Bianco Wit
Levante Brewing Company

Through dumb luck and poor management, or some such, as are the hallmarks of The CANQuest (tm), I have a small brewery horizontal from Levante BC to run through. It would include a few of their ReVibe seltzers, but they are sadly not recognized on this site. 8=(

From the CAN: "Bianco Belgian-Style White Ale".

I did some in-CAN agitation before Crack!ing open the vent to CANmence a heavy-handed C-Line Glug into the awaiting glass. I was a bit nonplussed at first as it looked more like "Claro" than "Bianco", but I CANtinued to agitate it as it came from the CAN. I wound up with two-plus fingers of foamy, soapy, rocky, bone-white head with moderate retention as a result of all of the swirling. Color was a hazy (but no more than that) Straw-Yellow (SRM = > 2, < 4). Nose was ... odd, in that it held the requisite orange and spice scent, but it seemed a little ... off at the same time. This did not strike me as an exemplar in/of the style, at least, not from the nose. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was like a pale imitation of the style, lacking any Ooomph! from (especially) the spices to make it interesting. It was memorable in that I am going to remember not to bother with it again. I just wanted more flavor and it was not producing. Instead, I was getting a slight wheat tang, a light orange-y citrusiness and just enough spiciness to keep me mildly interested. Finish was only semi-dry, speaking further to their seeming judicious use of spices. Had they gone all-in as they should have for the style, it would have been acCANdingly dry. Definitely NOT their strongest showing, IMHO. YMMV.

Poured into a narrow pint/pilsner glass: color is straw gold, transparent, zero haze, head is bright white with fine bubbles, head presents 1/2 inch thick and then dissipates to a solid top, minimal lacing.

Smell is light coriander, citrus, biscuit, hint of phenolics.

Taste follows with similar spice notes - coriander, light yeasty phenolics, lemon zip, some biscuit and bread.

Mouthfeel is sharp carbonation up front, then bitter/drying presence on the tongue.

Overall a very crisp/drying witbier with a lighter spice/yeast profile. Surprisingly not hazy and maybe a bit light on the wheat character.

 

Gonna do my best as I’m drinking this from a can on a dark deck. Scent is wheat with slight funk. Meh. Decent flavor, better than I thought with some sweetness and spice with a dry finish. Decently carbonated the feel of this brew is a plus.

Color is a light golden finish and the smell is pleasing with citrus taking the lead. Flat, Fizzy finish but every sip gets better and better.

Levante Brewing Co. "Bianco"
on tap at the brewery on 24 February 2017
$6 / 16 oz.

Notes: 5.0% ABV. Listed as "Bianco (2017)", which might mean that the beer is changed each year... ? Cloudy straw gold body beneath a bright white head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma: clear coriander, citrus, and wheaty malt. Flavor: Lightly sweetish wheat immersed in spice, orange, and then drying in the finish as the malt fades. I'm also finding what seems like green cardamom, not that they've used it, but I get the impression of it. It's interesting. There's a kind of juiciness to the fruitiness. Balanced and remarkably drinkable. Deftly spiced so that it's clear but not over-done. Light-medium in body and delicately zesty. Refreshing, interesting, and somewhat unique.