Latest Specialty Beer: Whittle (a Belgian-Style Witbier)
At our Ashland brewery you’ll find our five year-round brews on tap everyday – Twin Plunge, Milk & Honey, I ♥ Oregon Ale, Steelcut Stout and Noble Stout. We fill in our other tap lines with rotating seasonals throughout the year, and every once in a while we brew something brand-spanking-new when we get a whim. Well, we got a whim, and we’re excited to debut our first ever Whittle, a Belgian-style witbier.
Belgian style wits are often brewed with unmalted wheat, like the hard red wheat we used from Dunbar Farms in Medford. Dunbar is a 102 year old family-owned farm producing hay, grain, flour, eggs, produce, breads, beans, and more. Their growing practices (which we find totally marvelous) include rotating crops, saving seeds for reuse, diversifying produce, and serving as a drop-off site for local arborists and landscapers to compost clippings. We’re excited to share the fruits of their labor in our favorite form – beer!
About the Beer
Our first ever witbier is named after our historic building, Whittle Garage. The beer is pale and hazy, with aromas of coriander and warm spice. The low hop bitterness and high carbonation give this brew a refreshing mouthfeel and light finish. 4.9% abv, 20 IBU
- Unmalted Wheat (hard red) from Dunbar Farms in Medford
- Organic Pilsner
- Acidulated
Hops
- Organic Hallertau
Spice
- Coriander from Spice and Tea Exchange in Ashland
- Dried Curacao Bitter Orange Peel
Yeast
- Organic Belgian strain from Imperial Organic Yeast
Food Pairing Suggestions
Our wit (or “white”) beer features coriander and bitter orange peel, giving it a bright spice alongside a light body. We think shellfish, carrot cake, and fruit salad all make great summertime pairing options. Heck, why not all three and call it a meal! Here are our suggestions from our brewpub menu:
Salmon Springroll Salad
Mussels and Clams in Jalapeno Beer Broth
Fish & Chips
Marionberry Cobbler a la Mode
Did we mention the coriander comes from the Spice and Tea Exchange, just down the road in Ashland? We love our local partners who helped make this beer awesome. Raise a glass of Whittle on your next visit, and let us know your thoughts on this fresh, new special!