Published on Thursday, January 17, 2008

Beer of the Week

By DAN STONE

Beer of the Week: Hoegaarden

Grade: B+

The Beer: Hoegaarden is a citrus-flavored witbier (wheat beer) imported from Belgium. The beer is intended to be drunk from a glass and even features specific pouring instructions on the bottle to produce the proper foam.

The Good: Hoegaarden tastes like a light beer in spite of its 4.9 percent alcohol content and is very easy to drink. The citrus flavor added to the brew has a mild presence that may be preferred by some to a stronger and sweeter taste.

When compared to other citrus-flavored witbiers, Hoegaarden is about as sweet as Blue Moon, but not as a sweet as Celis White.

Also, the flavor masks all of the alcohol taste in the beer, though masking a 4.9 percent alcohol content is not out of the ordinary.

The Bad: The brew is naturally cloudy and as a result contains a slight pulp taste and texture. Though a good beer, the price tag is on the higher end when compared to similar, and sometimes better, beer.

The Cost: $9.99 for a six-pack

The Recommendation: I would recommend Hoegaarden for fans of wheat beer and fruit-flavored beers. Hoegaarden is a less-sweet alternative to Celis White. Though I would not recommend it over Celis White, Hoegaarden is substantially easier to find at a liquor store or bar.