St. Bernardus Witbier
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with coriander, orange peel, and a light wheaty softness — classic witbier territory but executed with notable polish. On the palate there's a gentle tartness from the unmalted wheat, flavors of citrus zest, white pepper, and a faint clove note from the yeast. The body is light to medium with a hazy, slightly creamy texture. The finish is dry and clean with a mild spice linger.
About the Brewery
St. Bernardus is based in Watou, in the West Flanders region of Belgium. The brewery has deep roots in Belgian monastic brewing tradition — it originally brewed under license for the Trappist monks of St. Sixtus before that arrangement ended in 1992. They are best known for their Abbey ales, particularly the Abt 12, which is widely regarded as one of the finest strong dark ales produced anywhere in Belgium. The witbier sits somewhat outside their core identity but reflects the same commitment to traditional Belgian brewing technique.
Food Pairings
Mussels steamed in white wine are a natural match because the beer's citrus and spice mirror the briny, herby cooking liquid. A simple roast chicken seasoned with lemon and thyme works well because the wheat body won't compete with delicate white meat. Goat cheese on bread pairs cleanly because the beer's mild tartness plays against the cheese's tangy creaminess. Shrimp dishes with light citrus-herb sauces align with the orange peel and coriander running through the beer. Lighter Thai dishes — a green papaya salad or pad thai — pair usefully because the spice in the beer echoes aromatic Southeast Asian flavors without amplifying heat.
Style Guide
Witbier, meaning 'white beer' in Dutch, is a Belgian wheat beer brewed with a significant proportion of unmalted wheat alongside barley malt, and traditionally spiced with coriander and dried Curaçao orange peel. It originated in the Flemish region of Belgium centuries ago, nearly disappeared in the mid-twentieth century, and was revived almost single-handedly by Pierre Celis in the 1960s with his Hoegaarden brewery. The style is defined by its hazy pale appearance, light-to-medium body, gentle tartness from the wheat, and the interplay of citrus and spice from both the added seasonings and the characterful Belgian yeast. It differs from German hefeweizen primarily in those added spices and a leaner, drier profile rather than the banana-and-clove ester dominance typical of hefeweizen.