Beer Style: Belgian Wit Beer
Pelican Pub & Brewery’s Heiferweizen clone
Brewmaster Darron Welch provides the recipe for their witbier.
Apricot Harvest Wit
Recipe submitted by Ben Knoerdel formerly of Ben’s Homebrew in Tarentum, Pennsylvania. This is a light, crisp and wonderfully delicious beer Ben made for his wife who doesn’t like bitter, hoppy beers.
The Other Michael Jackson (Black Witbier)
According to recipe author Gordon Strong, “This is my normal witbier recipe with darker malts and a slight tweak in spicing. Darker malts were used, but again only during the sparge. I changed the usual coriander and orange peel to star anise and tangerine, since I thought those spices would match better with a darker grain bill. I was actually thinking about a Chinese red braised beef dish for the flavorings, and wondered how they would fit.”
American Wheat: Tips from the Pros
Three US brewers discuss brewing a style that is all about the USA: American wheat.
American Wheat
American wheat owes some of its heritage to German wheat beers, but this style is decidedly New World.
Dunkelweizen
Dunkelweizen, a dark, German wheat beer with just the right balance of malty/bready flavors and wheat beer aroma.
Carissa Sweigart’s Cranberry Wit
One of the winners of Boston Brewing Company’s LongShot contest.
Belgian Wit
Belgian wit had all but disappeared when Pierre Celis began his brewing career in the 1950s. Celis is credited for reviving the style in Belgium during his stint at the Hoegaarden brewery; then he moved to Texas, launched his own Belgian brewery and kick-started the style in the United States.
Hoegaarden Original White Ale clone
Brouwerij De Kluis, Hoegaarden
This is the standard by which all witbiers are measured. Hoegaarden Wit is cloudy and very pale golden in color, with a restrained white head and aromas of coriander and wheat that are impossible to ignore.
Hazed & Confused
While originally brewed with a wit yeast, I thought a saison yeast might play nicely in the mix as well. The pepper hints from the Saaz and grains of paradise melded nicely while the orange provide a slight citrus character.
Blanche de Ballard (Belgian Witbier)
To duplicate the authentic slightly sour tang of this style, using the Belgian liquid yeast strain is recommended. There are no finishing hops so that the aroma and character of the spices and yeast can surface. The best results can be obtained from the coriander by buying the whole seed and grinding it fresh on brew day. A complex and refreshing treat to savor in any season. Recipe submitted by The Cellar Homebrew, Seattle, Washington, www.cellar-homebrew.com
Belgian Witbier
Witbier nearly went extinct after the Second World War, but now — thanks mostly to Pierre Celis — the style is roaring back. Learn the ingredients and methods to brew this cloudy, tangy, spicy brew.
