Wheat Beers — Avery Brewing Co. vs. Lefebvre Brewery

Avery Brewing Co.
White Rascal
(Belgian Style White Ale)
ABV 5.6%

Color: Hazy pale gold.
Aroma: Banana, lemon, clove and a bit of Belgian yeast funk.
Flavor: Smooth and rich with spicy clove and banana notes.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced
Finish: Not much. Quickly disappears.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Lefebvre Brewery
Blanche de Bruxelles
(Beer brewed with coriander & orange peel)
ABV 4.5%

Color: Hazy pale yellow.
Aroma: Very floral and perfumy. Jasmine and orange blossom.
Flavor: Light and crisp with citrus and floral notes.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced
Finish: Floral with some acidity.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Blow by Blow
Since the thermometer appears to be stuck at 95 degrees (or higher) we've been craving lighter, more refreshing beers. Wheat beers fit nicely into the "light" and "refreshing" category so we found two intriguing competitors and the fight was on. Our choices included one authentic witbier from Belgium and one wheat beer brewed in a Belgian-style from Colorado.

As usual, Ellen poured them blind for me and after tasting both I declared that it was obvious which was the authentic Belgian beer. Also as usual, I was wrong. What confused me was that the White Rascal had more prominent yeast characteristics with lots of banana and clove. The Blanche de Bruxelles, on the other hand was dominated by a sweet, floral perfuminess that I thought was more likely to be the imitator. After some research, I discovered that the banana and clove we tasted in the White Rascal are most often associated with the type of yeast used in Hefeweizens (German wheat beers). Authentic Belgian witbiers usually offer more aromas and flavors that come from the spices added to the beer (ie. coriander, orange peel, etc.) But that's enough of the geeky style discussion, which beer did we like better?

We liked both beers quite a bit, but when it came down to it we chose the White Rascal because the Blanche de Bruxelles was just a bit too intensely perfumy for us. It might not be the most authentic Belgian witbier knockoff but it's a damn fine beer to sip on a hot summer evening and we will gladly pack along a few cans of it on our next kayaking trip.

Winner by unanimous decision: Avery Brewing White Rascal

European Beers Our Friend Matt Gave us to Battle — Williams Brothers vs. Franziskaner

Williams Brothers
Fraoch Heather Ale
ABV 5%

Color: Clear, rusty gold.
Aroma: Roasted malts, black pepper.
Flavor: Somewhat thin with a floral malty sweetness and notes of toast.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty.
Finish: Bread dough and lemony citrus.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse
ABV 5%

Color: Cloudy, dirty gold.
Aroma: Bananas, cloves, cardamom, lemon.
Flavor: Ripe bananas, yeast.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Neither.
Finish: Clean, refreshing and acidic with a bit of lingering clove spice.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Fantastic

Winner by unanimous decision: Franziskaner.
In one corner we had the Fraoch, a Heather Ale brewed in Scotland using an ancient Gaelic recipe. In the other corner we had the Franziskaner, a Hefewiezen hailing from Germany. It was an outdoor fight and the sun was blazing which may have given the Franziskaner an unfair advantage since Hefeweizen-style beers taste extraordinarily good on a hot day.

The Fraoch was certainly a well-made beer with a unique flavor, but it seemed thin and feeble compared to the Franz. The ancient Scottish recipe did manage to hold its own for a short time with some veteran guile, but was ultimately picked apart by the fresher, livelier German. We suggest you try the Fraoch this autumn, as the flavors would seem to make a good match for some cooler weather and hearty harvest fare. The Franz, on the other hand should find its way into your refrigerator quickly so that you can enjoy it on one of these last hot days before the sun disappears for the next 8 months.