I have always been fond of Belgian witbier. In fact, I have 10 gallons of it fermenting right now. The refreshing tartness along with the spicy complexity (courtesy of coriander, bitter orange peel and sometimes cumin) make “Wit” a great beer to use in the kitchen as well as in your beer glass. Coor’s Blue Moon is brewed in the style of Belgian white ale or witbier. It is not my favorite example of the style, but it’s locally available and it continues to serve its purpose by introducing tens of thousands of macro-beer drinkers to the exotic style.

The modern witbier is derived from the way beer was brewed hundreds of years ago in many small Belgian and French villages. The essence of the style is the use of a large portion of unmalted wheat, giving the beer its hazy “white” cloudiness (hence the name, white beer) and also contributing to the essential spicy flavor. Malted grain was an expensive luxury in those early days and hops were not widely used in brewing until later centuries. The beers of the day were spiced with whatever herbs grew locally and others that were available from importation. Coriander was not native to Europe, but it could be grown there. The seeds of the coriander plant (Cilantro) are used to impart a very round citrus flavor to the beer. Many brewers use the dried bitter peel of…

the Curacao orange to further impart a tart citrus finish. Hops are used, but they play a “bit part”, only supplying a base layer of biterness. Hop flavor or aroma is non-existent nor appropriate.

Witbier all but died out by the 20th century. In the 1950s, a Belgian brewer named Pierre Celis revived the style and named the beer after the town in which he brewed, a place called Hoegaarden (pronounced Who-garden) . The beer is widely available (except here in good ol’ WV). Now brewed by the massive Inbev group, it is considered a standard bearer of the style. Pierre left Belgium in the early ’90s to start a brewery in Austin, Texas, with his flagship beer called Celis White. He sold the operation, went back to Belgium and I am told is going to be opening another brewery here even though he is in his eighties!

The key characteristic of witbier is the balance of fruitiness, spiciness and tartness. The complexity of the beer makes it great for use in the kitchen, and not just to drink while you are cooking! I do pork tenderloin that I marinate overnight in Blue Moon, cumin, ground coriander and just a bit of garlic. I then glaze the tenderloin in a little orange marmalade (thinned with the beer), then roll it in crushed coriander seed and a very little bit of coarsely ground black pepper to balance the sweetness. This should be roasted either in a 350 degree oven or over indirect heat on a grill. I shoot for 130-132 degrees in the center and then let it rest to cook through. This dish can be served with rice pilaf or an interesting couscous dish. I would suggest of course, that you serve this with witbier (sans the orange slice please…)

Locally available witbier:

Blue Moon Belgian White Ale – Orange dominates, tartness is subdued (hey, what do ya expect? It’s made by Coors). The aroma reminds you of walking through the produce section of Krogers. It can be found on tap in Charleston.

Great Lakes Holy Moses Ale – More traditional version, complex balance, spices come through, tartness is refreshing.

Samuel Adams Summer Ale – More lemony flavors, no coriander used, underwhelming.

Take your beer money out of state and you will find:

Allagash White - a great witbier from a small brewery in Maine

Hoegaarden - as discussed earlier… (not as good as when it was an independent brewery)

Unibroue Blanche De Chambly - A great version from Quebec. Spiciness mainly from fermentation.

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