Two Roads Bergamonster

Witbier is a style of beer I rarely blog about and that needs to change. I have always been a fan of witbiers but tend to typically drink them when the weather is on the warmer side. The orange peel, coriander, wheat & spicy notes pair wonderfully with a hot summer day. Don’t believe me? Drink a Dogfish Head Namaste or an Allagash White and tell me I am wrong. The Allagash White is, in my opinion, the best representation of the style I have ever had. Drinking that beer is an absolute pleasure and if you have yet to try it I recommend making it your next beer purchase. I assure you, you will not be disappointed. I always tell my beer drinking friends that if they know someone that drinks a lot of Blue Moon, they need to give Allagash White a try. Once again, I have gotten a bit off track. This blog is not about Allagash White. This blog is about a fantastic witbier I tried for the first time a couple days ago and instantly felt the desire write about and fill my refrigerator with it. That beer was Two Road's Bergamonster.

I went into drinking Bergamonster with a fairly indifferent attitude. While I have liked most of the Two Road's beers I have tried, none of them have impressed me enough to be repeat purchases. They always seem to be good but nothing memorable. Even with Bergamonster, I was unsure what to expect. I thought it had the potential to be fantastic or it could turn out to be a bit more on the gimmicky side considering it was brewed with an inedible citrus fruit that is primary used only for its essence. I am thrilled it was the former and this unique approach to brewing a witbier really paid off.

The aroma of Bergamonster pulled me in immediately. The citrus notes, particularly lemon and orange popped right out of the glass. The nose was also floral, spicy with notes of clove, coriander and a yeasty breadiness one would expect from the style. The first sip was like a tart punch in the face. The lemon in particular was unexpectedly strong. It caught me so off guard I was not exactly sure what to think of the beer. I then took another sip and while it was tart, more complexity came into focus. Orange, grapefruit, tropical fruit, hearty bread, clove, coriander & pepper spice shined nicely before a pleasantly sweet banana finish that lingered on the palate. The sweet banana finish was by far my favorite part of the beer. It added a nice balance to the aggressive tartness of the lemon and really made for a pleasant drinking experience. While I would have preferred that the tartness was dialed back ever so slightly, there is very little else to complain about here. Bergamonster is a great witbier. From what I stated earlier this might seem like small praise but this is easily my favorite beer brewed by Two Roads. At 6.4%, it is deceptively strong and easy to drink. Bergamonster is a beer I look forward to purchasing again and drinking throughout the summer months. If you enjoy Witbiers, I encourage everyone to give it a try.

Overall rating: 4.25/5 


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

The Alchemist Sterk Wit

The first time I went up to Vermont to purchase beer from The Alchemist was a couple years ago. My wife and I arrived at The Beverage Warehouse in Winooski, Vermont at 8:40AM. I was the 6th person in line. By the time the place opened at 10 AM, the parking lot was completely full and the line was around the building. Judging by the license plates on the cars in the parking lot, people had come from all over the US and Canada to get their hands on Heady Topper. I stood in awe of the amount of cases the store received. Their entire stock sold out that day in a matter of minutes.

Since then, The Alchemist Brewery has opened a new visitor's center in Stowe, Vermont. This has made their beer significantly easier to obtain. It also allows for a bit more variety to choose from. For our most recent trip to Vermont, we were fortunate enough to arrive there with friends around 5 PM, with plenty of beer still in stock. Unfortunately, we ended up missing out on Focal Banger. We did however leave with Heady Topper, Luscious British Imperial Stout and the beer I will be reviewing today, Sterk Wit Belgian Style Double Wit.

My first experience with Sterk Wit was not under the circumstances I would normally like. I drank it out of a can in let's just say a shorter amount of time than I would have liked. Now that I am home from vacation, I was able to take my time with it and really enjoy it. The aroma was lovely, full of orange, spice, coriander, bread dough and a hit of fruit. This first sip was delightful and had a nice creamy mouthfeel. Sterk Wit is by far one of the hoppier witbiers I have ever had. The flavors of orange peel, tangerine, coriander, bread dough, clove, and banana give way to a spicy, dry finish. There was also this subtle fruity sweetness that lingered in the background which really added to the character of the beer. Needless to say, there's a lot going on here and I thoroughly enjoyed every sip. The use of Mandarina Bavaria hops are a beautiful addition to Sterk Wit. They really amplify the citrus and fruitiness. This beer definitely measures up as one of the best Witbiers I have had in recent memory. The Alchemist Brewery delivered again with another fantastic beer.

Overall I rate The Alchemist Sterk Wit a 4.5/5. If you are a fan of Witbiers, this is a must try.

Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!