Weizenbier
Founders Brewing Company

WeizenbierWeizenbier
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From:
Founders Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Pale Wheat Beer
ABV:
5.6%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.33 | pDev: 15.02%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
20
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 29, 2012
Added:
Aug 21, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mitchster:
Photo of Mitchster
Reviewed by Mitchster from Michigan

3.8/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Cloudy yellow-peach with a fine sediment of silt-like yeast forms a thin white head despite a vigorous pour which has little retention and no lacing. Carbonation is mild. Aroma is very pleasing, with a sharp and pungent fruitiness, cloves, bready yeast, and distant bananas. Taste begins with a slight sourness and odd graininess, followed by a hint of alcohol and cheesy, pungent, sharp yeast. The finish is astringent and grainy with mild herbal hops and a light toastiness. Mouthfeel is brisk with a medium body.

A solid weizen with a bit of character thrown in. Untraditional by strict definition...an interesting brew.
Aug 21, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Jan 29, 2012
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

3.72/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
from notes

golden yellow, with great clarity. Nice three inch high head of white foam,

Some floral hops, hints of lemon, and grass, and a touch of wheat were about all you were picking up. Had nice bright profile though.a very bright, and appropriate for summer taste. There was a decent hint of orange rind and lemon in the back, with a nice rounded wheat flavor
Aug 27, 2011
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.12/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12oz bottle acquired in trade with moejuck (thanks!).

Poured a medium and hazy straw color with a smaller sized off white head. Lighlty hazy too. Aromas of citrus (lemons and oranges), spices, some wheat, and caramel. Tastes of citrus, some wheat, and caramel. Sweet. Past its prime. Thinner body.
Apr 03, 2009
Photo of letsgopens
Reviewed by letsgopens from Pennsylvania

2.38/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
I can honestly say this is the first selection from Founders I've had that I didn't like. It pours a pale cloudy yellow/gold with some light frothy white head that recedes leaving little lace to speak of.

The aroma is surprisingly bright and somewhat fruity. I expected more wheat but was greeted with an odd barley wine-like quality on the nose. Not at all what I expected. Grainy and wine-like, odd.

Again very surprising in flavor. Very sharp and fruity. With, again, an explicit wine flavor. Although the ABV is rather low, it is very noticeable. Not much wheat at all, but rather some orange and fermented grapes. Very different and moderately sour. Not particularly pleasurable at all.

The carbonation is high/moderate with a clean, sharp finish. Lots of tang/sourness on the palate. The uncharacteristic sour flavor is not what I enjoy in a wheat beer. In fact I don't believe I've experienced a wheat like this before, and I'd rather not again.
Oct 16, 2007
Photo of sinstaineddemon
Reviewed by sinstaineddemon from Connecticut

2.8/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
A - this beer wells up a huge white frothy head, it takes a few pours to get it all in, when it is, i note its pale yellow haze, like country lemonade with sediment and tons of swift streaming carbonation

S - the aroma is dominated by a lemon/wheat amalgamation with a slight alcohol twang, a decent aroma, but rather uncomplex

T - the flavor is more of the same, lemon zest and strong wheatiness, with some alcohol kick, these flavors also add to an inherent sourness

M&D - quite fizzy and sour, which detract from the drinkability, but still easy down, with a comfortable mouthfeel, an ok beer, a bit too sour for me
Feb 13, 2007
Photo of Jwaks
Reviewed by Jwaks from Connecticut

2.19/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Serving: 12oz bottle

A nearly lifeless true yellow beer shows a very hazy complextion with a thin collar of glossy white head that leaves behind very little lacing.

Lots of bitter tangy wheat, sour fruit esters and bitter yeast dominate the nose with a touch of lemon zest.

Tons of zesty wheat and lemon zest flow over the palate from start to finish with suggestions of bitter yeast on the finish. Off sour flavors creep in from the beginning to make a stink on the finish, maybe this is a property of the wheat but it is a bit unpleasant.

A quick finish, medium body, and off bitter yeats paired with sour wheat acheive an below average score for drinkability. Thin on the palate this goes down fairly easy, though I can't see drinking more than one.

A meager attempt at a real german hefeweizen, ther eare better true hefeweizens from germany, though this one is worth a try.

There is no freshness date on the bottle so this one may be out of date since it has already been retired.

Cheers!
Feb 08, 2007
Photo of rabsten
Reviewed by rabsten from West Virginia

2.61/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured into a pint glass, enormous head that doesn't lace. Clear yellow with LOTS of yeast floating around (the bottle said to roll it before opening to "activate" the yeast).

Smells slightly citrus-y, with large grain presence.

Taste...Hmm, not impressed.. The mouthfeel is highly astringent, like battery acid or lye (and yes, I know those are on oposite ends or the pH scale), and that gets in the way of the flavor. There was some wheat hanging out behind the astringency, but not much.

The combination of taste and poor mouthfeel make for beer that's not very drinkable.

In full disclosure mode, this is an old bottle. It was stored in the back of the retailer's cooler, but still, it was old. I see that it's now retired, so it could be a VERY old bottle. And if anything keeps worse than a wheat beer...
I'd be willing to try another, fresher one if I had the opportunity, but unless it's markedly better, that one would be my last.
May 11, 2006
Photo of Frozensoul327
Reviewed by Frozensoul327 from Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Found some of this at a local beer bar. Poured out to a hazy yellow color with a pillow of white foam for a head. Medium level of carbonation. Smell reminded me of a hefeweizen; banana, citrus, some clove and malt. Taste was similar to the aroma; wheat, grain, malt, lemony citrus, hints of banana peel. Mouthfeel was good, but nothing exceptional. Kind of medium bodied with a smooth wheat character. Went down very easy. North of average drinkability. Would be good during the summertime. Worth a try.
Mar 12, 2006
Photo of clvand0
Reviewed by clvand0 from Kentucky

3.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Found one of these in my cellar the other day. Pours a cloudy yellow color with a small head that falls fast and doesn't leave a lot of lacing on the glass. The aroma has some hoppiness to it and it has the faintest hints of spice and banana and clove, but not much. The flavor has a lot of wheat character, but is lacking a lot in the banana and clove department. It has a sharpness to the spices, but it just doesn't sit well on my palate. The body is moderate and the drinkability is just ok.
Feb 20, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.63/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pastel lemon with a great deal of rapidly rising carbonation. The 'fresh snowfall white' head starts out at two fingers (despite an increasingly elevated pour) and has a good look about it. The rumpled surface is slowly melting and is leaving quite a bit of lace in its wake.

The nose is closer to a hefe weizen than to an APWA, even if it lacks the best elements of the former style. There's a modest amount of zesty spiciness that bears some resemblance to clove, and an understated amount of banana. It smells as though a hefe weizen yeast strain was used, but not an overly aggressive one.

Likewise the flavor. Weizenbier is more interesting and more bold than most APWAs, yet lacks the bold spice and beautiful banana of a true hefe weizen. I guess if the brewers meant for it to be a true hefe, they'd have named it something other than just Weizenbier. Plenty of wheat malt results in an appealing light sweetness. The mouthfeel is probably too light to be considered lush, but it's within shouting distance of it.

Lemon zest is almost as strong as banana... which is becoming more prominent as I drink. Still, the most the beer can manage is 2.5/5.0 on my (hefe) weizen banan-o-meter. Rev up those yeasties and this would be a contender. Too bad Founders has given up on it. I hope they rethink that decision and come back with something bigger and better. Knowing this brewery, I wouldn't bet against it.

The mouthfeel is light-medium on a good day and loses nothing throughout the progression of each mouthful. The relatively low, but still efficient, amount of carbonation joins in creating a quaffable beer that is (excuse me... was) made for warm weather sessioning.

I was amazed to discover that prior to this offering, I had never given a Founders beer less than a 4.0. I'm not upset that the brewery decided to force this offering into early retirement (survival of the fittest and all that), but I'd still like to see them find a spot in their lineup for a new and improved, kick-ass hefeweizen. Founders Weizenbier: R.I.P.
Dec 26, 2005
Photo of walleye
Reviewed by walleye from Michigan

3.12/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
from the bottle , poured as med yellow, with a nice sized white head that left some good lacing. aroma wheat, hops, lemons, with a touch of bananna. flavor, wheat, lemon, had a hard time finding the bananna but it did come out a little when it warmed. like the description says a good summer beer.
Oct 27, 2005
Photo of ken3c
Reviewed by ken3c from Michigan

3.42/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Cloudy yellow. Foam disappears fast leaving a small halo.

Plenty of ripe fruit smell but a little flowery note as well.

First taste is a bit bitter. Later tastes are more tart and yeasty. The bitterness is still there and creates a very nice blend. I would say it was good but not strictly in the hefeweizen style.

Light body and quite a little carbonation.

I liked this beer and will likely have it again. The taste is interesting if not according to style. I think I'd like it a lot better if it had a bit more carbonation.
Aug 08, 2004
Photo of Sixpack595
Reviewed by Sixpack595 from Michigan

3.35/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Cloudy yellow with a huge white cap of foam that rapidly recedes to a thin film. Aroma is lemonywith a bit of spicy hop and bready malt. Flavor is weak, but not bad. There is a bit of toasty malt behind the fruity wheat taste. Mouthfeel is very thin. Good beer to cool off with but not very interesting.
Jul 14, 2004
Photo of tavernjef
Reviewed by tavernjef from Minnesota

3.92/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Cloudy pale straw yellow, somewhat clearer edges, small firm white foamy top grows up to briefly sit before maintaining a solid slim skim; lace in minimal spots. Aroma is of slight lemon zest with some banana juices, wheat, and slight yeast spice hints. Taste has a firm lemon presense mixing with banana juices, zippy, firm, smooth with some light hints to the yeast and some wheaty sharpness. Feel is pretty easy going with a lighter side of medium with a fluffyness and moderate lemon zest. A solid hefe, but could use some heft, still wouldn't pass it up.
A big U.P. thanks goes to trbeer for the many samples.
Jul 06, 2004
Photo of beergeek279
Reviewed by beergeek279 from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in the 12 oz. bottle, into a hefe glass. The color is a rather clear golden, with a wisp of white head. The smell is a slight banana/clove. The taste is a fairly solid clove and banana, a bit overly sweet, with a bit of the wheat tartness inside. Mouthfeel is average. As for drinkability, not bad.

Not in the upper tier of hefeweizens, but still enjoyable nonetheless. A nice standard hefe with standard flavors, I might have this one again if I were in the MI area.
Jul 02, 2004
Photo of granger10
Reviewed by granger10 from Wisconsin

3.64/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
This beer poured a very pale, slightly hazy yellow color with a moderate off white head. The aroma is estery with some bananas and clove in the mix. This beer has some definite citric flavors with lemon being the most dominate. It is slightly sweet, slightly tart, and slightly bitter with spicy undertones. Very balanced and very drinkable. But it is also a bit too watery in body and the flavors seem a little too weak. Still, this is a good beer to drink.
Jun 03, 2004
Photo of PhantomVodoo
Reviewed by PhantomVodoo from Ohio

3.67/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Minimal white head atop a pale yellowish golden brew. Not a large amount of yeast, but enough to yield a decent haze.
Aroma is yeasty, yet tart and crisp. Wheat and grainy, doughy malt. Splash of lemon.

Taste shows a grainy, doughy malt and wheat backbone. Crisp and tart. Some yeast. Hint of lemon. Slight chemical-like flavor; not sure if this is an off flavor or just a characteristic of something in the beer.

Good body to the mouthfeel.
Light and drinkable.
Overall, a solid summer refresher with mild yeast characteristics. Just a step above the Sierra Nevada Wheat I had today IMO.
May 30, 2004
Photo of marburg
Reviewed by marburg from Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I really enjoyed this brew. Not entirely traditional, but it takes the hefeweizen in the other direction from Bavarian wheats. While American hefes seem to play down so much of the great wheaty flavors with hops and some more traditional American/English balance, Founders went the other way with this one. They played with the traditional Bavarian flavors and came up with something pretty unique. So ignoring, to some extent, style guidelines, this is pretty damn awesome.

The shade of yellow is really very pilsner-like -- incredibly light and pale. A quick swirl takes care of that, and the yeast imparts a hazy darkness to the brew lying underneath the bright white head.

Cloves are a dominant aroma here with the fruit, especially the banana-ish redolence, a bit subdued. The flavor though is strong and impactful. More of a citrus medley than lemon zest, the citrus fruit component to this clearly has some inspiration from Tropicana. Orange, lemon, and other non-descript sweet, almost tropical fruity flavors emerge as dominate on the palate. A clove-ish midpalate adds a bit of balance and tingle on the tongue. Finishes fairly crisp with a hint of citrus zest.

I loved it, frankly. This strikes me as a great summertime wheat. Really unique and refreshing.
Oct 05, 2003
Photo of maxpower
Reviewed by maxpower from Missouri

3.41/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Cloudy, hazy yellow-orange color, with a huge white frothy and sticky head that stays around for awhile. This one has a light sourish banana-clove and wheat aromas, light wheaty, bready and yeasty flavors, light to medium body in body, good carbonation for the style, has a nice clean and crisp finish, another good one from this brewery.
Oct 03, 2003
Weizenbier from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 20 ratings