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The Ultimate Guide to Witbier

11/10/2023

By Jack Horzempa

Were Belgian brewers among the first “craft” brewers?

First you might ask what does craft brewing mean? I took a crack at defining the ‘modern’ era of craft brewing in this article:
 
 
“For contemporary craft beer consumers there seems to be an increasing demand for more and more flavors in their beers whether that is via adding more and different flavorings to the beer (e.g., coffee, fruits, snickerdoodles, etc.), outrageous amounts of hops and multiple additions (e.g., triple dry hopping), the sky’s the limit here it seems.”
 
I recently watched a video podcast where Jason Perkins, Brewmaster at Allagash Brewing, talked about Belgian brewing with some discussion about Allagash White Beer. During the conversation, Jason made a number of intriguing comments:
  • “…philosophy of Belgian style brewing, outside the box…”
  • “…nonadherence to style that is part of the Belgian tradition…”
  • “…the use of spices…”
As I listened to the discussion a lightbulb went off: doesn’t the above sound a lot like craft brewing!?! And after hearing Jason discuss the specifics of brewing Allagash White maybe the Witbier beer style was the first ‘craft’ beer? I found the video podcast to be a fascinating watch and perhaps others will as well:
 
 
I feel it would be remiss to not also give a ‘shout out’ to the brewers of Colonial America in this regard. Brewing in Colonial America was predominantly done at home (i.e., homebrewing) and because the typical ingredients for producing beer were not always readily available (e.g., barley malt, hops, etc.) Colonial Brewers needed to be inventive in making use of substitutes. As a substitute or augmentation for barley malt, other starches such as pumpkin, parsnip…etc., were often used as well as other fermentables like molasses. Botanicals were used as substitutions for hops and included things like spruce tips (or spruce tip essence). The philosophy here was a bit different in that these differences in ingredients/flavorings were more due to necessity to account for lack of typical brewing ingredients vs. choosing to create differing flavor profiles. Still ‘crafty’ nonetheless.

History of Witbier brewing

The history of Witbier brewing has had some very interesting twists & turns over the years with many of those twists happening in the last 60-ish years. While Witbier (Flemish for White Beer) is popularly used to designate this beer style, there is also the French term “Bière Blanche” which could be used as well. There are multiple languages used in Belgium with Flemish (northern Belgium) and French (southern Belgium) being the most widely used.
 

Witbier from way back in the day

Witbier traces its beginnings to northern Belgium, principally the cities of Leuven and Hoegaarden. I tried to find when Witbier was first brewed, and the best source I could find was a Wikipedia discussion of Bière Blanche in French. Below is an online translation from that source:
 
“In Belgium, the region of origin of the blanche (also called witbier or tarwebier) is Louvain and its surroundings, which had made a name for itself for the production of a fairly drinkable beer around the 14th century. In the small town of Hoegaarden, monks pioneered the use of coriander and curaçao orange peels to refine beer. At the time, this region was part of the Burgundian Netherlands and they took advantage of their good contacts with the Dutch merchants who dominated the spice market at the time.”
 
Note: Louvain is the French spelling for Leuven.
 
So, apparently the Witbier beer style has been around for a long time (about 700 years) and I have no doubt it has ‘evolved’ over those hundreds of years. Closer to our time, Witbier as it was brewed in the 1800’s was documented by George Lacambre in his book Traité Complet de la Fabrication des Bières Et De La Distillation Des Grains (Complete Treatise on Beer Manufacturing and Grain Distillation) published in 1851. The book is available online by Google Books but it is written in French. George Lacambre described over 20 Belgian beer styles, with Witbier among them. A few extracts about Witbier translated into English:
  • “…it is made “of five to six parts barley malt to two of wheat and one or one and a half of oats.”
  • “This beer is very pale,”
  • “…very refreshing and strongly sparkling. When fresh its raw taste has something wild, similar to be like that of Leuven.”
A number of interesting aspects from the above in that a mix of grains were used to brew a Witbier in the 1800’s, the beer was very pale (which was novel at that time), and this beer was often (mostly?) consumed very fresh.
 
How did the Belgian brewers produce a very pale beer with the majority of the grain bill being barley malt. In those days beers were predominantly dark(er) in color since barley malt was mostly dried (kilned) via wood fires. Well, to quote Bob Dylan the answer is “blowing in the wind”. The brewers of Leuven and Hoegaarden were using barley malt which was air dried in what was termed wind drying. The Germans called this product Luftmalz (i.e., Wind Malt).
 
“The malt was the extremely pale “wind malt,” air-dried rather than kilned, and made from two-row barley.”

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Witbier_Belgian_White

It is commonly thought that the ‘first’ very pale malts were produced by the opening of the Pilsner Urquell brewery in 1842 (with what we call Pilsner Malt today) but there was some very pale malt produced prior to the invention of Pilsner Malt.
 

Witbier of the 1900's

I mentioned Pilsner Urquell in the context of malt production but it as well as other popular lagers would have a big impact on the popularity of the Witbier beer style. More and more beer consumers were drinking lagers and consequently the consumption of Witbier was declining. By the middle of the 1900’s the production of Witbier almost came to a close had it not been for the efforts of an intrepid milkman: Pierre Celis. Piere had the insight and fortitude to not let the Witbier beer style die out. The last Witbier brewery in Hoegaarden closed in 1957. In 1966 he purchased the equipment from a closed brewery (below from Wikipedia):
 
“With a loan from his father he bought equipment that came from an abandoned brewery in Heusden-Zolder.”
 
 
Pierre named his new brewery Brouwerij Celis (Celis Brewery) but sometime later it came to be known as Hoegaarden Brewery. The Hoegaarden brand is still available
now but the brand is owned by AB InBev; Pierre sold his business to the preceding brewing business of Interbrew in 1990.
 
But wait, there’s more! Pierre didn’t stop brewing Witbiers after selling his business but instead made the bold decision to move to America to establish a new business of Celis Brewing in Austin, TX in 1992. I have read in the past that he chose to locate his new business in Austin since the water available there was conducive to brewing a Witiber. Perhaps this is just some lore? Regardless of the reasoning for where, I am thankful he decided to continue the tradition of brewing a Witbier (branded as Celis White) and this was my very first Witbier sometime in the 1990’s.
 
 
It inspired me to homebrew my very first Witbier in 1998. That beer turned out well but just a little too heavy on the coriander spicing. I will discuss this further in the additives section below but for now I think it is worthwhile to note that because of the brewing by Pierre Celis the association of Witbier and spicing/flavoring of coriander and Curacao (bitter) orange peel became a convention.
 
One of the more popular craft brewed Witbiers is Allagash White. Allagash first brewed their Witbier in 1995 (three years after Pierre Celis opened his Austin brewery). The owner/brewer of Allagash, Rob Tod, in interviews has related how it was a tough sell early on to get folks to drink (and for bar owners to carry) his new beer. But the good news is that he was ultimately very successful here. Allagash White is a widely sold beer and I have read that it accounts for something like 80% of their production volume. And congratulations to Allagash Brewing for winning a Silver Medal at the recent (2023) GABF for the Witbier category.
 
 

Witbier brewing considerations

 

What does a Witbier taste like?

For folks who are unfamiliar with the Witbier beer style below is an extract from the BJCP style guidelines:
 
“Overall Impression: A pale, hazy Belgian wheat beer with spices accentuating the yeast character. A delicate, lightly spiced, moderate-strength ale that is a refreshing summer drink with its high carbonation, dry finish, and light hopping.”
 

For homebrewers: the world is your oyster

In my previous discussion I alluded to how the beers from Pierre Celis (e.g., Hoegaarden, Celis White) were brewed, specifically the selection of additives, coriander and Curacao (bitter) orange peel. It seems popular to think of the ‘modern’ Witbier as being brewed with these two additions but as homebrewers we have the opportunity to follow our whims to use any number of additional/other additions beyond these standard two. I have heretofore been pretty conservative in solely using coriander and Curacao (bitter) orange peel in my homebrewing of my Witbiers but I have on my bucket list to use some chamomile flowers in addition to coriander and Curacao (bitter) orange peel for an upcoming batch of Witbier.
 
For those who took the time to watch the podcast with Jason Perkins of Allagash, you would have heard how they use the standard two of coriander and Curacao (bitter) orange peel but also add an additional secret spice. Well, there is a recipe for a clone of Allagash White on the AHA website which lists the spice Grains of Paradise so maybe the secret is out?
 
While homebrewers can be creative when brewing a Witbier, I am of the strong opinion that to properly brew a Witbier, balance is key. A properly brewed Witbier should have flavor contributions from a variety of sources such as yeast produced flavors, flavors from additions, etc. but no one flavor should overwhelm the others. View this beer via an analogy of a World Class Orchestra where the contributions from all of the musicians together create a masterpiece of music as opposed to a Heavy Metal band where the guitars ‘scream’.
 

Grains

Previously I describe the grain bill of Witbiers from the 1800’s (e.g., mostly air-dried barley malt along with some wheat and oats). Contemporary Witbiers are brewed with a combination of Pilsner Malt and Wheat with perhaps a very small portion of other grains (e.g., Flaked Oats).
 
The selection of Pilsner Malt can be from a variety of malting companies but my preference is to use Pilsner Malt from Belgian Malting Companies, specifically from Dingemans.
 
The type of wheat used can be of various types: malted wheat or unmalted wheat (raw or flaked wheat). The contributions will differ based on which type you choose. Wheat malt will provide more of a fuller mouthfeel to the beer. My preference for Witbiers is to produce a beer with great drinkability and for my palate flaked wheat encourages that character.
 
A small portion (e.g., 5%) of flaked oats will contribute to the mouthfeel aspect but I don’t use any in my Witbiers because of my preference discussed above for drinkability.
 
I have also seen some recipes where folks use a small portion of Munich malt, this is part of “the world is your oyster” aspect to homebrewing.

Hops

The Witbier beer style is not a hoppy beer style so hops need to be used judiciously such that they contribute but only as part of the orchestra so to speak. I am of the
opinion that European hops are the best types to be used, specifically noble hops. My personal preference is Saaz hops but any Saazer hop is a good candidate (e.g., Tettnang, Spalt). It is worth noting that when Pierre Celis made his Witbier in America he decided to use some Cascade hops as part of his hop schedule but he used them modestly.
 
As regards hop schedule I am a proponent of only adding hops at the beginning of boil and for the last 20 minutes to contribute just a bit of flavor. I strongly recommend that hops not be added late in the kettle (i.e., do not add at the end of boil) since late kettle additions should be reserved for the additions.
 

Yeast

The selection of yeast can be an easy proposition since the Hoegaarden/Celis White yeast strain seems to be a standard here. This yeast is available from Wyeast (3944) and White Labs (WLP400). I have homebrewed the majority of my Witbiers using Wyeast 3944 and when fermented warm (e.g., 68 – 70 °F) it produces a nice, pleasant mix of spicy and subtle fruity flavors. As a heads up to others, the yeast strain has consistently produced a dense and long-lasting head (krausen) which hangs around a long time (several weeks) even after the beer has reached final gravity. When I bottle my batches I ‘plunge’ my racking arm through the krausen.
 
As homebrewers we can use a non-standard Witbier yeast and for one batch of Witbier I chose to use Wyeast 3463 (Forbidden Fruit) which is now listed as being a seasonal product. Below is how this yeast strain is described on the Wyeast website:
 
“This yeast will produce spicy phenolics which are balanced nicely by a complex ester profile. The subtle fruit character and dry tart finish will complement wheat malt, orange peel, and spice additions typical of Wits.”
 
I concur with their description of “complex ester profile” and based on my one experience I would characterize 3463 as being a bit moreish as compared to 3944 but
still producing a nicely balanced Witbier.
 
There are likely other choices than those above but I would emphasize that you want to make your selection with balance in mind. For example, I would not recommend a Trappist/Abbey style yeast such as the Westmalle yeast (e.g., Wyeast 3787) since the flavors from these yeasts might overwhelm the other flavors and yield an unbalanced Witbier.

Brewing Water

I have read the water of the Leuven/Hoegaarden region as being described as hard and high in Calcium. I am uncertain whether this reflects the actual brewing water since commercial breweries can take steps to modify their brewing water vs. just brewing with their water sources as is.
 
I have homebrewed my Witbiers just using filtered (three stage block carbon filter) municipal water with the only water addition being a bit of lactic acid to ensure a proper mash pH (and fly sparge) is achieved. I was always happy with the resulting beers.
 
My preferred water tool is MpH, which is available online, provides a suggested water profile for the Witbier beer style:
  • Calcium: 50 - 100 ppm
  • Chloride: 0 - 100 ppm
  • Sulfate: 0 - 50 ppm
I discussed previously that allegedly Pierre Celis selected Austin to setup his American brewery because of the local water and on the Homebrewtalk website there is this posting:
 
“Here's a sample Austin water profile:
 
Ca 15.0
Mg 17.0
Na 26.0
SO4 39.0
Cl 42.0
HCO3 62.0”
 
Maybe this is a good target for producing a Witbier?

Additions: spices, flavoring

Before I get into the wonderful discussion on all of the stuff that can be added to produce a Witbier I will once again ‘beat the drum’ on the importance of balance in using additions to not overwhelm the beer. The variables here are amounts of the additions, freshness of the ingredients, and when you decide to add the ingredients (some boiling time, at the very end of boil, adding dry to the fermenter). Once you add the ingredients there is basically nothing you can do if you do too much. If you add too little there are some things you can do which I will discuss at the end of this section. I will once again mention that for my first batch of Witbier I added too much coriander and while that beer was not unpleasant to drink, it definitely was out of bounds as far as a balanced beer is concerned.
 

Coriander

First, a fun fact. Did you know that coriander seeds are the seeds of the cilantro plant?
 
Coriander can be purchased in two formats: ground coriander like you will find at the supermarket or whole seeds. I have a strong preference for purchasing whole seeds since the concept is that they will be fresher and more vibrant. Sorta like choosing to buy whole bean coffee vs. pre-ground coffee.
 
And when it comes to coriander seeds there are two types: round and oblong. The oblong seeds are also called Indian coriander. I have brewed with both types and have enjoyed the beers from both but for my palate the Indian coriander contributes a greater citrus flavor which I prefer.
 
 
I use a mortar and pestle to crush the coriander just before using it but another method to crush the seeds is placing them in a bowl and using the back of a spoon to crush the seeds.
 
Now, the important topic: how much to use and when to use them? The freshly ground coriander should be added within the last 15 minutes of the boil. I personally choose to add my coriander with 5 minutes left in the boil. And has been previously discussed perhaps for the first batch using a lesser amount would be prudent. For my Witbier I choose to use 0.25 ounces in the boil (5 gallon batch). I have read recipes that use larger values (e.g., 0.4/0.5 ounces) so this is going to be a preference for each homebrewer with a variable being how fresh/vibrant the coriander seeds are.
 
I stated above that Allagash White uses a secret spice. Well, I have a secret with regards to spice in my Witbier which I will share. I ‘dry spice’ my Witbier by adding a little bit of freshly ground coriander (1/2 teaspoon) along with 1 teaspoon of supermarket dried sweet orange peel (e.g., McCormick) to add just a little bit more citrus aspect to the beer.
 

Curacao (bitter) orange peel

If you have never seen dried Curacao (bitter) orange peel before you may be surprised at its appearance:
 
 
It looks nothing like a navel orange with its grayish color but don’t let this put you off. Curacao (bitter) orange peel adds an intriguing flavor different from sweet orange (e.g., navel orange). For my palate it does have some citrusy qualities but it is more herbal for my palate. I add the curacao orange peel for the last 10 minutes of the boil and I use 0.5 ounces. It may be possible to over-flavor with Curacao (bitter) orange peel but I suspect this is not as sensitive an issue as compared to coriander.

Grains of Paradise

This is allegedly the secret spice used to make Allagash White. I have never used Grains of Paradise to brew my Witbiers. From my readings, this spice provides flavors of cardamom, coriander, citrus, ginger, nutmeg, juniper, citrus, and pepper. Whoa, that reads like a lot of spices/flavorings all in one! I have also read that Grains of Paradise can be quite potent so caution should be used here. If you chose to use this spice, use it sparingly. The clone recipe for Allagash White on the AHA website lists 3 grams (0.1 ounces) for a 5 gallon batch. I would recommend that you not exceed this value.
 

Chamomile

While I have yet to brew with chamomile, I would think that adding a little bit of floral aspect to the beer would be complimentary to the other flavors contributed by coriander and Curacao (bitter) orange peel. My plan is to use a very small amount of dry chamomile flowers (1 gram) in a muslin bag boiled for the last 5 minutes of boil.

Star Anise

I have read a couple of recipes for Witbier that include star anise. This spice provides licorice-like flavors which does not seem appealing to me. I would guess that a very small amount goes a long way as regards the Witbier beer style.
 

Other spices/flavorings:

As already discussed, we homebrewers have the flexibility to add whatever we want to our homebrewed beers. Below is a list of other spices/flavorings for your consideration:
  • Cardamom
  • Citrus zest (sweet orange peel, lemon...)
  • Ginger
  • Elderflower
  • Heather
  • Lavender
  • Sage
  • Lemongrass
  • Etc.

Potential 'fixes' for underspicing

If once you have finished fermenting your Witbier and have taken a sample taste and think it could use a little bit more of a certain spice/flavoring, it can be added. I personally have never done this but more spicing/flavoring can be added either by making a ‘tea’ or a tincture. Producing the ‘tea’ involves boiling the addition in water and then adding this to the finished beer to achieve the desired level of flavoring. The tincture method involves soaking the addition in a clear neutral liquor (e.g., vodka) for a few weeks. The advantage of the ‘tea’ method is that it does not involve pre-planning, a quicker method.
 

Mashing

I conduct a single temperature infusion mash with a temperature of 149 – 150 °F for 60 minutes. This achieves the qualities I prefer for this beer style: high attenuation for great drinkability.
 
According to Phil Leinhart, formerly a brewmaster at Ommegang Brewery, Pierre Celis conducted a step mash when he first started brewing his Witbier:
  • 113 °F for 5 minutes
  • 144 °F for 40 minutes
  • 154 °F for 15 minutes
  • 170 °F for mash out (5 minutes).
The clone recipe for Allagash White calls for a single temperature infusion of 150 °F for 60 minutes.
 

Lautering considerations

Flaked Wheat can at times create a ‘gummy’ mash and if your homebrewing system is prone to stuck mashes it may be prudent to add some rice hulls to the mash to expedite a proper runoff during the lautering stage. One pound of rice hulls should do the trick here.

Jack's Witbier Recipe

First, a quick discussion about extract brewing a Witbier. My first batch of Witbier in the 1990’s was an extract batch (I was an extract plus specialty grains brewer initially). While that beer was good it lacked a Witbier quality in my opinion. For my second batch I brewed it via a partial mash and this was a much improved beer. I am of the strong opinion that unmalted wheat is needed to properly brew a Witbier and that can only be achieved via mashing. As such I will not be providing an extract recipe but will provide a partial mash recipe instead.
 
All grain recipe
 
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons
 
Target OG: 1.048
 
Target FG: 1.010
 
Color: 3 SRM
 
Target Bitterness: 16 IBUs
 
Ingredients (Note: assumes a 75% brewhouse efficiency):
  • 5 lbs. Dingemans Pilsner Malt (or equivalent)
  • 5 lbs. Flaked Wheat
  • 1 lb. rice hulls (optional)
  • 1.5 ounces Saaz hops (3% AA)
  • 0.5 ounces Curacao (bitter) orange peel
  • 0.25 ounces Indian coriander (whole seed - freshly crushed)
  • Witbier yeast: Wyeast 3944, WLP400, Wyeast 3463

Additional items:

  • 1 tsp. rehydrated Irish Moss flakes (last 15 minutes of boil)
  • ½ tsp. Wyeast yeast nutrient (last 10 minutes of boil)
Directions:
 
Mash at a water-to-grist ratio of 1.5 qts/lb. Adjust brewing water to be consistent with a Witbier water profile and add lactic acid to achieve a mash pH of 5.2 – 5.4. Mash at 149 - 150 °F for 60 minutes. Sparge until approximately 7 gallons of wort is achieved (tailor amount based upon your boil off rate to obtain 5.5 gallons of wort post boil).
 
Boil vigorously for 75 minutes in an uncovered brew kettle adding 1 ounce Saaz hops at the beginning of boil. Add 0.5 ounces of Saaz hops for the last 20 minutes for a flavor addition. Add 1 tsp. rehydrated Irish Moss flakes for last 15 minutes of boil. Add 0.5 ounces Curacao (bitter) orange peel for the last 10 minutes of boil (I prefer to place the Curacao (bitter) orange peel within a muslin hop bag) along with ½ tsp. Wyeast yeast nutrient. Add 0.25 ounces of freshly ground Indian coriander for the last 5 minutes.
 
Ferment warm per the recommended fermentation temperatures by the yeast vendor. My preference for fermenting with Wyeast 3944 is around 68 °F since this provides a balanced level of esters and phenols which compliments the flavors from the additions of Curacao (bitter) orange peel and Indian coriander. I choose to add small amounts of crushed coriander and dried sweet orange peel as a ‘dry spice’ after fermentation is complete; this is optional.
 
Package (preferably via bottle conditioning) when primary fermentation is complete. As noted above, Wyeast 3944 will create a large and longstanding krausen which does not settle readily even after primary fermentation is complete.
 
Partial mash recipe
 
Ingredients (Note: assumes a 75% brewhouse efficiency):
  • 3 lbs. Dingemans Pilsner Malt (or equivalent)
  • 3 lbs. Flaked Wheat
  • 0.5 lbs. rice hulls (optional)
  • 3 lbs. Briess Pilsen Dried Malt Extract
  • 1.5 ounces Saaz hops (3% AA)
  • 0.5 ounces Curacao (bitter) orange peel
  • 0.25 ounces Indian coriander (whole seed - freshly crushed)
  • Witbier yeast: Wyeast 3944, WLP400, Wyeast 3463

Additional items:

  • 1 tsp. rehydrated Irish Moss flakes (last 15 minutes of boil)
  • ½ tsp. Wyeast yeast nutrient (last 10 minutes of boil)
Directions:
 
Mash grains at a water-to-grist ratio of 1.5 qts/lb. Adjust brewing water to be consistent with a Witbier water profile and add lactic acid to achieve a mash pH of 5.2 – 5.4. Mash at 149 - 150 °F for 60 minutes. Sparge until approximately 5 gallons of wort is achieved and then add 3 lbs. of Dried Malt Extract and perhaps some top off water to achieve a total of 7 gallons (tailor amount based upon your boil off rate to obtain 5.5 gallons of wort post boil).
 
Boil vigorously for 75 minutes in an uncovered brew kettle adding 1 ounce Saaz hops at the beginning of boil. Add 0.5 ounces of Saaz hops for the last 20 minutes for a flavor addition. Add 1 tsp. rehydrated Irish Moss flakes for last 15 minutes of boil. Add 0.5 ounces Curacao (bitter) orange peel for the last 10 minutes of boil (I prefer to place the Curacao (bitter) orange peel within a muslin hop bag) along with ½ tsp. Wyeast yeast nutrient. Add 0.25 ounces of freshly ground Indian coriander for the last 5 minutes.
 
Ferment warm per the recommended fermentation temperatures by the yeast vendor. My preference for fermenting with Wyeast 3944 is around 68 °F since this provides a balanced level of esters and phenols which compliments the flavors from the additions of Curacao (bitter) orange peel and Indian coriander.
 
Package (preferably via bottle conditioning) when primary fermentation is complete. As noted previously, Wyeast 3944 will create a large and longstanding krausen which does not settle readily even after primary fermentation is complete. I choose to add small amounts of crushed coriander and dried sweet orange peel as a ‘dry spice’ after fermentation is complete; this is optional.
 
You should brew your Witbier to suit your personal tastes and where your spirit takes you but I strongly recommend that you keep balance very much in mind when constructing your recipe. For this beer style, often times less is more.

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