Hops

In witbier, hops stay in the background. The BJCP style guidelines call for 8 to 20 IBU—a low level of bitterness that only lightly supports the flavor. Hops shouldn't dominate the beer, but leave room for what defines the style: wheat, citrus, and spice. That's why witbier tastes fresh rather than bitter.

Hops aren't grown to any significant extent in Flemish Brabant. Belgium's well-known hop-growing area lies around Poperinge in West Flanders, covered in a different region of this journey. For Brabant's witbier, mild aroma varieties suffice, offering little bitterness but some spice character.

What gives the beer its aroma are the two ingredients traditionally paired with hops in witbier: coriander seed and orange peel. Coriander here means the dried fruit of the plant, which smells fresh and slightly sweet-spicy. The orange peel comes from bitter oranges, often called Curaçao orange, and lends a sharp citrus note.

Brewers add these spices late in the boil so their aroma doesn't fade. Dosage varies by brewery, and some work in a touch of additional spices. In the glass, the spice should stay subtle—if you taste coriander immediately, chances are too much was used. Done well, the whole thing comes across more like a hint of orange peel on a fresh wheat beer. That's how the brewers in Hoegaarden understood it too, the ones who shaped the style with Pierre Celis and still aim for this delicate balance today.