I had a bit of free time last Sunday, so I went to the grocery store to check out a #beer I hadn't tried before. The Hoegaarden Bière Blanche caught my attention, so I grabbed a bottle to give it a try. It was good! My only regret is that I didn't grab another bottle.
I find that the best time for me to grab a beer is on the weekends. A light buzz is enough to help me relax after a long week. Since I had just returned from an overseas trip, I felt like I needed something to unwind with on a Sunday night.
While I was at the grocery store, I picked up some food that I thought would pair well with the beer. I was experimenting with my selections since I wasn’t entirely sure what would complement this Wit-Blanche. Eventually, I settled on a roasted chicken leg, young Gouda cheese, and bread. I also decided to try an egg with cheese.
After a few bites of food and sips of beer, I realized that the only thing that paired well with it was the young Gouda cheese. The chicken seemed okay at first, but I quickly grew tired of it halfway through. Something about the grilled chicken just didn’t sit right with the beer.
The beer has a light citrus flavor, which I believe would pair better with seafood dishes. I should have picked up some prawns instead of the chicken.
Name of the beer: Hoegaarden Biere Blanche Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.9% Ingredients: Wheat beer brewed with coriander and orange peel Color: Light Yellow and natural murky quality
A few weeks ago, I tried the Blanc version from Kronenbourg, and if I were to compare it to Hoegaarden, I’d say it’s less complex. I think Hoegaarden’s infusion of coriander and orange peel adds an extra layer of flavor. Although the extra flavors are subtle, they enhance the beer’s complexity just enough.
Did I mention that I regret not grabbing another bottle? Yeah, that’s because I only felt a slight buzz from its 4.9% ABV. 😂 I think I had too much food, so one beer wasn’t enough. Another bottle would have made the overall dining experience much better. 😁
Overall, Hoegaarden Bière Blanche turned out to be a refreshing choice with its light citrus notes and subtle complexity. While my food pairing experiment wasn’t perfect, the young Gouda cheese was a clear winner, and I’ve learned that seafood might be a better match next time. Lesson learned—one bottle wasn’t enough, so I’ll definitely be grabbing an extra one for a better experience next time!
