I still bought a bottle of course. The label helpfully tells us this is brewed for Aldi by trustworthy Belgian giant Palm, although a brewery that doesn't have a headline witbier of its own in Belgium's bestsellers. It matches Hoegaarden's strength at 5% ABV, but not its colour, being quite a brackish-looking muddy ochre.
The aroma is much brighter, brimming with citrus sunshine and a fresh spice from crushed coriander seeds. The texture is smoother than these usually are, with less interrupting fizz: unorthodox, but I like it. It's very sweet on the palate to begin with, almost like a non-malt ginger beer, but a certain breadcrust crispness in the middle leaves no doubt that it's a wheat beer. Beyond that there's just the faint bathroom-cabinet scent of the herbs before a rapid fade-out leaving minimal aftertaste.
I know how badly-made witbier tastes, and this isn't one of them. Yes it avoids the harsh dry grain effect by overcompensating a little the other way, but as a cheap and unfussy refreshment beer, this is well worth keeping in stock.
> Is it just me or are the Aldi knock-off beers getting more and
ReplyDelete> more on-the-nose with their branding.
It is not just you. !=)}
As I continue through the Advent Case which included a bunch of Irish-brewed beers; I've now come upon a Winter Lager brewed at Octopi Brwg. in Waunakee, WI. [12-oz. bottle, 5.6% ABV] Obviously this is not going to get to an Aldi in Ireland. Which is disappointing (for you), because this has a slight cinnamon? aroma and taste. [N.B.: It does have a 'best by' date of 8 October 2022. Maybe inquire about it at your Aldi?] It is very enjoyable. I should buy a 6-pack of this if I glimpse it in Aldi.
I ponder if other beer drinkers here in metropolitan Chicago have taken an oath to Binny's Beverage Mart's slogan, "If it isn't at Binny's, it's probably not worth drinking."?
Phhhhtttt. ;=P}
I know enough about Aldi's procurement process to know that nobody in-store is going to get me a beer from Wisconsin. Sounds nice though!
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