Brouwerij De Glazen Toren is almost 11 years old. Founded in 2004 by brewmasters Jef Van den Steen and Dirk De Pauw along with Mark De Neef, De Glazen Toren is another example of the growing craft beer movement in Belgium. Starting out as homebrewers, they attended the famous Gent Brewing School and began making some amazing beer for the world to enjoy. If you’re not familiar with Jef Van den Steen, he’s a beer writer and educator as well.
Jan De Licthe follows the brewery’s trend of putting twists on traditional Belgian styles. Based on the classic Brabant style of the Wit, Jan De Lichte is brewed with the classic grain combination of barley and wheat but also adds in oats and buckwheat. The traditional Wit spices of coriander and Curaçao Orange peel are also used. The final modification comes in the much higher alcohol level. It’s around 3% ABV higher than most standard wits making it an Imperial Wit. It’s named after a famous bandit that was executed in Aalst (the city near the brewery’s home Erpe-Mere) in the 18th century.
Appearance: Cloudy blond, white head, good retention.
Aroma: Citrus, spice, coriander, orange peel, lemon curd.
Taste, spicy, funky, earthy, white pepper.
Overall Impression: This takes the typically more subtle flavors of the Wit and cranks them up a few notches. It’s loaded with big flavor that leads to a long finish. Despite the higher alcohol, this beer still maintains the refreshing nature of the classic Wit. The addition of the oats adds to the slightly oily mouthfeel you get from a wit. It also has a nice bite of spice and alcohol. This is another really great beer from the guys at De Glazen Toren.
Availability: Nationwide at better beer stores, although this beer is a bit limited in its production. Imported by B. United International.
7% ABV
Disclosure: I manage this portfolio for the company that represents the importer in Oregon.
You can check out more of my De Glazen Toren reviews on my page dedicated to the brewery.
