2025 version, my first crack at this one as I missed all of the prior releases.

Jet black pour in poor light, dark brown in better, nice tan head, but lace and retention are minimal. Some scant ring lingers. All expected and acceptable for the ABV.

Relatively neutral nose, even on warming. The beer threatens to be quite sweet but backs-off just in time. It is mildly fruity, and somewhat sweet, but relatively light in the mouth and never cloying or punishing. There is some light spice in the mid-palate and finish, but as beers of this type go, it is not heavy handed.

For a beer of this ABV, and for a beer in this series, this drinks incredibly lightly, and that’s quite a feat in and of itself. I think I would have prefered a simpler, more traditional (light colored) regular Wit rather than the darker version, but it still works.

Quite generically fruity, but pinning down apple per se? Not so much. Light feel continues down the glass with alcohol present but never as big as it should be given the %. Maybe some figs, maybe some cinnamon, maybe a bit of funky cheese in the finish but it’s all pretty muted to my palate. The warmest part of the beer in that final finish brings more light fruit. The fruit is a bit like an apple Jolly Rancher if anything, so there’s that.

I mean it’s OK, but TBH this doesn’t excite me. It’s pretty non-offensive but it never quite hits as big as it should. Maybe the original was better? Guess I’ll never know. It seems to sit between too many stools. Not a traditional Wit, alcohol doesn’t hit, fruit isn’t quite there. Not bad, just not as good as it either could have been or should have been.