Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Restaurants Beer pick of the week: Weyerbacher Zotten
Posted by Jeff Holland on Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 3:27 PM
Weyerbacher Brewing Company
Easton, PA
6.0% ABV
More American craft brewers are attempting basic Belgian-style pale ales and that is a good thing.
Weyerbacher's offering pours a hazy, almost cloudy, autumn gold and is apparently unfiltered. The rich, off-white head settles to a tight, solid cap of foam.
The straight up Belgian yeast aroma of overripe banana and melon skin fruit esters and a hint of spice is very promising. On the palate, the balance of sweet honey malts and tangy, bubblegum-y yeast is evident right out of the gate. Floral, lemony hops come in strong, with a surprising cilantro-like soapy bitterness. Any sweetness begins to yield to dry, crackery malts and tart apple. The bitterness in the finish lingers a bit long for my taste and is my only real complaint. Zotten has a nice rustic quality to it that is suggestive of a farmhouse ale or biere de garde. Terrific, weighty mouthfeel for a regular BPA without become heavy or cloying. A brisk carbonation helps in that regard, as does the dry finish.
A bit too bitter for the style perhaps, but pair it with some rich, creamy cheese, a baguette and some fig preserves and you have a great picnic.
Latest in Omnivore
-
Chew or Cheeto?
Convenience store dentistry
-
Jesus, the flag, and Cracker Barrel 2
A visit to Brunswick, dining at Cracker Barrel
-
And the best thing to eat at Atlantic Station is ... a Publix sub 9
There's nothing to eat here.
- More »
Comments (0)