Maybe it’s because the last time I was in Colorado, I visited their taproom and took a tour of the brewery. Maybe it’s because their beer is damn good. Whatever the reason, I’ve been on an Avery Brewing kick lately. Adding to that, I grabbed their White Rascal Belgian-Style White Ale to give it a try.
Up against the White Rascal, I grabbed a Door Country Brewing Little Sister Witbier. So this duel represents small town Wisconsin craft beer versus a Colorado craft beer icon, very exciting!
HopDuel Survey
| Better label | Door County Brewing Little Sister |
| Better aroma | Door County Brewing Little Sister |
| Better taste | Avery Brewing White Rascal |
| Better finish | Avery Brewing White Rascal |
| Winner | Avery Brewing White Rascal |
Tell us about it
After a whiff of each beer, I was strongly leaning toward the Little Sister. There was a peculiar aroma that I couldn’t pinpoint, so I did a little research and direct from their website: “Named after Little Sister Island in Sister Bay, WI. This pale and cloudy witbier is brewed with equal parts Pilsner malt and wheat and spiced with coriander and orange peel. It blends other unique spices for bright citrus and zesty notes.” It was the coriander and possibly the mysterious “other unique spices” blend I found very intriguing.
Unfortunately, the taste and finish didn’t live up to the aroma for me, so Avery’s White Rascal came away with those categories and the overall win. While also brewed with coriander and orange peel, the blend just worked better with my palate and I found the finish less bitter that the Little Sister. I enjoyed both beers and wouldn’t mind either in a pinch.
