There’s no better season than summer for drinking wheat beers and perhaps no style of wheat beer is more refreshing than a well executed witbier. So, the arrival of hot weather and the announcement that Allagash and their flagship white ale is coming to Ohio make for a perfect opportunity to take a closer look at Belgian and Belgian-inspired white ales. The modern witbier traces it’s origins back to the tart, wheaty white beers brewed in the region around Leuven, including the town of Hoegaarden. Like many quirky local styles the popularity of these beers dwindled through the late 18th and early 20th century before going extinct in the 1950s. A decade later Peirre Celis revived the style with a beer that became known as Hoegaarden. The choices Celis made – a grist that includes wheat and oats, spicing with coriander and orange peel, and an expressive phenolic yeast – still define the style. Friend of the podcast Bill Koeppen joins us as we turn a spotlight on two beers that largely define the style, Hoegaarden and Allagash White, discuss approaches to homebrewing witbiers, and sample a local standout, Rockmill White. This episode also features a rare instance of Mark breaking into song inspired by the 80s New Romantic group ABC.
Don’t forget you can find this episode and earlier ones on our podcast page, as well as Apple Music, Podbean, Spotify, Stitcher, and various other podcast apps. Just search for the All Things Beer podcast, and don’t hesitate to leave a comment or a rating.
Beers Reviewed
- Hoegaarden
- Allagash White
- 15th Story Halo – Kontrarian Homebrew
- Rockmill White
- St Bernardus Wit
- Make it Real – Pat’s Pints Homebrew
Related Content
Pat's Pints 
Leave a comment