Vanishing Monk
Old Yale Brewing Co.

Found this one at my local (and very up to date) BC liquor store yesterday. So, to begin with, I strongly doubt that this beer is retired. To be precise, it is not a "true witbier" as one of the flavours and characteristics that shine and appeal to me the most are definitely the ones expected from a sour ale. Yes, this certainly has to do with the yeast used in the brewing process. But overall, I was up for a ride, and a real good one, while having this beer! If you like wits, sours and gose, this might just be your favourite beer! In short, this is another one of those already/to become classics put out by Old Yale. Highly recommended!

Appearance - Pours a slightly cloudy and very pale pear with two fingers of bubbly foamy white head.

Smell - belgian yeast, clove, coriander, pilsner malts, orange, lemon, spicy hops, hint of black pepper.

Taste - belgian yeast, clove, coriander followed by the malts, orange and lemon. The spicy hops and black pepper finish the brew off.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Crisp finish.

Overall - A refreshing witbier with a touch of tartness.

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at St. Augustine's in Vancouver, British Columbia

Appearance: Yellow and cloudy.
Smell: Yeasty and fruity.
Taste: Yeasty, not quite but almost tart.

650ml bottle - sufficiently interesting and yet kind of vague story on the label explaining this offering's name.

This beer pours a hazy, pale golden straw colour, with one emaciated finger of weakly foamy, and mostly just bubbly dirty white head, which leaves but a few teensy wayward specks of remote sea islet lace around the glass as it quickly blows off.

It smells of bready, somewhat doughy pale malt, musty coriander, ethereal white pepper, a hint of overripe orange rind, wan yeast, and a very subtle earthy, weedy hop bitterness. The taste is gritty, grainy wheat malt, a lessened breadiness, a bit of spicy and phenolic yeast, earthy coriander, muzzled table pepper mill dust, weak orange rind, and the same dead grassy and leafy hoppiness first, um, 'presented' in the nose.

The bubbles are fairly unassuming and hard to pin down for their more or less AWOL stature, the body medium-light in weight, and smooth enough, I suppose, with a slight yeastiness poking in where it's not particularly wanted. It finishes off-dry, the wheatiness predominating, while the other sundry players blend into the ether.

Not an exactly engaging version of the style, too simple, and thus trying to fill an increasingly crowded space occupied by Hoegaarden, Kronenbourg Blanc, et al. As such, it is indeed easy to drink, and plainly aimed at outdoor summer imbibing, whether spectral monks are involved or not.