Hot days about double white ale pair too well. The strong version of Belgian wit has sprouted in wild directions in American, with Great Divide displaying the raw power of spices in producing a wit at 8.1 percent ABV.
The label bears the silhouette of a two-headed boy, which might be a Neutral Milk Hotel reference. There weren't a lot of references for fresh, cloudy ale inside.
Wheat malt runs thick on the nose, resulting in a stunningly fresh bouquet. The coriander and curacao present a rich front, finishing bone dry. The spice will stick around, but not to the extent of a saison. The citrus tones -primarily orange rounded out by a little pineapple and lemon - cannot escape their pull. A few twists of licorice appear near the finish without taking any obnoxious turns. Some grainy wheat textures emerge in the body, but texture separates a wit from a Blue Moon.
The spice helps it stand out against other American Double Whites, most notably the Boulevard Two Jokes I imbibed almost daily throughout Summer 2009. This reminds me more of Southhampton Double White from Long Island, which I had out of a tap in Cleveland. That a 22-oz. double white could pack the same flavor as kegged version speaks to the caliber of beer Great Divide brews.
Well worth a pour while summer lingers on ... just don't deface this strong quencher with an orange or lemon slice. It distracts from the nuanced citrus already defining this ale.
Definitely a domestic take on a Belgian wit, but it's hard to call Great Divide's result anything other than a success.
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