Dageraad Brewing – INGE Winterstrength Witbier

Dageraad Brewing – INGE Winterstrength Witbier Review

We’re not confident how to pronounce INGE, but we certainly know how to drink it. INGE from Dageraad Brewing is a stunning creation.

This is a Belgian ale with lemon peel, chamomile, and the notion of ‘Winterstrength’, which one might appreciate before finishing the bottle. But first, this golden brew throws a giant, pillowy head in your glass, unless poured with caution.

The expected Belgian yeast esters, including banana and bubblegum, are prevalent on the nose, along with a peppery alcohol note. These carry through in the flavour as well.

The Belgian-style brew is tangy, with a bit of malt juiciness on the palate. We rated this as ‘more malty’ on the balance scale, because (like many Belgies) it’s yeast first, followed in this case by malt second, with hops bringing up the rear.

It’s finely carbonated, the tiny bubbles lending a tingly, soft, and fluffy mouthfeel.

It may not be accurate to call this ‘crushable’, but this tasty beer is way easier to drink than one might expect. Our biggest problem rating this beer was the effort involved not to drink it before finishing the review.

Not to disparage BC’s fine saisons, but this is a cut above most other accessible Low Country brews around. If you want to showcase to a friend what makes Belgian beer styles worth experiencing, this would be a great place to start.