Beer Man: Oskar Blues knows its wit
Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.
This week: Priscilla White Wit Wheat
Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, Colo.
Oskar Blues makes one of my favorite imperial stouts (Ten Fidy, which I have written about before), so I am always game to try the brewery’s other beers.
Priscilla turned out to be a pleasant surprise and not just because it was a Belgian-style witbier. The surprise came in the form of sugar.
American breweries tend to make dry versions of witbier — quite a few are very good — showcasing the wheat and oats included in the beer, along with a bit of peppery spiciness, and lemon-orange hints from coriander and orange peel.
Oskar Blues’ version is sweeter than most witbiers, which seemed to bring out the flavors of the malts, coriander and orange peel in a way the drier and less-sweet versions do not. It is by no means an overly sweet beer. I would say it’s similar to what you would find in a typical weiss beer.
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The coriander and orange peel in the 5.2% ABV brew were very noticeable in the aroma, along with a bready background from the malts. The head was white and fluffy, and the lacing left on the sides of the glass was prominent.
The body seemed a bit fuller than typical witbiers, probably because of the use of slightly more malt. Again, a good decision that makes it stand out from the pack.
Beerito Mexican Lager (4% ABV) was a very good amber ale in the tradition of amber Mexican beers such as Dos Equis Amber and Negra Modelo.
These beers all share common traits with the German-Austrian Vienna style, characterized by the amber color and extra malt flavor.
Oskar Blues’ take is traditional, and the foamy head, German light and caramel malts, and grassy hops were all true to style. This is a very good session beer.
Passion Fruit Pinner Throwback India Pale Ale (4.9% ABV) was not as successful. It is a decent IPA, but the main fruit flavor I got out of the beer was grapefruit.
The website, www.specialtyproduce.com, describes the flavor of passion fruit as having nuances of pineapple, papaya, mango, citrus and guava. I did not pick up any of those notes in the beer, except for grapefruit citrus.
Those just looking for a decent IPA will not find much fault with the Passion Fruit Pinner; those looking for the passion fruit thrill will be disappointed.
Oskar Blues has widespread distribution in the U.S.; it has a Beer Finder link at the top of its home page.
Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability by mail. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns, click here.