vinous note of white wine to permeate its creamy structure.

Yet like the lighter bodied farmhouse wheat ale, this heftier version lifts its creaminess just in time to let its gentle dryness and warmth to finish with refreshment and effortless taste. De Proef pulls off what I had previously thought was impossible- make a good imperial witbier.

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a hazy golden-yellow with a foamy off-white head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, wheat, honey, floral, and fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with grain, honey, and floral flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of earth bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with an interesting honey aspect in both the aroma and flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours slightly cloudy golden straw color with a nice 3 finger fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Good foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of huge pear, apple, grape, herbal, lemon, earth, pepper, wheat, coriander, and yeast spices. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity. Taste of pear, grape, apple, wheat, pepper, herbal, lemon, earth, and yeast spices. Lingering notes of light fruits, herbal, earth, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Great balance and complexity of flavors; with no cloying sweetness at all. Medium carbonation and body; with a slightly slick and crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian imperial witbier! Very nice complexity and balance of flavors; very smooth to sip on. Really enjoyed this one.