When Washington released the recipe for White House Honey Ale last month, the New York Times enlisted Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, to help recreate the beer. Last Monday, the first bottle was uncorked.

The verdict: It was good. Very good.

The aromas were floral with a touch of orange and a metallic note that I sometimes find in honey. On the palate, it was breezy, fresh, tangy and lightly bitter, not bone dry but not at all sweet. I could sense the honey in the round, rich texture of the beer: thickness without weight, like a chenin blanc wine.

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Photo by Kirsten Luce for The New York Times