Style: Belgian style white (witbier)
From: Avery Brewing Co., Boulder CO
The brewery describes White Rascal as “a truly authentic Belgian style wheat or “white” ale,” and their claim is more than the usual advertising fluffery, although the beer seems to have a bit more body than most witbiers. White Rascal is unfiltered – if you buy it in the bottle, you’ll see the yeast sediment settled on the bottom. Be sure when pouring from the bottle that you take the time to swirl up the yeast; it will make a noticeable difference in the flavor.
The beer pours a slighty hazy pale lemon yellow with a thin foamy white head of very tiny bubbles. The head dissipates quickly, and left a spotty lacing across the top and on the glass. It’s nicely carbonated but not excessively so.
White Rascal’s aroma is light and spicy, with coriander readily apparent. There’s also a slightly peppery odor. The citrus aroma is strong, although it seemed slightly more lemony than orange. There is also a sweet yeasty aroma, and just a hint of vanilla or cream.
Orange was more obvious in the flavor than the aroma would lead you to expect. The coriander is very apparent, along with pepper and clove. White Rascal is slightly hoppier than many witbiers, but not overly so. It's just enough to balance out the sweetness without being bitter.
All in all, White Rascal is a very drinkable beer. It’s smooth and crisp, not heavy in the mouth but not watery, either. It’s carbonated enough to have a sparkle and tingle in the mouth, but smooth enough to go down easily.
White Rascal would pair well with peppery or tangy cheeses like pepper jack, brick, edam, or feta. It’s also light enough to go well with a light salad, or with poultry, fish, or shellfish. The recommended glassware would be a pint glass, pilsener glass, or a mug, and best serving temperature is 45-50 degrees.
White Rascal is brewed year round and is widely available. It’s a good American interpretation of a Belgian classic, and well worth searching out.
Overall rating: 4.25
Appearance: 4.0 \ Smell: 4.0 \ Taste: 4.5 \ Mouthfeel: 4.0 \ Drinkability: 4.5
