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[personal profile] liamstliam
I don't usually geek out about beer here, but the beer blog has disappeared, and I wanted to tell folks about a really good, new beer.

Long Trail Belgian White

I find it really interesting that after so many breweries have marketed a Belgian White – including one of the early entries, Coors’ Blue Moon, and the recent Anheuser-Busch product, Shocktop – that one of the top microbreweries in the U.S. would come forward with their own at this late date and do it so well.

Long Trail Brewing, Co., of Bridgewater Corners, Vt., has just started marketing a “Belgian White,” and it’s right up there with the current standard-bearer, Allagash White.

The beers ours the requisite hazy yellow – but not too hazy or too yellow, and has a thin white head and a light nose. The taste takes longer than you’d expect to develop, but it’s extremely easy to drink, and the spice – coriander that’s ground freshly at the brewery – comes through clearly after several seconds. It also has some of the traditional fruit tastes associated with a wheat beer, including a light flavor of banana, but it clearly establishes its own place among American Belgian Whites against the three previously mentioned beers, as well as Sam Adams White Ale and Saranac Belgian White.

The taste is reminiscent of a custard topped with spices, although those not used to the style might catch it as a little sour. It’s clearly a session beer. You could knock down three or four of these on a summer afternoon, and not realize it. Yet, it’s the kind of beer you savor while you drink it.

It’s equally good on tap and from the bottle, although the coriander is even sharper on tap. It’s been introduced as a Spring seasonal, but I am willing to bet it may well make the regular rotation.

Date: 2008-03-23 03:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tisiphone.livejournal.com
I think this is actually one that comes and goes; Long Trail's selection varies pretty widely with ... well, I don't know what with, actually.

Date: 2008-03-23 04:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] liamstliam.livejournal.com
This is the first time they have made this particular one, but yes, they do vary their offerings.

The Blackbeary Wheat came out as a season, then was kept.

Date: 2008-03-23 01:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jenphalian.livejournal.com
You know, just this weekend I picked up some Hoegaarden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoegaarden_Brewery), and was very much grooving on the witbier (learning fancy German terms on the internet FTW). When Jason found out how much I spent on that six-pack, he had to try it too. So that is how I got him to enjoy something other than a cheap red hussy like Killian's.

We should get together this summer with some steaks and vegetable kabobs on the grill, and sit outside with a cooler full of this Long Trail Belgian White.

Date: 2008-03-23 04:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] liamstliam.livejournal.com
We should get together tonight with ropes . . .

Ialmost mentioned the Hoegaarden in the review. If you like it, you will like this.

Date: 2008-03-23 08:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jenphalian.livejournal.com
I bet this is cheaper than Hoegaarden, too. But the name isn't as much fun to say. What a dilemma.

Date: 2008-03-24 10:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] l3arcelona.livejournal.com
Your beer review was far better then mine. I'm glad that I stopped home to pick up my empties and read LJ before heading to the beer store!

Date: 2008-03-24 11:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] liamstliam.livejournal.com
You show promise, young Padawan.

Clear a weekend, and I will give you Beer 101 and Beer 102.

Ask T. about our trip through Vermont.

Nice icon, by the way.

Date: 2008-03-25 12:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] l3arcelona.livejournal.com
Thanx! I will ask T and I def think it would be fun to get together for classes. The liquor store didn't have the Long Trail so I ended up with Shock-Top Belgian White. I made the mistake of buying it warm so I have to wait to try it now!!!

Date: 2008-03-25 01:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] liamstliam.livejournal.com
The Long Trail is *just* being released.

The Shock Top is a Michelob product, but they do a nice job with it, I understand.

You can throw one or two in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Just do not forget.

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