Haverhill Brewery Whittier White
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Loading ...“For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are those, ‘It might have been.’ “
– John Greenleaf Whittier
The back label of Haverhill Brewery’s Whittier White begins with the Whittier’s line above, and the label continues:
There are no regrets with Whittier White. This wheat beer with citrus undertones is a cool breeze on a hot day. You will want to keep this taste of summer even when you are snowbound.
Indeed, this Whittier White proves “wittier” than the common beer — making a literary pun of John Greenleaf Whittier‘s masterpiece, the poem “Snow-Bound”.
If you’re not into poets, then the label may yetl catch your attention if you are into blond women or white dogs. Or beer. Yes, I do believe there’s a glass of beer shown on the label too…
Whittier White poured quite cloudy, revealing a coppery-yellow beer with a generous white head. The aroma lilting from the tulip glass was musty and spicy, with yeast, orange-lemon citrus, rind, and coriander; yet the beer’s aroma was far too mellow to get in your face and tickle your nostrils. It makes you work for it, with your nose down in the glass. But when the foreplay has gone on long enough, it’s time to start drinking.
The taste is wheaty, sweet and just shy of sugary, with the barest touch of peppery spice and a hint of hoppy bitterness on the finish. On the tongue, the fruit comes across as more complex than Whittier White’s aroma indicates, but I’m just left flat. I’ve had this beer before at The Tap — Haverhill Brewery’s restaurant and bar — and I found it bold and interesting fresh from the keg.
So I suspect the bottle is to blame; but even with that shortcoming, this take on a Belgian Witbier is better than some of the brewpub Whites I’ve had recently. And with that said, I’ll give Haverhill Brewery the last word:
Cloudy because of the raw wheat used and yeast in suspension, this delicious ale is light, refreshing, a little bit tart and spiced with coriander, curacao orange peel, and a top secret brewing spice. This is our rendition of a Belgian wit and it’s perfect on a hot summer day or with a bowl of mussels.
Mmmm – and yes, you can get a bowl of mussels at The Tap; they’re delicious!
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