Westbrook Brewing Company did a great job desiging both the artwork for this can but also the beer itself. We love that they put their own spin on this style by adding ginger root and Sorachi Ace hops. Very cool! We loved their IPA so we can't wait to try this one and see what's next from this South Carolina brewery! Cheers!

From the Westbrook Brewing site:

"This beer, inspired by the flavors of Southeast Asian cuisine, is a twist on the classic Belgian witbier style. Instead of the traditional coriander and orange peel spicing regimen, we add fresh lemongrass, ginger root, and a dash of Sorachi Ace hops. The result is a wonderfully refreshing ale with notes of lemon candy, citrus fruit, and a slight spiciness from the ginger. Best served at 45˚F in a tulip or wine glass."

Here we go...

Pour - hazy yellow to gold in color with a not too thick wispy head on top. Sort of soft and opaque in appearance with a good deal of yeasty cloudiness.

Aroma - spicy and sweet, lots of great aromas coming from the glass. Some nice citrus notes along with some hints of ginger and coriander. Very spicy, warm and inviting.

Taste - that first sip is all we need to know that this is a very well put together witbier. Lots of those traditional flavors are present such as the coriander and the citrus notes but the ginger and the lemongrass really bring this beer to another level. Very spicy and refreshing and we can't really say enough about what the addition of ginger does for a beer like this. 

Overall - one of the best witbiers we've ever had. If only we had some of this in 2011, it would have certainly got some acclomation in the "Best of 2011" polling. Absolutely great beer with such well measured spice flavor and a nice crisp finish. Altogether fantastic. Very well done and cheers to everyone at Westbrook Brewing Company. 

Note - we can't help but wish that Westbrook Brewing and Uncommon Brewers would get together and do some sort of East Coast/West Coast collaboration. Both have really mastered the art of brewing with spices and have an apprecaition for what they can do for a beer. Perhaps we can persuade them to share some pints and talk it over. Cheers!