Thoughts on Hoegaarden

[brauhaus]

Hoegaarden Original White Ale - Brouwerij van Hoegaarden - BeerAdvocate

Had this last night at our company's xmas party and LOVED IT! While everyone was ordering their Bud, Miller and Coors I was busy checking out the beer menu (for some reason people always look at me funny when I ask for one; most Bud, Miller, Coors drinkers thinking I'm some kinda newb or something).

No I actually want to drink a beer, a real beer with real taste.

Anyway, I thought the Hoegaarden was amazing. Being a witbier it had a nice sweet aroma and that hearty taste that (imho) is a great taste and so smooth; all five 22oz tall glasses I had of it didn't leave me in the morning like a one-night-stand never to call again...

This morning I woke up with just a little headache, so small that it didn't warrant taking anything for it (aside from some of the usual coffee this morning) so I'm giving this brew a nice thumbs up! :rockin: I look forward to having it again.

Anyone try, have, enjoy this?

 

[BeezBrew]

Love it, especially when it's in the traditional Hoegaarden glass.

 

[Coastarine]

If I had to choose one beer for the rest of my life it might be hoegaarden. Also one of the very first good beers I ever tried. I'm not a big fan of their glass though.

 

[brewt00l]

If you get a chance, you should try a local version....PBC's Walt Wit:
Walt Wit - Philadelphia Brewing Company - BeerAdvocate

 

[Saccharomyces]

Good stuff.

The Wit recipe in my dropdown is a more full flavored Wit than Hoegaarden (more spice, and a little more grainy flavor). It's a style worth brewing yourself if you really like the Hoegaarden. The Wit is a house tap here; when I want something light that's what I go for.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Hoegaarden is good for its style. Possibly the best beer inbev makes. Not my favorite wit, but for a summer day, this is a good beer.

 

[Hammy71]

Have loved Hoegaarden for a while. Great summer beer. Have had it in my kegerator many times and what a great lawnmower beer on tap (all those car coffee mugs I've accumulated have finally come in handy...since I can't stand coffee!!). Just turned a bunch of people on to this beer just last weekend. Had a shrimp feast at work and we went through a case in less than 15 minutes....(only two of us had drank the beer before....). In short....love the stuff....

 

[DelftBlue]

I think it's pretty good; nice in summer and InBev's best beer in my view.

More often, I drink Korenwolf, a Dutch Witbier (Korenwolf means "Hamster" in Dutch!).

In the Netherlands, Witbier typically gets served with a slice of lemon.

 

[G-E-R-M-A-N]

Yeah I like this beer. For sure a good one to keep in mind when buying brew.

 

[Ceedubya]

A friend of mine turned me onto this beer this past summer. Great summer time beer.

 

[RandalG]

This is one of my faves and on my shortlist to try brewing myself once I gain some experience and get a hold of a good clone recipe.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I love this beer. It's also a great "gateway beer" for BMC drinkers who are adventurous enough to have tried Blue Moon or Shock Top. Most of them remark, "Wow! This is even better than Blue Moon!" ...always gives me a chuckle...

 

[Homercidal]

I love Witbier, but I actually prefer Blue Moon to Hoegaarden. Frankly, I've had several Wits that were better IMO. Amazing how such a narrowly-defined style can have so many beers that taste different.

 

[RandalG]

Frankly, I've had several Wits that were better IMO. Amazing how such a narrowly-defined style can have so many beers that taste different.

I'd be interested to hear what they are so I can see for myself.

 

[nvr2low]

i like it quite a bit. much better than bluemoon/shocktop thats for sure!

 

[buckrogers71]

I like Hoegaarden BUT i think that it is overpriced for 1/6. Victory puts out their Whirlwind Whit that i think is better. But thats just me.

 

[EllisTX]

Resurrection!! I had a few of these yesterday. I thought it was a bit too clovey/spicy. Overall pleasing but I get a bit too much spice from it.

 

[Homercidal]

I'd be interested to hear what they are so I can see for myself.

I prefer Celis White, which is the same style beer. I like Bells Oberon, while not technically being a Belgian Wit, is very similar. I've had a couple others that were very tasty Wit beers that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Anything that is close to 50% wheat, and brewed with coriander and orange peel I consider to be close enough to Hoegaarden to call a Wit. Whether they use Belgian or American yeast is usually the main difference.

There is something about Hoegaarden that takes it down a few notches for me. Possibly it's the Chamomile that I've heard they add. Plus, while it's a very nice beer, the recipe has changed since the company was purchased. I think the MBC Celis White is the closest to the original that I've ever tasted, however, I heard that Pierre Celis was working with another brewery to produce a Witbier as well. Haven't heard how that worked out yet, but I'd be down for trying it.

Oh, I think Allagash White is one that I've had that I really liked.

 

[DelftBlue]

Oh, I think Allagash White is one that I've had that I really liked.

I heard a pretty well-known Belgian brewer claim that to be the best Witbier he'd ever tasted.

 

[Randar]

I like Bells Oberon, while not technically being a Belgian Wit, is very similar.

Could not disagree more.

 

[Homercidal]

Could not disagree more.

More than what?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

More than what?

Trust me. He could.

 

[Randar]

More than what?

Oberon is nothing like a Belgian Wit. They both have water, yeast, wheat, and hops, that's about all they have in common.

 

[pedominguez]

You should try Hoegaarden at the Hoegaarden brewery, when it's really fresh, and the Coriander really comes through. YUM!

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

Hoegaarden is my favorite wit. It is light years ahead of Blue Moon's swill.

 

[o4_srt]

I like it, but recently learned hoegarden is an nbev product.

Nbev=anheuser busch=Satan (watch the documentary "beer wars")

Will not be buying it again on principle.

 

[wedge421]

Yeah its not an Inbev product but if nothing else is available its a great session beer. Clean refreshing and just enough of the Belgian spice in there. A classic example of the style.

 

[o4_srt]

Yeah its not an Inbev product but if nothing else is available its a great session beer. Clean refreshing and just enough of the Belgian spice in there. A classic example of the style.

It's not? It's listed on inbev's website...

I agree, it's a good beer, but I refuse to support their shady business practices.

 

[Revvy]

It's one of my favorite commercial beers, AND you can harvest the yeast. I use it for my own Belgian wit all the time.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

It is way too much coriander for my taste. I don't dabble in wits too much but I can clearly tell the ones I do like are light on the coriander and curacao and the ones I hate are heavy on both, especially the coriander.

 

[Acoma]

It is a tasty refreshing beer. It pains me to buy it knowing its part of the evil empire.

 

[Homercidal]

Oberon is nothing like a Belgian Wit. They both have water, yeast, wheat, and hops, that's about all they have in common.

Yeah, I admit, it's a stretch. Not sure about coriander in Oberon, but it does have orange peel and wheat. It's missing the most important ingredient, which is an actual wit yeast. I believe they use their house ale yeast. Same yeast that's in their pale ale and two hearted. I'd have to look that up to be sure.

I think the similarities are that it's a wheat beer, but not brewed with hefe yeast, and flavored with orange peel, so it's similar in some ways.

Hoegaarden is my favorite wit. It is light years ahead of Blue Moon's swill.

Blue Moon is way to clean tasting to be a true wit IMO. They claim "Belgian Wit" on the bottle, but I really don't think they ferment with wit yeast. Hoegaarden is way more to style than Blue Moon, but you should try Celis White or Allagash's Wit. I think they are both better tasting wits and award winners to boot.