Robin Shepard
Delta Beer Lab opened six months ago and owner Pio Piotrowski and head brewer Barrett Lione-Seaton are making some outstanding beers. Among their latest releases is a creative blend of a traditional Belgian witbier with the trendy New England IPA.
What is it? NE Wit-IPA [BLG.02] from Delta Beer Lab of Madison.
Style: The witbier or Belgian wit (white) beer is a light-bodied beer with a hazy pale straw to light golden color, and a soft, smooth texture from high additions of wheat and oats. The New England IPA is juicy with assertive tropical aromas and flavors of grapefruit, orange and/or tangerine from hops. It’s also made with oats and left unfiltered for a cloudy appearance. This beer is a hybrid of the two styles.
Background: My favorite from Delta so far has been its Belgian witbier, released a few weeks ago. It emerged from Piotrowski’s fascination with the style, and he methodically tweaked the recipe through previous brewery jobs.
Now, he is taking the traditional witbier to another level. “We wanted to experiment, and this is a fusion of the witbier and the New England IPA,” says Piotrowski. “We weren’t looking to invent a new style, just playing around in the lab.”
This beer also has qualities of both the Belgian IPA and American White IPA styles; however, it’s more balanced and without assertive bitterness.
Delta’s NE Wit IPA has a heavy amount of oats and wheat, a light pilsner base malt and is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. Piotrowski used four pounds per barrel of Zythos hops, known for hints of orange, tangerine, grapefruit and pine. It’s the hop selection that makes this beer different, says Piotrowski: “We looked at what would complement the witbier style. We wanted big citrus and grapefruit character.” All that grapefruit and pine combine for a peppery spiciness, so Piotrowski decided not to add coriander, as in traditional witbiers, and instead allow the Zythos to stand on its own: “We took a traditional Belgian witbeer and hopped it like a New England IPA.”
Delta’s NE Wit IPA finishes at 5.7 percent ABV and around 50 IBUs. It sells in the taproom for $8/pint and $15/four-pack.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Citrus notes of orange and grapefruit.
- Appearance: Hazy, yellow light golden color. A thick, soft, light tan head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied with softness.
- Taste: Light earthy musty notes of the Belgian yeast come in first, followed by lots of tropical orange and tangerine. There’s also a touch of grapefruit that provides a modest dry spiciness in the background.
- Finish/Aftertaste: That light dry grapefruit dryness lingers, along with a hint of fruity earthy Belgian yeastiness.
Glassware: Delta Beer Lab serves this beer over the bar in an English pint glass. When taking home a four-pack, I prefer the short Belgian tulip glass which shows off its hazy golden body, and the outward flare of the lip gives space for the tropical aromas to expand under the nose.
Pairs well with: grilled fish and chicken that have been lightly seasoned with citrus and spices. Try a rub combo of pomegranate and red bell pepper, fire up the barbeque and crack open a can of this beer!
The Verdict: I’m excited to see Delta Beer Lab continue to grow a local fan base. If you haven’t found the taproom yet, you should. Piotrowski makes an excellent witbeer — the beer behind this creation. It’s right up there with the world class Hoegaarden Original White recipe created by Pierre Celis. Given Delta’s experimental approach to brewing it’s fitting that there’s an off-shoot that leads to something very unique.
What Piotrowski has created with NE Wit IPA is a juicy IPA wrapped up in a blanket of witbeer subtleties. Waves of flavor begin with the distinctive Belgian yeast and its light floral and earthy aroma; then the citrus of the Zythos hops. Just as they begin to quiet down, another round of soft yeastiness hits the palate and lingers. This works well as a bold and flavorful, yet hoppy, wit. It should please those seeking the latest, greatest hoppy creation, while also giving a nod to those who appreciate a good Belgian witbier.
