Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages on September 16, 2008 at 9:18 am
As the weather is finally starting to turn cooler, many Toronto beer drinkers will be setting aside the light and refreshing beers of summer for darker and heartier brews. The LCBO will be helping us with their Autumn Ales promotion, which is chock full of the stouts, porters and strong ales that go so well with crisp autumn evenings.
But that doesn't mean we have to completely turn our backs on the beers we've been enjoying these past few months, especially since some of them can be just as satisfying even as the temperature starts to drop. Full-flavoured traditional pilsners, hoppy IPAs, and spicy Belgian wheat beers are undoubtedly great thirst quenchers in the height of the hot season, they've also got enough character to quaff right into the autumn.
When it comes to Brussels White, this adaptability comes in handy, as a labelling snafu meant that its planned release as part of the LCBO's Summer Beers series several months back was postponed, and it didn't hit the shelves until late August as the warmth was waning. As such, it provides a lighter counterpoint to the bigger and darker ales that are in for the new season.
Brewed by the small, family-run Sint Jozef Brewery (although oddly, not mentioned on their website) in the town of Opitter in Belgium's Flemish region, Brussels White is a fairly solid example of a Belgian witbier in the mould of Hoegaarden. Made with the traditional additions of coriander and orange peel, it has the slightly cloudy light golden appearance expected from the style, with an aroma of citrus, wheat and yeast. The body is less carbonated than other wits, giving it a slightly creamy mouthfeel, and the flavour has a touch more lemon notes than are usually expected from the style, but is otherwise right on point.
Brussels White is available now at selected LCBO outlets (LCBO 411157 - $2.05/330 ml), shelved alongside the remainder of the Summer Beers and the early arriving Autumn Ales. It's still in good shape despite spending a number of months in a warehouse awaiting clearance for sale, but it's the sort of beer that is best enjoyed as fresh as possible, and quantities are limited, so I'd recommend stocking up quickly before it disappears along with the last gasps of summer.
