Witbier

Witbier



The Witbier, or Belgian Wit, comes from a very specific place. Hoegaarden, a small village in the Flanders region of Belgium, was the birthplace of the Wit all the way back in 1445. The beer grew in popularity and the enclaves surrounding Hoegaarden desired it at a feverish pace. Its popularity carried it well into the 20th century, with 13 breweries operating in the 19th century. However, after the destruction two massive wars caused the region, the breweries had to cease operations, with the last one shuttering in 1957.
About ten years after that, however, a native of the region named Pierre Celis revived the Wit in a small brewery he started in the barn on his family dairy farm. His Wit grew, and the Hoegaarden brewery started to succeed in the town for which it's named. Since Celis brought the style back, it has steadily regained its popularity. In the United States, commercial Wits like Blue Moon and Shock Top are produced by the mega breweries, while craft breweries offer Wits as summer ales. 




The Wit is light in body and color, with flavor notes of citrus and wheat. The name Witbier, in Dutch, means White Beer (cognates are fun!), so the pale straw color has to be there for the sake of accuracy. It is a cloudy beer, with haze deriving from a heavy dose of raw wheat and a lack of clarifying agents. The wheat, which can account for up to 50% of the malt bill, leaves starches and proteins in the beer, and a lack of filtration keeps them suspended in the solution. 

As mentioned above, the wheat and citrus notes are important to the flavor of the beer. Adding orange peel and coriander creates a flavor profile that belies the fairly bland grain bill. There are not many specialty malts in the Wit, and the wheat and Pilsen malt base are both very mild. The citrus addition causes a tart finish which is sometimes balanced by a garnish of fresh orange wedges. Off flavors, when something goes wrong, can include green peppers, soap, or ham. Ham. 

The Wit is a cousin of the German Weissbier and Hefeweizen. All three were developed by monks around the same time, with differences growing out of regional preferences and ingredient availability. Because orange and coriander were more readily available in Belgium than southern Germany in the 15th century, they were added to the beer to give it a more interesting profile. All the white beers, regardless of place of origin, have similar characteristics and recipes, with what and barley in almost equal proportions. 

OUR RECIPE
5lbs Pilsner Malt
5lbs Flaked Wheat

2oz Saaz Hops

11.5g S-33 Dry Yeast

2oz Dry Orange Peel
2oz Coriander Seed


Malts We Use
Pilsner Malt: Pilsner Malt is a classic base malt. Extremely light in color, it is a perfect tableau for beers with a lot of specialty malts. Pilsner Malt has a delicate flavor and is very clean, making it a perfect malt for crisp clear beers. Originally used in most lager styles, it takes its name from the Pilsen beers of Bohemia, where it was developed. 

Flaked Wheat: Wheat will add bready flavors and increase head retention. It will also add significant amount of body and haze to beers like Wits, Hefeweizens, and New England IPAs

Hops We Use
Saaz: Brewers in the Czech Republic have been using Saaz for over 700 years. It's a classic noble hop with a herbal spice and mellow bitterness. Saaz has a low Alpha Acid, making it one of the quintessential aromatic hops. 

Yeast We Use
S-33: Designed for Wits and other wheat beers, S-33 has evolved into a general purpose ale yeast for beers that have a light profile. It's highly effective for Belgian styles across the board, especially lighter varieties.

Adjuncts We Use
Dry Orange Peel: The strong citrus flavor and aroma are ideal for the Wit along with holiday style ales that include a spice component. 

Coriander: Sweet spicy notes pair well with Orange Peel and other spices, particularly in Belgian and holiday ales. Coriander can be used as part of a spice mix or on its own to impart delicate layers of aroma and flavor. 

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