Jan De Lichte was the leader of a notorious gang of thieves who were Belgium’s equivalent of Robin Hood and his merry men. They stole from and murdered the invading French troops during the War of the Austrian Succession in the 1740’s. He was ultimately captured during the ceasefire in 1748, and later executed by the ‘breaking wheel’. His home town was Aalst, and his exploits are celebrated by the ‘Glass Tower’ brewery with this beer bearing his name.
This was the fourth beer introduced to their range back in May 2005. It is an imperial witbier – a style that is rarely seen, even in Belgium which is the home of witbier.
For those unfamiliar with this style, it a simply Belgium’s version of a wheat beer, often referenced as a ‘white beer’ because of the milky appearance resulting from the use of at least 40% wheat in the malt bill. This particular beer uses barley and wheat as well as oats and buckwheat. And typical for witbier there is coriander and curacao added.
The beer has an early malt sweetness that is somewhat smooth at first, giving way to a citrus flavour and hop bitterness that lightens the body. As it dries out it creates a pleasantly prickly finish.
Witbier with grapefruit and orange zest, kaffir lime leaves and coriander
The 'Witteke' is a typical beer from the past; a cloudy unfiltered, aromatic witbier.
Great example of a Belgian Witbier, voted 'Worlds Best Wheat Only Wheat Beer' in 2009.
Brasserie Du Bocq's classic witbier with fresh raspberry juice added
by Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs
An intriguingly moreish Double Witbier from Abbaye des Rocs
by Brouwerij Corsendonk (at Brasserie Du Bocq)
The Belgian witbier from Corsendonk
A powerful yeast creates a sweet and dry wheat beer, technically classed as a 'Double White'.
An interesting Belgian Witbier, adhering to the Gruit style of using herbs and spices instead of hops
Four grains are used to produce this fantastic 'Double White' from KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren.
by Brasserie de Jandrain-Jandrenouille
A tasty Belgian style witbier, with a slightly heavier hopping for a lingering bitterness
A typical Belgian witbier with loads of orange and lemon citrus and a little coriander
A refreshing witbier 'hopped' with a healthy dose of jasmine
A tasty little Witbier from the province of Limburg in north-east Belgium
A witbier with orange peel, dry hopped with Mosaic hops
A biggish witbier, with the typical aroma and flavours of banana, citrus and coriander
A cross between a Belgian Witbier and a German Weisse Bier, with the addition of the juice from blood oranges
A Belgian witbier originally made in 2012 as a one-off special, revived in 2020
This traditional Witbier has been developed in cooperation with Master Brewer Pierre Celis, the Godfather of Hoegaarden.
by Brouwerij Palm (Swinkels Family Brewers)
A classic Belgian witbier, brewed with a great mix common for all the Steenbrugge beers
by Brouwerij Palm (Swinkels Family Brewers)
A Belgian witbier made using 40% unsalted wheat, 60% barley, coriander, curaçao orange and a mix of spices
A witbier with barley, wheat and oats, with added real watermelon
A classic Belgian witbier from our anything-but-classic Dutch brewery
A traditional Witbier, from the 'Brewer's Town' of Watou; crisp, light and refreshing.
The winter seasonal offering from the KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren - a rich, dark winter warmer.
An extremely interesting take on the classic Belgian dubbel style, with hints of being a Flanders Oud Bruin.
The winter seasonal offering from Glazen Toren is a Scotch Ale
A traditional Belgian Tripel, as all good Belgian breweries have in their range
Four grains are used to produce this fantastic 'Double White' from KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren.
So good it was recently included in USA Draft's '25 Best Beers of the Year'.
