Whaleback White balances its sharp Curacao, delicate coriander and champagne sophistication with the mature oak aromas of its traditional European bière blanche roots.

"Leelanau Brewing Company- Whaleback White
To call this perfected bière blanche distinct would be like calling Salvador Dali unique.
Words, in these cases, fail.
One's encounter with art, whether painted or fermented, is one that can only be based on a singular experience: yours.
However, when the craftsmen behind the the piece are imaginative yet professional and dogmatically creative, the resulting effect is rousing-
if not awe-inspiring.
Such is the case with this spiced pint of oak-aged beer. Well rounded with a trace of coriander and finishing with a bite, this is a bottle fit for any enthusiast's gallery."
Wright, Travis R. "Drink Up." Real Detroit Weekly Dec 12-18, 2007 : 14


"Just as the blustery cold winds and crusty snow keep many would-be residents warm in southern climates, this beer appeals to only a portion of beer drinkers. But Psenka never intended to create just another good lager: this brew evolved from a personal obsession with beer, a location-led vision and a few good connections...
Like the Whaleback, that evergreen-skinned icon of the Manitou Passage, like the stone-littered shores that frame our inland sea, and like those falling, golden leaves, Psenka's beer is just enough past ordinary to be as special as the Leelanau hills. Maybe just like the land from which it was born, not everyone will appreciate it, but for those that do, nothing in the world will ever come close. One can almost feel the planets starting to align."
Herd, Daniel. "A Whale's Story- Fine beer brewed from local landmark's inspiration"
Glen Arbor Sun 10 Nov. 2005

"Michigan potables have come into their own these past few years and this delicious ale- made in the traditional bière blanche manner by The Leelanau Brewing Company is certainly cause for celebration and regional pride. Aged in Oak to enrich a marvelous aroma of coriander and bitter orange peel, Whaleback White lacks nothing except shyness. This is a sharp, tart and refreshing kiss for the thirsty imbiber - and one considerably bolder than those delivered by European bottles. Speaking of this bottle, enjoy the beautifully-worded homage to Lake Michigan found on the back. Hey, is it too late for Lansing to select a state brew?"
del Valle. "Drink Up." Real Detroit Weekly sept 7-13, 2005 : 76.

Alcohol: 5.2 % alc. / vol.
Appearance: Pale golden, bottle-conditioned.
Aroma: Light fruity aroma with citrus and coriander.
Taste: Pale, tart and refreshing. A delicious full and robust body with smooth, slightly tart citrus flavors of lemon and orange artfully balanced among a delicate spice profile of coriander and curacao. A wonderfully dry, champagne finish.
Serving Suggestions: Serve chilled, not cold. Enjoy with white meats, fish and shellfish, salads, fresh-cut vegetables, barbecue and spicy foods. Recipes below.

"For art to exist, for any sort of aesthetic activity to exist, a certain physiological
precondition is indispensable: intoxication." -Friedrich Nietzsche

Wolfgang Puck also serves Whaleback White in Detroit.

Leelanau Brewing Company Recipe:

Whaleback Peppers and Kielbasa Recipe

 

Recent Whaleback White review:

santoslhalper (60) , Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: Jan 26, 2008  

4.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
10/10	5/5	9/10	3/5	20/20

"Let me make this clear - I'm not going to rate this as a Witbier. This is a funky saison. Basically Bam Biere, which is not a bad thing. Pours an absolutely beautiful, almost clear gold with fast moving beads of carbonation. Thick bone white head leaves lacing forever. The smell is chock full of brett and oak. Super funky, with farmhouse, stinky cheese, apples, ginger, pepper, some anise, and tons more. Beautifully complex aroma. Taste funky as all hell! Sour acidic flavors burst forth with apple, pepper, spicy and citrus notes following. Finishes super dry, with long lingering brett acidity, slight hop bitterness and a pleasant nutty flavor. What a beast of a beer! The mouthfeel is a bit over carbonated in my opinion, but overall this is fantastical. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for Leelanau. I'm thoroughly, thoroughly impressed. It's great to see these wonderful Belgian traditions being reborn in the states. Beers like this make me hope that hoppy was just a fad, and wild beers are here to stay. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.."

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A recent Whaleback White rating:

Gueuzedude ( Tucson, Arizona )

A / 4.4
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | drink: 4
rDev: +10%
Pours with a fully hazy, yet bright yellow-straw colored bee. It is topped by a pillowy, frothy, pale, off-white colored head that starts out a full four fingers in thickness; the head dissipates at a medium pace, but always keeps the beer fully crowned by at least a thin layer of froth. The aroma is a mix of damp spices; sort of a mix of a damp, freshly rained upon earthiness, some definite orange zest, a smooth lemon-like & cleanly earthy coriander note as well as a mix of ginger, white pepper, something floral (like mix of honeysuckle & orange blossom). This has a fantastic nose to it; quite vibrant & actually quite spice dominated, yet the spices are so well integrated that they are not too much. There are some hints of funkiness here, but for now they are really quite soft.

Quite dry and it is well carbonated as the beer froths up as it hits my tongue for the first time. The bone dry character of this beer accentuates a nice, almost biting, tartness that, with the orange zest notes, makes this beer taste lemon like. Despite coming from the Jolly Pumpkin brewery, this is actually quite clean tasting; I wouldn't guess there were any wild bugs here. There is a soft oak character to this beer though; it is barely perceptible at first, but contributes a oak-like spiciness as well as a touch of tannic backbone. Both of these wood-derived notes are noticeable in the finish. The wood is actually at just about a perfect level of flavor integration; it is subtle enough that it is almost not noticeable, yet it does contribute to the character of this brew, even if it is just a supporting role. Soft, zesty notes of coriander sort of blend with the spicy oak notes. The beer is not nearly as spicy in the flavor as it was in the nose; ultimately I think this is a good thing as it allows hints of barrel notes as well as a soft wheat character to come through in the flavor. Flavor notes of orange blossom honey, subtle-yet-sharp lavender, white pepper and young ginger are all noticeable in the taste.

This is a very nice example of a Wit beer. Despite the fact that I was hoping for some wild funkiness (which is certainly not here), I am really enjoying this beer. I really like the mix of spice notes, grain character and the fact that this is bone dry and so light and drinkable; truely a perfect warm weather drinker. I am a sucker for Wit beers and this one really hits the style & more importantly it hits the spot that satisfies my craving for tasty Wit beers. This is possibly one of the best, non-funky Wits out there.

Serving type: bottle

Visit BeerAdvocate.com's page for Whaleback White

Todd "art intimately acquainted"
Joined: 01 Feb 2005
Posts: 1316
Location: Ferndale

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:11 pm    Post subject:
Straight out of a newly engineered fatty French Oak barrel Whaleback White is dry. The nose is all lemon curd on toast, straw and full moon. It's fishy in the way that fish are straight from the river when they are in your palms and gasping before you lay them gently back into the river. Live and natural like your ancestors knew. But then it's really how the ripe wood somehow slides across the back of your tongue and the mild tart releases easy and all the herbs are there for balance only. Drink it with spinach pie and catfish fingers. _________________ I drink no more than a sponge. --François Rabelais

 

Whaleback White by Charles Psenka

"Lake Michigan let out a low distant growl from past the Manitou Islands . Dark clouds began to push the blue sky inland. Past Pyramid Point thunder clouds burst lightning at the cold water.
Out from Whaleback a separate storm retaliated with a furious crackle of lightning that lit up the surface of the lake. In the absence of waves and wind these separate storms exchanged blows of thunder and lighting until the competing giants agreed to combine, come ashore and spill their rain upon the land.
Born from the storm was an ale."

Click Here for Information from the Leelanau Conservancy about The Whaleback Natural Area.