By Julia Burke, Beer Editor
Long Island brewery Southampton Publick House has arrived in western New York and I can't think of a nicer way to ring in the holidays than with this consistently impressive brewery's lineup of interesting and varied styles.
Double White pours a glowing sunrise-haze gold color and shows a brief one-finger head and beautiful bubbles. A clean, crisp nose with only a subtle whiff of cardamom and lemon and just a little bit of clementine give way as it opens to bready wheat character and citrusy Belgian yeast esters.
The mouthfeel is excellent -smooth, bready, just a touch sweet, and perfectly carbonated. Balance all around, especially in the alcohol department (as a "double" it's 6.6%, spot on for the level of complexity and perfectly integrated) makes this a great food match.
I've been on a crazy Chinese cooking kick lately and the pairing with pork fried rice or homemade steamed dumplings is fantastic. It's also, like many Southampton beers, a dynamite cheese pairing. This incredibly refreshing white is like a frigid-but sunny winter day: brisk and bracing and just the right thing to beat the blues of dwindling daylight hours.
Producer: Southampton Publick House
Style: Belgian witbier
ABV: 6.6%
Sample size: 12 oz. bottle
Stemware: V-pint glass
Price: $10/six pack
(3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)