Double White Ale

With his Double White Ale, Southampton Publick House’s brewmaster, Phil Markowski, has taken a sublimely American turn on this classic style. While brewed to a higher gravity, with correspondingly higher spice levels than Belgian witbier, this beer is undeniably in the witbier mold – it’s just a “monster” wit that clocks in at over 6.5% ABV. In the glass, the beer presents as dark gold with an almost orange tinge yet displays the trademark cloudiness and billowing white head of its parent style. Assertive aromas of lemon, coriander and sugary sweet malt are suited to a “double white ale” and promise good things. Rick was duly impressed by the complex herbal, spicy aroma, evincing notes of chamomile, light white pepper and coriander, and Lee praised the spiciness, noting that it was prominent “without being obtrusive.” Although the rock candy-like sweetness of the malt slightly confounded the aroma, the spice note provided a pleasant counterpoint to keep things in balance. As expected from such a big beer, the flavor was notably sweeter than a traditional witbier, but the citrusy tartness and coriander/clove punch kept things in check. Tom complimented the exceptionally clean malt and wheat flavors yet noted a slight lingering sweetness in the finish. Double White Ale pushes – but does not break – the boundaries of what a witbier should be, yielding a highly quaffable brew and proving yet again that Southampton remains on top of their game.