New Anthem Beer Project “Towards the Sun”

Style: Wild Witbier
ABV: 5%

We’re bringing the latest NC Beer of the Week to you on a Wednesday this week, and we’re revisiting New Anthem Beer Project in Wilmington, NC. If you recall, we did a review of their IPA “Over Burning Ground” a few months ago. Today, we’ve got a wild witbier on deck, called “Towards the Sun.” This time, we actually got to visit New Anthem in Wilmington, and it was great to check out the source of the beer. We also happened to run into a former Greenville resident, Kimber on that trip. It was great to catch up, and she informed us she now works at New Anthem. She also gifted us with today’s beer subject, “Towards the Sun,” and we were excited to give it a proper tasting for East Carolina Beer and Brewing. Huge shout out to Kimber and New Anthem!

Joe’s Take

Bombers are something you don’t come across very often any more. These 22oz glass vessels for our favorite beverage have seemed to fade out of beer culture. Now replaced by the ubiquitous can, these stoic looking beer containers seem to signify barrel aging or limited releases. It was nice to see a beer packaged in one that wasn’t 13% ABV and aged in bourbon barrels for 30 years. The beer that was contained within this vessel was “Towards the Sun,” a wild witbier produced by New Anthem Beer Project in Wilmington, NC. 

This unique brew poured from the bottle in a rush of foam. The pale golden liquid being quickly swallowed by cascades of effervescence. Once this foam subsided, the beer was in a state of constant turmoil with bubbles rushing to the surface. It even managed to build a head back up that quickly dissipated when it hit a critical mass, only to be rebuilt by the ever flowing bubbles (I have included a video below since it was such a spectacle).

The aroma of the wild wit was sweet with heavy notes of white grape and even a hint of fresh sweet apples. There was a hint of spice that was likely imparted by the coriander in the brew and this gave it an aroma similar to apple pie or sparkling apple cider. I was on the fence as to whether it smelled more like sparkling white wine or apple pie. Either way, the aroma was enticing.

The mouthfeel of “Towards the Sun” was similar to how I expected it would be, relatively light-bodied and effervescent. There was a slight drying feeling on the finish but nothing overly astringent or assaulting to the palate.

Although the mouthfeel was as I expected, the taste was certainly not. The sweetness I picked up in the aroma seemed to virtually disappear on sipping and it was replaced by tart citrusy flavors and the barnyard like funk of a mixed fermentation. I enjoyed that the beer was not overwhelmingly sweet and thought that the complexity of the flavor profile earned it the right to be sold in a bomber. This beer had some gravity to it and not in the sense of ABV. There was a depth of flavor that, when combined with the sweet fruity aromas, gave an illusion of sweetness. The real flavor rested in the wild yeast characteristics.

Since the beer was bold in flavor and had a complex unique flavor profile, I would recommend limiting yourself to one pint of it and really taking in the unique sensations it provides. This is definitely one you should try as the effervescence, aroma, and flavor all tie in together to make a complex and sensory tasting experience.

Nick’s Take

“Towards the Sun” being a wild witbier left me curious about every aspect (how it would look, smell, taste, etc.). It poured a pretty standard gold, straw-like color that had some haziness blocking out some light trying to get through. The head bubbled up and looked/sounded crisp; it had a sound similar to a fizzy soda or sparkling water as the carbonation was released.

I moved in to smell the beer before all the carbonation had finished releasing, and was caught off guard by the complexity. My first impression was that it reminded me of a cider, with crisp apple aroma. That was followed by some notes of citrus and sweet fruit, as well some funk that suggested a wild yeast used in the brewing. For a witbier, “Towards the Sun” was abundant in aroma.

The bubbly carbonation translated to a really crisp mouthfeel, as was anticipated. That bright, sparkling sensation was presented throughout most of the tasting and added to my pleasant experience. I’d note that it was medium-bodied, but felt a little more full due to the amount of carbonation. This mouthfeel also was bringing to mind those sparkling water and soda comparisons. 
While I initially smelled cider-esque aromas, I didn’t really get that in the taste; it was closer to a white wine with lots of fruit flavors. Among those were some citrus and sweet stone fruit. I didn’t detect any coriander in the aroma or the taste, but there was some added funk present. The complexity was nice and was a unique witbier in my experience.

I enjoy witbiers and “Towards the Sun” was a very drinkable iteration of this style. The wild aspect added some additional unique flavors to the traditional taste, including some added sweetness. It’s a lighter beer that would likely pair well with many food options. Thanks again to Kimber at New Anthem for the insider recommendation!