All About Beer Magazine

Beer Talk

Wahoo Wheat Ale

Published May 2010, Volume 31, Number 2

• Roger Protz

  Let’s get the pedantry out of the way first: the label describes Wahoo as a “Belgian style wheat beer (hefeweizen),” but hefeweizen is a German style. This is a bière blanche or wit, broadly in the Hoegaarden style, flavored with coriander, orange peel and curaçao. It has a hazy gold color and spicy nose with coriander and peppery hops to the fore. Spicy and herbal notes dominate the palate with rich grain, tart fruit and gentle hop bitterness. The finish has sweet grain balanced by orange fruit, herbs, spices and light hops. A pleasant beer, but I find all the aromas and flavors rather muted—and I never thought I’d say “muted” about an American craft beer.

• Garrett Oliver

  I roll the bottle to re-suspend the heavy yeast deposit, and the beer pours a murky dark yellow. The white head quickly drops to scattered islands of foam. The aroma is brightly spiced--oriander and oranges—backed by a wheaty, pasta-like backdrop. On the palate, the beer is brisk, dry-ish and fruity, with classic witbier flavors playing into a quick finish. If I was judging a competition, I’d say this beer is pretty dark for the Belgian wheat beer style. But fortunately I’m just drinking, so I don’t care. This is going to be awesome with my shrimp salad.