Hefeweizen
Methow Valley Brewing Company/Twisp River Pub

At first, I caught a whiff of ammonia blowing off the rim of my glass. But after some examination I concluded that the untoward smell was sourced not to the beer or even the glass, but to the lemon, which may have absorbed some detergent essence by osmosis while collected in a dish on the bartop. The good news is that the staff asked if I wanted the lemon. Good service. The bad news is that I accepted, if only because I never hesitate to show respect to a good source of vitamin C.

This hefeweizen is presumed to be of Bavarian lineage owing to its referenced name and its clouded, jaundiced color. But in the absence of the lemon, the beer itself offered only a faint, grain-water fragrance. Similarly, there is no head or lace, all of which is a bit disappointing and points to a stylistic deficit in this summer seasonal. The taste was spry with a spiced finish, and agreeable. It was served too cold, but I’m not about to complain about a cold beer in August in Okanogan County. But if the rest of the beer held up as well as the taste it would be vastly more enjoyable.