Okult No.1 - Blanche
Brasserie Artisanale de Redange

Bottled obtained from a Cactus supermarket in Luxembourg. I am trying to taste every Luxembourgish beer I can get my hands on over the next few years.

The beer poured a hazy golden, straw color into my glass with a thick white head that lasts for a few minutes. There is good lacing down the glass.

The aroma is earthy, a bit funky but has a nice citrus tone as well. Floral.

The taste is pleasing. A good sourness on the front end from an orange peel and lemon taste that is thirst quenching. There is also a bitterness that rounds out the taste on the tongue.

Overall this is a easy drinking, pleasing beer. I see a few more in my future.

Brasserie Redange: Okult No. 1 – Blanche.
Strength: 5.4% ABV.
Style: Unfiltered Wheat Beer (Organic).

33cl Curved Flute Serving Glass.
Tasted on Draft at the Brasserie Artisanale de Redange BrewPub on 19th April 2003, during a Brewery Visit.


Appearance: Cloudy. A murky looking honey yellow color. A nice white frothy head that stays until the end of the drink and laces the tall curved flute shaped glass all the way down. Somewhat traditional in its appearance.

Smell: Definitely organic, somewhat earthy for a Wheat Beer. No spices are used which allows the orange peel and coriander to run riot in the nasal department.

Taste: Nicely done and balanced. Introduction is thirst quenching but bitter. Definitely no lemon slices required in this baby. The orange peel comes through in the middle, whilst the coriander eventually makes it presence felt at the end. Has a lingering bitterness which I liked.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and Solid, but the bitterness does add a slight ‘mouthpucker’ at the end.

Drinkability: I always find Wheat Beers easy to drink, this is no different, maybe the style lends a bias to my marks for drinkabilty but for a 5.4% ABV beer it goes down really well.

Overall: A different type of Wheat Beer and it is certainly no Hoegaarden wannabee (thank goodness because there are plenty of these around). I personally liked this Wheat Beer, but interestingly it split opinion in our group of 32 right down the middle. I put it down to the fact that there are no spices in this Wheat Beer. Many of the “No’s” said that it just lacks something. Personally I thought that they were too brainwashed by all the spicy Wheat Beers they have had, and did not properly appreciate one without spices.

Either way, it’s my call. And I liked the fact that the Brewer, Jean Bollendorf, at Redange dared to do a Wheat Beer instead of the usual Pils (which is a widespread style in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) for his first beer. I also liked the fact that it is a truly Organic beer, and that he dared not to use Spices in it. A different kind of Wheat Beer that mainstream Hoegaarden lovers may find it hard to come to terms with.