Hoegaarden

Hoegaarden traces back to the monks of Hoegaarden village in Belgium, who brewed with orange peel and coriander imported from Curaçao — spices that had no business being in beer at the time, and which now define the whole witbier style.

Why It Is Cloudy

Unfiltered wheat. Hoegaarden pours light yellow and naturally murky under a soft cloudy head, and the haze is the point rather than a fault. Roll the bottle gently before pouring to rouse the yeast.

What We Stock

• Hoegaarden Witbier — the original. Orange peel, coriander and herbs over soft wheat, with very little bitterness. 5% ABV. Serve with a slice of orange, which echoes the peel in the brew.
• Hoegaarden Rosée — the same wheat base with raspberry, and only 3% ABV — roughly half a standard beer. That is what makes it genuinely useful: you can drink it through a hot afternoon without it catching up with you.

How to Serve It

Very cold, 3 to 5°C, in the traditional thick hexagonal glass if you have one. A wide glass shows the Rosée's colour, which is half its appeal.

Food Pairing

Grilled seafood and shrimp, chicken inasal, salads and light dishes, soft cheeses. For the Rosée: fresh fruit, cheesecake, and spicy dishes where the sweetness cools the heat.

Who It Suits

Witbier is a hot-weather beer, and Hoegaarden is the easiest bottle in the catalogue to hand someone who says they do not like beer — low bitterness, soft texture, and citrus rather than hops.

For adults of legal drinking age only. Please enjoy responsibly.