Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale

[Bob]

Gary,

As you say, both are definitely wheat beers and therefore can be compared. I guess I was just getting a bit too specific. Nonetheless, your observations are duly noted, and I will look forward to trying and comparing the Celis with the Brooklyner Weisse.

Maybe my taste buds just lean towards the Celis White, as I prefer it much more than the Hoegarrden. In contrast to that, I lean against the Unibroue brews, as I tend to find them too sweet for my tastes.

BTW, have you tried Blue Moon's white beer? I think it is pretty good, widely available, and not too pricy. IMHO, I think it is the best product that Coors makes.

Bob

[Gillman]

Hi Bob, well I should give the Celis a try again but to me it never (and it has been brewed in different places as you know in North America) matched the bottled Hoegaarden. Even in color the latter has a certain shimmer and a complexity of palate the new world "emulation" does not; of course, the recipe may not be exactly the same and probably that is so for legal reasons.

I have tried Blue Moon and I think it is excellent. It shows that large breweries can make fine beers if they really want to. Then too, I have always liked Coors anyway , not the Light, the Original, also I like Killians. When served very fresh on draft these have a very good taste. Coors Original isn't as hoppy as 20 years ago but it is still very good, however it needs to be drunk very fresh to see its merits. But regarding wheat beers, the Brooklyn Weisse and Blanche de Brooklyn show that artisan styles from far away can be recreated and become (in a sense) new again. You need brewers with a good palate and great skill: this can be found in a small brewery or larger one. Garret Oliver typifies the high quality craft brewer. Fuller (a medium-size independent in U.K.) is an example of a quality mid-size brewer, so is Saranac in the U.S., or Yeungling; and Urquel in Czech Republic again is the large brewery that makes a fine craft-type product. Size (big or small) doesn't matter, it is committment and brewing skill that together make great beers.

Gary