draft - Pours a dark, cloudy yellow with a moderate, foamy head. The aroma is of citrus fruit and spices and it has a taste to match, along with some yeast flavor. The spices were considerably less subtle than in most wheats I’ve had, but that was a good thing as they added nicely to the flavor. The finish was refreshing. This ale is very interesting. I didn’t know what to do with the plastic stir stick/pestle that was included in the glass as I didn’t care to mash anything up, but the beer was good.

On draught at Sunset Grille on 10/20/2005. Served well-chilled in it’s own Koggen bier labeled glass (kind of a concave, oversized flute). Very lovely appearance. Fully cloudy, near opaque. White-gold with some deep, light-straw color and a well-retained one-finger high white head. Persistent lacing as it recedes. Smells of light honey, Belgian yeast, soft coriander and a touch of peach/tangerine/apricot. Very easygoing aroma that is soft, flowery-spicy, if that can be understood, with a light yeast and fruitiness that is quite inviting. The aroma is nice and strong as well. Flavor is full of witbier suggestions, but a good deal more fruitier, with less tart lemon and lacking a big clove bite. Light nectarine/apricot juice fruitiness, with light honeyish malt and a chewy, playful yeast on the end. Mouthfeel is wonderfully substantial thanks to the complete lack of filtration. Body is medium, with no thinning. Almost a milky, creaminess to it as well, with lightly dry spiciness (coriander and white pepper maybe) coming late. Can’t remember the abv but it was surprisingly higher than I perceived. A great effort. Can’t speak to what a real Koggen should taste like, but this is well-brewed beer for sure. Wish the JP brewery would open a brewpub. The JP brewed beers are completely different than the regular line.