Allagash White
Allagash Brewing Company (Portland, Maine)
Style: Witbier
ABV: 5.2%
$2.25 per bottle ($8.99/four 12oz bottles)
I remember my first encounter with Allagash: my friend, Chad, and I were sitting in a bar in the near southside of Chicago. We were killing time so, naturally, we decided to binge drink.
I’m partial to wheat beer and spotted “Allagash White: American witbier” on the drink menu.
Allagash. It sounded to foreign and mysterious, even Nordic god-ish.
I pointed at the menu item and Chad said, “Dude, you’ve never had Allagash? It’s the bomb.”
I responded with a stare that said “I hate you for being cooler than me.” Although it probably looked like a confused “I can’t read” to him.
We smothered the spat with beer, and drank in style. Ever since that first time, my face has lit up with possibilities whenever I’ve seen Allagash on a restaurant’s menu.
For the clinical purposes of this review, I picked up a four 12-ounce bottle pack. It put me back $8.99, which isn’t inconsiderable given my precarious financial situation. But it was worth it.
Upon pouring, the Allagash White’s zesty, pale, orange color immediately becomes apparent. It is slightly cloudly in the middle and especially up top, almost resembling a miniature funnel cloud. The head is foamy and about a finger’s width but it doesn’t stick around for a while, leaving a web of foam in its wake.
The smell matches the zesty look. It has a very fresh scent that isn’t overpowering. I could detect orange, spices and a bit of lemon.
The White tastes every bit as delicious as it looks. It tastes of citrus and herbs with a lingering spice aftertaste. I’m not normally a person who likes lingering aftertastes, regardless of what I’m tasting, but this beer makes it work.
Allagash White is a great beer to have on its own. It is extremely drinkable. Most folks can certainly enjoy this witbier during the dog days of summer because it’s light but retains flavor. This is personally one of my favorite beers and remains a stalwart go-to beer after all of these years.
4/4
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