[HoosierBrew]

Maybe I should start a thread on the quality of American wits. I had a few when I was in California in the summer, and they were very mediocre. 

Out of curiosity, are there many wits brewed in Belgium now ?  I always read that the style was almost extinct in Belgium before being revived by Pierre Celis. Didn't know if he spurred a revival of it there among other breweries like happened here.

[homoeccentricus]

Maybe 50 or so. Most of the bigger breweries have one in their portfolio, so there's about 10 of them that are widespread. But most pubs serve only one kind, normally the one from the brewery that they are affiliated to.

I'm not really a big fan of the style, so I don't go after them. Apparently it's a lost art...

[erockrph]

Maybe I should start a thread on the quality of American wits. I had a few when I was in California in the summer, and they were very mediocre. 

Hopefully these were something other than Blue Moon and Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat?

[homoeccentricus]

I remember that one was part of a beer flight. man, they were all bad, my hand kept on moving hesitantly from one glass to the next. It took me hours to get out of that brewpub.

[erockrph]

Like you, I'm not a fan of the style at all. But I will say that Allagash White gets it right. If you're ever stuck drinking an American Wit again, that would be the example I'd reach for.

[HoosierBrew]

Like you, I'm not a fan of the style at all. But I will say that Allagash White gets it right. If you're ever stuck drinking an American Wit again, that would be the example I'd reach for.

Yeah, it's not one of my favorite styles either, but the Allagash is good. As for the few that get here from Belgium, I like the St Bernardus Blanche (Wit) pretty well. It's not as coriander crazy as some, which is a good thing to me.

[homoeccentricus]

I did try the Allagash white and I didn't like it too much. :-P but my friends tell me that deep down I really don't like beer.

[homoeccentricus]

The Bernardus is one of the better ones, I agree.

[morticaixavier]

The best north american wit I have had so far was from the blanche du paradis from du de ciel in montreal. there was a brewery in michigan that was making a beer supposedly from pierre celis' recipe for a while that was also fantastic. I have not had the opportunity to try the new celis white from texas yet.

[reverseapachemaster]

Celis' daughter returned to Austin and is brewing a collaboration series with Austin brewers and although there is a website for Celis Brewery I don't believe the brewery is in operation or that the beers are anywhere in the market through a contract brew.

[homoeccentricus]

In Belgium, Celis White is brewed by Van Steenberge (who also makes Gulden Draak). Haven't tasted that beer yet, though.