Hefeweizen
Grizzly Peak Brewing Company

I was very impressed by this beer. Poured a very hazy orange/yellow color. To me this look represents summer or warm weather whatever you want to call it. Very welcoming. The smell is dominated by wheat and banana. It is very well balanced and easy to appreciate. Taste is also very impressive. Fruity yet bold. Wheat, malt and banana flavoring are all present. Clove and other spices also help add complexity to the flavor. In the mouth this beer is full and tasty. All in all, this is an extremely impressive brew. Well-balanced, strong-flavored and all too easy to drink. A definite must when visitin GP during the spring or summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Called El Hefe on the current menu. Served at the brewpub.

A: The hefe is a hazy golden yellow color with a moderate head. The haziness renders the ale opaque.

S: Bubblegum and clove stand out alongside a mild wheat tartness. Not as much banana as I like but the bubblegum focus is a nice touch.

T: As in the aroma, the bubblegum aspect, a sugary sweetness, is most evident. It is followed by, to a lesser degree, clove and a dash of banana. The wheat that holds the entire ale together is lightly tart, airy and soft. A refreshing ale that was bested only by the Antwerp Amber.

M: The mouthfeel is fruity sweet with enough wheat to keep things in check.

D: Very drinkable, especially for the bubblegum focus of the esters. While I prefer more banana, I had no problem slugging my way through this one.

A: They fill your pint to the brim, so the head is completely lost as they usually slightly overfill the glass (it's a crowded and busy place). After a few sips I swirl the glass to produce a slightly off-white head that doesn't linger around very long. There is no lacing on any Grizzly Peak beers, possibly due to their glassware, as I've had lacing when taking some of their beer home in a growler. The beer is completely opaque, hazy, and a rather dark-amber for the style, but looks great discounting the head.

S: Smells like bananas, yeast, malt, and clove (in this order). The smell is intense and the banana dominates. The aroma has a certain fresh yet assertive quality, this is the best smelling hefe I've ever had. Hacker-Pschorr and Weihenstephan hefes just aren't as aromatic as this one. A yeasty aroma hints at an american-wheat beer with a touch of lemon.

T: Tastes exactly like it smells: banana hits you first, then some clove spicyness, the malty sweetness, and finally a crisp-yet-yeasty and drying finish that balances out the initial sweetness. Hops are playing backup as usual with this style. This beer does lack the yeasty lactic acid-like tartness I have become accustomed to in the imported German hefes I have had.

M: Starchy and balanced for the style. Nearly perfectly carbonated (thanks to the tap system). I have yet to have a hefe with an amazing body, so I think there could be better.

D: Pretty high, though a little heavy even for this style. I'm usually done after 2 pints due to the reasonably high ABV of this beer. The taste does not get boring so this makes a great session beer if you like hefes.

O: One of the best wheat beers I've had to date. The Brewmaster here really knows how to brew wheat beers, unfortunately they are not a mainstay on the menu here. This is the best Hefe-Weisse I've ever had, as well as a good example of the style, and it remains my benchmark to judge all others hefes.

Other thoughts: I would also like to add that this Hefe-Weisse is considerably better than the bland thing that they serve at Arbor Brewing Company (ABC).

Slightly cloudy yellow/gold colour with a dense, white head. Great head retention. Banana and clove aromas dominate, with a decent helping of peppery spice and a bit of floral/citrus hoppiness. Citrusy flavour and plenty of banana fruitiness. Crisp carbonation with a bite. Nice flavours, but overall they're a little on the weak side. Light body. This is a great summer beer for afternoons on the patio, but the complexity implied by the aroma doesn't completely translate into the flavour.

Cloudy, yellow side of orange, with not-quite-enough head. Big clove and banana aromas mask some subtle citrus characteristics. The flavor is likewise flavored with the bananas dominating the midpalate. A pretty fluffy and easy-going brew. Very true to the bavarian style hefe. Good -- but not awe-inspiring.

This weis has a deeply hazy yellow/brown color like a thick lawn in a drought. A buttery ester aroma introduces a sharp grapefruit-like flavor character. The heavier-than-usual body makes this more of a flavorful than refreshing brew. I think it was great.