Meer over Wit
Which witbier are you looking for?
- Classic witbier: according to the BJCP, 30–60% unmalted wheat, the rest pale barley malt, sometimes some oats. Bready malt, a lemony note from the coriander and fresh orange. Most are around 5%.
- Witbier with other spices or citrus: according to the Brewers Association, some modern witbiers use other spices or a different citrus peel than coriander and orange.
- Trappist: a Trappist abbey can also make a witbier. Trappist tells you where a beer comes from, not which style it is.
Looking for banana and clove? Then you want a German weizen: those notes come from the yeast, not from spices. Drier and more peppery: saison.
What to look out for
If a witbier tastes sweet, according to the BJCP that is usually because of the low bitterness, not because of residual sugar. The style guides disagree about sourness: the BJCP says it is absent from fresh modern witbiers, while the Brewers Association calls a mild acidity appropriate. The spicing isn't old, either: according to historian Roel Mulder, coriander and orange peel do not appear in the old Belgian witbier recipes. Most modern witbiers go back to the witbier that Pierre Celis made in Hoegaarden from 1966.
What you'll find at Hoptimaal
Mainly Dutch witbiers, from breweries such as De Eeuwige Jeugd, Grutte Pier, De Brouwkamer, KOMPAAN, Moersleutel, Poesiat & Kater, Stadshaven, Eleven, Frontaal and Rock City. The Trappist brewery De Koningshoeven is in there too. St. Hubertus comes from Belgium, Mikkeller from Denmark, and you'll also come across Ter Dolen and Het Uiltje. With every beer you see the current Untappd score.
Serving and storing
Store witbier cool and dark: according to the Brewers Association, warmth gives caramel and cardboard notes, and light gives a skunky smell. Traditionally, witbier is bottle conditioned and served cloudy, so the layer of yeast at the bottom can go into your glass.
Buy witbier at Hoptimaal
At Hoptimaal you buy witbier online or in our shop at Leeghwater 5 in Amersfoort. You order per bottle. Order before 3 pm on working days and we ship the same day. Shipping within the Netherlands is free from €75.
According to the BJCP, witbier is at its best young and fresh. So order it for now, not for the pantry.
Frequently asked questions
Is there really orange and coriander in witbier?
Usually, yes: coriander seed and dried orange peel; the BJCP mentions curaçao peel. According to the BJCP, the citrus and spiciness in witbier come more from these additions than from the yeast.
Why is witbier cloudy?
Witbier isn't filtered. According to the BJCP, starch and yeast make it cloudy, and according to the Brewers Association it is traditionally bottle conditioned. So cloudy is not a flaw here.
Which witbier should you choose if you don't like coriander?
Look at what the brewer puts in it: according to the Brewers Association, some modern witbiers use other spices or a different citrus peel than coriander and orange. If you want a wheat beer without any spices at all, choose a weizen: there the yeast makes the clove, and no spices go in. More in the Beer School on witbier.
