Brouwerij Van Steenberge Celis White

ABV: 5% | IBUS: 15 | SRM: N/A What the brewer says

“Celis White is originally a Belgian beer. Pierre Celis brewed it for years as the ‘White from Hoegaarden’ according to the age-old recipe, on the American market under the name Celis White.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Strong floral character, with orange, tangerine, and vanilla. The orange-peel and perfumy character is somewhat muted. A bit of honey, bread, and wheaty graininess, along with lemon, esters of cherry, pear, and apple, and spicy phenols. All the aromas one would expect in a well-crafted wit, in almost perfect balance.” Flavor: “The sip has the same floral presence, with brightness from the citrus esters, and cherry, pear, ripe apple, and strawberry enter, along with some coriander, black pepper, and ginger. The citrus is more lemon than orange. Tart wheat supports, with the graininess helping the beer to finish very dry.” Overall: “All the parts of this beer come together well. The floral character dominates, but is supported by the esters and the malt. Like a classic rock band on tour, it plays all the fan favorites, but it doesn’t throw out anything new.”