Hoegaarden Witbier

This beer tastes like sausage. No lie!

Picked up six of these while on a beer run to the local Sunflower Market. Took Michael Jackson’s 500 Beers and found this one listed in the book and stocked on the shelf. I generally like wheat beers but have to say I’m a bit disappointed with this one.

The packaging is nifty enough. Handle of the carton has a slick slide up deal that reveals the correct pronunciation of the stuff. (Starting to lose me here.) Bottles come with labeling that explains the proper pour, including the method of swirling the bottle after its partially emptied in order to get all the floaters off the bottom and a rich thick head.

The – dare I say it, “unsettling” thing about Hoegaarden is the fact that the sediment never seems to settle! Drinking it from a glass is less like drinking beer and more like sipping a sample from the sediment basin down at the water treatment plant.

The Tasting
Pours with a medium to thick head 1 ½ to 2 fingers. Don’t forget to follow the pouring protocol printed on the bottle. Pours a light, very cloudy wheat color and smells vaguely of sausage. Has a watery taste and finishes with a hint of sausage flavor.

This would be a good beer for really hot days, I suppose, though the thick, sludgy texture and complexion are a bit off-putting and lend the beer a thicker than anticipated feel. It's in Michael Jackson's book, which proves that beer is an acquired taste, and let's face it, my goal is to sample as many beers in Jackson's book as possible. I don't have to like them all.

It’s pronounced “Who Garden” Dummy!
Like “Whoville?”