Hefeweizen
Artisan's Brewery & Italian Grill

Wow, the only other reviews are from when it was Basil T's. Had this at Artisan's in Toms River on 6/17. Also picked up a growler of it as they were on special for $10 a growler, but won't review the growler because there isn't much difference.

Appearance: Light golden color, short white head, leaves good lacing.

Smell: Bananas and spice with a little wheat.

Taste: Bananas, wheat, clove, and other spices. Flavors are not too strong, easily accessible to those who aren't used to craft.

Mouthfeel: Light body, light to medium carbonation. Would be better if the mouthfeel was more like the traditional Hefeweizen.

Overall: Not bad, but nothing to rave about. I enjoyed it. Honestly, changing the mouthfeel would go a long way for this, a little thicker and more carbonation would do wonders for it. I do realize that would make it cost more to make, but at bar prices I think they can afford it.

Served on-tap at Basil T's in Toms River. An orange slice garnished the ale. It was promptly discarded.

A: The hefeweizen looks more like an American wheat ale, retaining far too much translucence to be a good hefe. A small head, less than a finger, was tainted by the orange.

S: The nose wasn't off but it wasn't right either. Too grainy, mildly old up front, a citrus-wheat combination tries too hard to start things off right. The result is a strained flavor that tastes a little old. More hefeweizen flavors emerge as I make my way into the ale, clove and banana appear but aren't dominant. A sweet aftertaste lacks focus and the ale never delivers a firm wheat flavor.

M: Mildly unpleasant, especially at the front of each sip. The yeast shows its stuff at the midpoint but it is too late to save each sip.

D: Thanks but no thanks. Maybe too late in the season for a good hefeweizen, maybe not. This one just seems to have lost it.

basil t's summer seasonal is their hefeweizen and while decent (far from great) it's one of the oddest hefeweizen's i've ever sampled. it pours a nice cloudy golden colour, with a bit thinner of a head than you'd expect from a hefe, but still nice all around. here's where the brew gets a touch strange: the smell and flavour, while still maintaining the typical orange/citrus and spice characteristics of a hefe (though they are subdued), are simply overcome with sweetness and what can be described as no less than liquid candy, or at least liquid bubble gum. overall, niethr the smell nor the flavour are bad, in any way, but the sweeteness definitely needs to be toned down a bit here. wow! i'd bump the carbonation level up a bit to as, while seemingly very fresh, this one just didn't have the bite of a typical hefe. i'd sample this one again, but for now, in small doses.