Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel | Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Brewed by:
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Germany
franziskaner-weissbier.de
Style: Dunkelweizen
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by Todd on 07-13-2001
Ratings: 1,679 | Reviews: 822
4.35/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured in a hefe glass, around 50F.
Murky brown ale, frothy white head and some lacing, head eventually settles down to a nothing, I blame the not so clean glass.
Huge freaking Franziskaner aroma of banana/fruity esters and a hint of clove, bready and yeasty as well. Flavor of wheat malt, fresh banana bread and a residual balanced mild bitterness.
All around, quite delicious! I'd drink it all the time if I lived in Germany.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured in a hefe glass, around 50F.
Murky brown ale, frothy white head and some lacing, head eventually settles down to a nothing, I blame the not so clean glass.
Huge freaking Franziskaner aroma of banana/fruity esters and a hint of clove, bready and yeasty as well. Flavor of wheat malt, fresh banana bread and a residual balanced mild bitterness.
All around, quite delicious! I'd drink it all the time if I lived in Germany.
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3.68/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pint-.9-ounce bottle poured into a weizen glass yields a hazy pale brown body with golden highlights, capped with a monstrous, five-finger pale-ecru crown with fine bubbles and donkey-stubborn retention. A fat foamy ring of lacing slides down the glass.
Smell is very wheaty with a touch of banana and a little spice.
Taste is the least bit tangy, big-time rich and wheaty, with a touch of banana and clove. Somewhere lurking amidst more wallflower grainy flavors is a bashful, but friendly note of juicy orange and a lip-smacking touch of fruity yeast.
This is an exceptionally smooth beer, and is augmented by sedate carbonation. Outstanding drinkability marks a nice example of the style.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pint-.9-ounce bottle poured into a weizen glass yields a hazy pale brown body with golden highlights, capped with a monstrous, five-finger pale-ecru crown with fine bubbles and donkey-stubborn retention. A fat foamy ring of lacing slides down the glass.
Smell is very wheaty with a touch of banana and a little spice.
Taste is the least bit tangy, big-time rich and wheaty, with a touch of banana and clove. Somewhere lurking amidst more wallflower grainy flavors is a bashful, but friendly note of juicy orange and a lip-smacking touch of fruity yeast.
This is an exceptionally smooth beer, and is augmented by sedate carbonation. Outstanding drinkability marks a nice example of the style.
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3.58/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pours a cloudy brown with a big, off-white head. Smells of cloves and banannas. Taste is bready, sweet, with a slight sour twang. Mouthfeel is kind of thin, carbonation medium. Quite drinkable, somewhat low in alcohol, and would make a good session beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pours a cloudy brown with a big, off-white head. Smells of cloves and banannas. Taste is bready, sweet, with a slight sour twang. Mouthfeel is kind of thin, carbonation medium. Quite drinkable, somewhat low in alcohol, and would make a good session beer.
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4.22/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bought from Bottleworks in Seattle, WA - bottle, 9FL. OZ.
I didn't realize this was a dunkel till I looked it up here, then confirmed it again from the bottle label. This is my first dunkel hefe-weisse.
A: great cloudy orange color, murky brown. thin 1/2+ finger head that doesn't stick around for the party, minimal to no lacing. very carbonated - lots of little bubbles. cool bottle label :)
S: deep floral and spice bouquet, strong fruity banana esters. smells like a really bready banana loaf. unusual sourness also.
T: carbonated and prickly, but a nice mix of sweetness and hoppyness. lots of spicing, cinnamon prevalent as well as clove. nice esters, banana...what else? god this tastes good!
M: medium bodied. somewhat creamy. fizzy yet crisp.
D: very tasty, low to medium ABV, great balance of esters and spice, carbonation excellent. very re drinkable.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bought from Bottleworks in Seattle, WA - bottle, 9FL. OZ.
I didn't realize this was a dunkel till I looked it up here, then confirmed it again from the bottle label. This is my first dunkel hefe-weisse.
A: great cloudy orange color, murky brown. thin 1/2+ finger head that doesn't stick around for the party, minimal to no lacing. very carbonated - lots of little bubbles. cool bottle label :)
S: deep floral and spice bouquet, strong fruity banana esters. smells like a really bready banana loaf. unusual sourness also.
T: carbonated and prickly, but a nice mix of sweetness and hoppyness. lots of spicing, cinnamon prevalent as well as clove. nice esters, banana...what else? god this tastes good!
M: medium bodied. somewhat creamy. fizzy yet crisp.
D: very tasty, low to medium ABV, great balance of esters and spice, carbonation excellent. very re drinkable.
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3.76/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a single into a Imperial pint glass.
A: Pours dark brown, hazy, with a nice uneven foamy head. No real lacing to note.
S: Wheaty malt with a sort of intricate fruity smell.
T&M: Dark looking and light bodied with a complex malty, but clean, flavor profile. The wheat is prominent with an interesting yeasty fruitiness that assists with the impression of light tastes. The carbonation is fine and abundant. The finish is relatively malty but dry going just a touch watery as the linger begins.
D: Refreshing and light and easy to drink. The interesting yeast flavors had me curious for more which let this one do down pretty quickly as well. Interesting and cool. I liked it.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a single into a Imperial pint glass.
A: Pours dark brown, hazy, with a nice uneven foamy head. No real lacing to note.
S: Wheaty malt with a sort of intricate fruity smell.
T&M: Dark looking and light bodied with a complex malty, but clean, flavor profile. The wheat is prominent with an interesting yeasty fruitiness that assists with the impression of light tastes. The carbonation is fine and abundant. The finish is relatively malty but dry going just a touch watery as the linger begins.
D: Refreshing and light and easy to drink. The interesting yeast flavors had me curious for more which let this one do down pretty quickly as well. Interesting and cool. I liked it.
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3.88/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance. Pale apple cider like appearance. Decent head retention.
Smell: Sweet wheat notes.
Taste: Initial taste of fruity wheat. Big banana flavors. A bit of spice in there as well. I love this dark wheat style. One of my favorites of this style so far.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, rich, fullbodied dunkel.
Drinkability" Rather drinkable. Would have again. Franzi is always fancy.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance. Pale apple cider like appearance. Decent head retention.
Smell: Sweet wheat notes.
Taste: Initial taste of fruity wheat. Big banana flavors. A bit of spice in there as well. I love this dark wheat style. One of my favorites of this style so far.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, rich, fullbodied dunkel.
Drinkability" Rather drinkable. Would have again. Franzi is always fancy.
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4.42/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A very murky brown with a thin laceless head.
Smell is great with the most prevalent being banana, spices, and bread. I also smell clove and a bit of something sour. Taste is like banana bread. All of the other smells are in there too. Mouthfeel is very good finish is smooth with lively carbonation.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A very murky brown with a thin laceless head.
Smell is great with the most prevalent being banana, spices, and bread. I also smell clove and a bit of something sour. Taste is like banana bread. All of the other smells are in there too. Mouthfeel is very good finish is smooth with lively carbonation.
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3.7/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I was a little hesitant to try this one because I really didn't care much for Franziskaner's Hefe-Weisse. However, I actually enjoyed this brew a lot better - although I drank this one on tap so it's not an entirely fair comparison. Anyways, in the glass this brew resembles a black and tan, with a dark caramel color. The smell is reminiscent of apples and maple syrup. The carbonation and mouthfeel is excellent with a dry (but not too dry) slightly medicinal finish. An apple fruitiness dominates the flavor with hints of bubblegum sweetness. Although I found this sweetness to be more balanced than the Hefe-Weiss. Towards the end of a sip there is a tiny bit of bitterness and hoppy sting. This is not my favorite Hefe Weisse, but it's a pretty good beer on tap.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I was a little hesitant to try this one because I really didn't care much for Franziskaner's Hefe-Weisse. However, I actually enjoyed this brew a lot better - although I drank this one on tap so it's not an entirely fair comparison. Anyways, in the glass this brew resembles a black and tan, with a dark caramel color. The smell is reminiscent of apples and maple syrup. The carbonation and mouthfeel is excellent with a dry (but not too dry) slightly medicinal finish. An apple fruitiness dominates the flavor with hints of bubblegum sweetness. Although I found this sweetness to be more balanced than the Hefe-Weiss. Towards the end of a sip there is a tiny bit of bitterness and hoppy sting. This is not my favorite Hefe Weisse, but it's a pretty good beer on tap.
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3.06/5 rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
500ml bottle that has a gold foil over the cap and has a dark ruby red label of a happy monk drinking a mug of beer. If you look closly, you can find a bottle code in the lower left hand corner. The back label just has all the usual U.S information. Served in a Weizen glass.
What came out of the bottle was a murky mahagony brown with a small amount of orange highlights. This one had the usual 2 inch creamy head of white foam. Slow retention that left behind a small amount of white spots and a streak or two of white lace. This Weizen didn't have any bananas in the aroma, but it sure loved the lightly toasted malts and butter popcorn. It smelled so much like popcorn, I almost took this beer to the movies. The taste was light and wheaty with roasted wheat, a hint of lemon, subtle cloves, yeast, and some juicy fruits here and there. I thought there could have been more flavors in the beer, but I guess not. The mouthfeel was light like a Weizen should be, but this one had a faint aftertaste of malted wheat and yeast. It's just a standard German Dunkel Weizen. I honestly thought it could have been better than this. I might give it another whirl in the future.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
500ml bottle that has a gold foil over the cap and has a dark ruby red label of a happy monk drinking a mug of beer. If you look closly, you can find a bottle code in the lower left hand corner. The back label just has all the usual U.S information. Served in a Weizen glass.
What came out of the bottle was a murky mahagony brown with a small amount of orange highlights. This one had the usual 2 inch creamy head of white foam. Slow retention that left behind a small amount of white spots and a streak or two of white lace. This Weizen didn't have any bananas in the aroma, but it sure loved the lightly toasted malts and butter popcorn. It smelled so much like popcorn, I almost took this beer to the movies. The taste was light and wheaty with roasted wheat, a hint of lemon, subtle cloves, yeast, and some juicy fruits here and there. I thought there could have been more flavors in the beer, but I guess not. The mouthfeel was light like a Weizen should be, but this one had a faint aftertaste of malted wheat and yeast. It's just a standard German Dunkel Weizen. I honestly thought it could have been better than this. I might give it another whirl in the future.
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3.5/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Cloudy and dark caramel brown with a full finger of lasting pillowy head.
A balance of banana, bubblegum and roast in the aroma. Right n par, everything is there.
Lots of fruit and bubblegum flavor from the yeast, even a bit over the top. You really have to search for the darker flavors in this one.
Mouthfeel is spot-on, highly carbonated, just a little drying.
Pretty good example, but the yeast needs to step back a little to distinguish the dunkel side of this beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Cloudy and dark caramel brown with a full finger of lasting pillowy head.
A balance of banana, bubblegum and roast in the aroma. Right n par, everything is there.
Lots of fruit and bubblegum flavor from the yeast, even a bit over the top. You really have to search for the darker flavors in this one.
Mouthfeel is spot-on, highly carbonated, just a little drying.
Pretty good example, but the yeast needs to step back a little to distinguish the dunkel side of this beer.
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3.87/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured this into my hefe glass and received a cloudy body that was a mix of leather brown and apple cider. Left two-finger head that receeded quickly and left no lacings. A nice roasted/dry malt smell came through, accentuated by some tart fruit such as orange, cherries and also some clove. Spices are the first thing that struck me, then a warming sensation as the malty goodness came through. A slightly dry finish as the citric fruits are tucked on the backend; this a medium-bodied beer that is smooth and a tad creamy. There is some caramel in there too, but it does not make the beer that syrupy. Not the best dunkel, but I did enjoy it.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured this into my hefe glass and received a cloudy body that was a mix of leather brown and apple cider. Left two-finger head that receeded quickly and left no lacings. A nice roasted/dry malt smell came through, accentuated by some tart fruit such as orange, cherries and also some clove. Spices are the first thing that struck me, then a warming sensation as the malty goodness came through. A slightly dry finish as the citric fruits are tucked on the backend; this a medium-bodied beer that is smooth and a tad creamy. There is some caramel in there too, but it does not make the beer that syrupy. Not the best dunkel, but I did enjoy it.
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3.68/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 16.9 oz bottle into weizen glass.
A - Brown, somewhat hazy, with two finger head that receded to almost nothing. No lacing.
S - Generic hefe aromas of banana, but without the usual citrus undertones. Bread-like.
T - Again like a standard hefe with the bananas and touch of clove, but no citrus. Instead, some caramel malt making for a fairly sweet brew. Bread and mild nut flavors come through, though subdued.
M - Slick with little carbonation.
D - Easy to drink with no bitterness and minimal carbonation. A nice flavor, but too homogenized.
Mostly what I thought while sipping this dunkel were it's similarities to Franziskaner's Hefe-Weisse. It's fairly identical, though the lemony aspects are absent and instead a caramel-like flavor comes through. It compliments the banana quite well, though everything is muddled and ultimately the flavor is a little weak.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 16.9 oz bottle into weizen glass.
A - Brown, somewhat hazy, with two finger head that receded to almost nothing. No lacing.
S - Generic hefe aromas of banana, but without the usual citrus undertones. Bread-like.
T - Again like a standard hefe with the bananas and touch of clove, but no citrus. Instead, some caramel malt making for a fairly sweet brew. Bread and mild nut flavors come through, though subdued.
M - Slick with little carbonation.
D - Easy to drink with no bitterness and minimal carbonation. A nice flavor, but too homogenized.
Mostly what I thought while sipping this dunkel were it's similarities to Franziskaner's Hefe-Weisse. It's fairly identical, though the lemony aspects are absent and instead a caramel-like flavor comes through. It compliments the banana quite well, though everything is muddled and ultimately the flavor is a little weak.
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2.46/5 rDev -35.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a very dark orange, short lasting head with not as much carbination as the regular Hefe. Nose contains hints of yeast, bananas, some spice, with some doctor band-aids, and one of those terrible candied white chocolate waffers all sitting on top of a slice of an old raunchy orange. What can I say, the nose ruined this half-house effort for a dark wheat. The palate gives a little bit more hope with a little bit more creamyness that can off-set the off nose, but the dunkel gnome malts never really find a finish and leave you wondering where did the little flavor dunkel gnomes roll out to at the finish? I can only imagine what kind of whip they are sitting on, but i guarantee it has to have like a trillion horse-power. Its not really that atrocious, but theres better!
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look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours a very dark orange, short lasting head with not as much carbination as the regular Hefe. Nose contains hints of yeast, bananas, some spice, with some doctor band-aids, and one of those terrible candied white chocolate waffers all sitting on top of a slice of an old raunchy orange. What can I say, the nose ruined this half-house effort for a dark wheat. The palate gives a little bit more hope with a little bit more creamyness that can off-set the off nose, but the dunkel gnome malts never really find a finish and leave you wondering where did the little flavor dunkel gnomes roll out to at the finish? I can only imagine what kind of whip they are sitting on, but i guarantee it has to have like a trillion horse-power. Its not really that atrocious, but theres better!
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3.26/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the 25 oz bottle into a pilsner glass. Review is based on 2 glasses, one cold and the the was at room temperature. I even question the freshness of the beer, but it doesn't taste like it has gone bad.
A: Pours a dark maple syrup color with a frothy head that slowly dissipates. Left no film on the glass. Looks like yeast has started to clump together and collect at the bottom of the glass.
S: Is strong with dry malts surrounded by the unfiltered yeast. There is a fruity smell that hints of bananas. It finishes with a cloves.
T: Very yeasty and fruity. The dry malt scent turns into a toasted malt taste that is complexly layered with a pale hops and wheat flavors. This gets mildly distracted by being followed by the subdued fruit and alcohol mix. A combination of the malts and yeast return to give it a bready aftertaste.
M: Medium bodied beer that is very smooth. Lacks carbonation and makes the beer feel flat.
D: Very tasty beer. The banana undertones add an unique atmosphere to the beer. No sharp or shocking tastes make an easy drinking beer.
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look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the 25 oz bottle into a pilsner glass. Review is based on 2 glasses, one cold and the the was at room temperature. I even question the freshness of the beer, but it doesn't taste like it has gone bad.
A: Pours a dark maple syrup color with a frothy head that slowly dissipates. Left no film on the glass. Looks like yeast has started to clump together and collect at the bottom of the glass.
S: Is strong with dry malts surrounded by the unfiltered yeast. There is a fruity smell that hints of bananas. It finishes with a cloves.
T: Very yeasty and fruity. The dry malt scent turns into a toasted malt taste that is complexly layered with a pale hops and wheat flavors. This gets mildly distracted by being followed by the subdued fruit and alcohol mix. A combination of the malts and yeast return to give it a bready aftertaste.
M: Medium bodied beer that is very smooth. Lacks carbonation and makes the beer feel flat.
D: Very tasty beer. The banana undertones add an unique atmosphere to the beer. No sharp or shocking tastes make an easy drinking beer.
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4.15/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a weizen glass.
A: The beer is a deep coppery brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.
S: The aroma is of wheat, caramelized malt, spices, some dark fruit and a touch of hops.
T: The taste is well balanced with flavors of caramel, wheat and some spice up front, but not a lot of sweetness, which is good. There's a hearty malt character and a very mild hops presence. The after-taste is slightly bready.
M: Crisp and smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is very clean.
D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, mild kick, very good representation of style, even though I prefer the regular Hefeweizen to this style, this beer is a very good one to drink for a long time.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a weizen glass.
A: The beer is a deep coppery brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.
S: The aroma is of wheat, caramelized malt, spices, some dark fruit and a touch of hops.
T: The taste is well balanced with flavors of caramel, wheat and some spice up front, but not a lot of sweetness, which is good. There's a hearty malt character and a very mild hops presence. The after-taste is slightly bready.
M: Crisp and smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is very clean.
D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, mild kick, very good representation of style, even though I prefer the regular Hefeweizen to this style, this beer is a very good one to drink for a long time.
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3.86/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
pours a beautiful orange-golden hazy, fast rising thick head, which drops to a quarter inch and sticks around. smell is a bit of alcohol and some fruity notes lightly mixed with malt. taste follows suit - a fruity light plum-raisin and strong banana, balanced pretty well with medium malt,can deifnitely taste the alcohol on the back. As warms up a little getting more of the bitter at the end, nice touch. relatively dry finish. medium-high carbonation, very smooth, pretty refreshing.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
pours a beautiful orange-golden hazy, fast rising thick head, which drops to a quarter inch and sticks around. smell is a bit of alcohol and some fruity notes lightly mixed with malt. taste follows suit - a fruity light plum-raisin and strong banana, balanced pretty well with medium malt,can deifnitely taste the alcohol on the back. As warms up a little getting more of the bitter at the end, nice touch. relatively dry finish. medium-high carbonation, very smooth, pretty refreshing.
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3.92/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I first bought this beer because I was amused by the goofy hammered monk on the label.
Pours a murky brown like the color and clarity of apple cider. Decent head to start but faded quickly. Very light spot lacing.
Smells of spiced fruit and wheat. Tastes wheaty, malty and fruity with banana and apple, clove and a light medicinal quality, as well as a very faint smokiness.
Feels average; medium body with biting carbonation.
Definitely worth the money, but Schneider Weiss and Weihenstephaner are still the reigning champs of German Hefes in my opinion.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I first bought this beer because I was amused by the goofy hammered monk on the label.
Pours a murky brown like the color and clarity of apple cider. Decent head to start but faded quickly. Very light spot lacing.
Smells of spiced fruit and wheat. Tastes wheaty, malty and fruity with banana and apple, clove and a light medicinal quality, as well as a very faint smokiness.
Feels average; medium body with biting carbonation.
Definitely worth the money, but Schneider Weiss and Weihenstephaner are still the reigning champs of German Hefes in my opinion.
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4.44/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a nonic pilsner glass and surprised by the appearance and the smell. This is the first Hefe-Weisse Dunkel I've tried and wow, was I impressed.
The brew poured an almost opaque mahogany and not cloudy as I was expecting. It poured with a rich, frothy cream head with significant lacing - quite attractive!
The smell is the best part of this brew, one of the best smelling beers I've had in a long, long time. There is obvious banana, yeast, and malt, but also a bit of cloves, bubble gum, and other various spices. I took a few good, long whiffs of this thing before starting to drink it. If only every beer smelled this great.
The taste did not disappoint either, as the malts make their way through at the same time leaving way for a sweet, cirtus-y taste. Super complex and super delicious. The spices start to become more prominent as the brew warms and allows for a rich finish and aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is excellent, very typical of the dunkel style but without all the carbonation that comes from the nitrogen commonly found in other hefe-weisse brews. It's quite smooth indeed, superbly palatable.
I found this beer to be quite drinkable and was confused as to how I drank the 16.9 oz bottle so quickly. At only 5.0% ABV, this could certainly be a new session beer (and it's on tap at the Bulldog in uptown New Orleans) and I don't think just drinking one of these does it justice. Highly recommended.
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look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a nonic pilsner glass and surprised by the appearance and the smell. This is the first Hefe-Weisse Dunkel I've tried and wow, was I impressed.
The brew poured an almost opaque mahogany and not cloudy as I was expecting. It poured with a rich, frothy cream head with significant lacing - quite attractive!
The smell is the best part of this brew, one of the best smelling beers I've had in a long, long time. There is obvious banana, yeast, and malt, but also a bit of cloves, bubble gum, and other various spices. I took a few good, long whiffs of this thing before starting to drink it. If only every beer smelled this great.
The taste did not disappoint either, as the malts make their way through at the same time leaving way for a sweet, cirtus-y taste. Super complex and super delicious. The spices start to become more prominent as the brew warms and allows for a rich finish and aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is excellent, very typical of the dunkel style but without all the carbonation that comes from the nitrogen commonly found in other hefe-weisse brews. It's quite smooth indeed, superbly palatable.
I found this beer to be quite drinkable and was confused as to how I drank the 16.9 oz bottle so quickly. At only 5.0% ABV, this could certainly be a new session beer (and it's on tap at the Bulldog in uptown New Orleans) and I don't think just drinking one of these does it justice. Highly recommended.
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4.83/5 rDev +27.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Poured on-tap into weizen glass...direct from the source in Germany!
A: Cloudy dark tan with hints of yellow around the edge. Thick, foamy head forms and lasts.
S: Malt, banana, clove, and other spices.
T: Superb and fresh flavors. Nice malt backbone that doesn't overpower. Equal parts banana, clove, and yeasty malt. Tremendous on-tap (not the same in the bottle unfortunately).
M: Wonderfully smooth and coats the tongue. Medium body...almost chewy. Taste lingers nicely.
D: Oh so drinkable. One weizen glass is not enough! My favorite dunkelweizen that I had in Germany.
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look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Poured on-tap into weizen glass...direct from the source in Germany!
A: Cloudy dark tan with hints of yellow around the edge. Thick, foamy head forms and lasts.
S: Malt, banana, clove, and other spices.
T: Superb and fresh flavors. Nice malt backbone that doesn't overpower. Equal parts banana, clove, and yeasty malt. Tremendous on-tap (not the same in the bottle unfortunately).
M: Wonderfully smooth and coats the tongue. Medium body...almost chewy. Taste lingers nicely.
D: Oh so drinkable. One weizen glass is not enough! My favorite dunkelweizen that I had in Germany.
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4.43/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Poured 1PT 9FL. OZ bottle into a hefeweizen glass. This was my first dunkel weisse and I was blown away. The appearance was a dark amber with a foamy/thick 1.5 inch head. It contained floral and clovey scents layered by the usual banana, wheat, and hoppy smells of a typical wheat beer. However, I felt the sweetness of this hefe was quite unique and would have to say that this beer ranks among my favorite wheat beers.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Poured 1PT 9FL. OZ bottle into a hefeweizen glass. This was my first dunkel weisse and I was blown away. The appearance was a dark amber with a foamy/thick 1.5 inch head. It contained floral and clovey scents layered by the usual banana, wheat, and hoppy smells of a typical wheat beer. However, I felt the sweetness of this hefe was quite unique and would have to say that this beer ranks among my favorite wheat beers.
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4.42/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
One of very few dunkels I have consumed
Pours a very good looking cloudy prune brown with nice fluffy white head. Smell reeks of Banana and clove. Banana and bubble gum abound in the taste and with clovey sweetness. mouthfeel is good and nicely carbonated. Taste improves as it warms. Drinkability is pretty stellar on this one. I like it. Defenitely a good wheat session choice.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
One of very few dunkels I have consumed
Pours a very good looking cloudy prune brown with nice fluffy white head. Smell reeks of Banana and clove. Banana and bubble gum abound in the taste and with clovey sweetness. mouthfeel is good and nicely carbonated. Taste improves as it warms. Drinkability is pretty stellar on this one. I like it. Defenitely a good wheat session choice.
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3.76/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Good hearty earthy brown color. Frothy head dissipates quickly. Traditional German style half liter bottle with a foil over the cap.
Smell: Stronger yet not over powering banana smell with a slight hint of vanilla. An undertone of hops to the end.
Taste: Slightly clovy with a hearty bananas flavoring. Nothing too strong and all balanced with a bit of cloves. Hinting just slightly at the hops.
Mouthfeel: Full flavor without and overbearing back bone of good rolling richness. I nice blend of after taste and yet does not remain to interfere with the next gulp.
Drinkability: A good and decent beer. Nice example of a decent dunkle weis beir. An enjoyable drink with a good character yet not so much to dominate.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Good hearty earthy brown color. Frothy head dissipates quickly. Traditional German style half liter bottle with a foil over the cap.
Smell: Stronger yet not over powering banana smell with a slight hint of vanilla. An undertone of hops to the end.
Taste: Slightly clovy with a hearty bananas flavoring. Nothing too strong and all balanced with a bit of cloves. Hinting just slightly at the hops.
Mouthfeel: Full flavor without and overbearing back bone of good rolling richness. I nice blend of after taste and yet does not remain to interfere with the next gulp.
Drinkability: A good and decent beer. Nice example of a decent dunkle weis beir. An enjoyable drink with a good character yet not so much to dominate.
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3.73/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a murky brownwith biscuit large colored head. Very malty aroma, mainly a roasted nutty scent. Medium body and smooth going down. Strong flavor of malt - very complex, with banana, wheat some citrus and spices. A good brew but not an everyday drinker.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured a murky brownwith biscuit large colored head. Very malty aroma, mainly a roasted nutty scent. Medium body and smooth going down. Strong flavor of malt - very complex, with banana, wheat some citrus and spices. A good brew but not an everyday drinker.
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3.65/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
pours a dark hazy brown with a one-finger head that does not hang around too long. It smelled very sweet, with huge tones of banana. It tasted sweet, with banana hanging around the end and with down creamy and soft. It was a little more bland than I was expecting, however this isn't supposed to be overpowering in taste. I prefer their hefe wiess over this, however it was still good. Even better when sitting out back playing horse shoes.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
pours a dark hazy brown with a one-finger head that does not hang around too long. It smelled very sweet, with huge tones of banana. It tasted sweet, with banana hanging around the end and with down creamy and soft. It was a little more bland than I was expecting, however this isn't supposed to be overpowering in taste. I prefer their hefe wiess over this, however it was still good. Even better when sitting out back playing horse shoes.
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Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel from Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
3.8
out of 5
based on 1,679 ratings.
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
A solid dunkelweizen. Poured rubyish brown, with a thick foamy head. Chunks floatin' around. Aromas , of course, of cloves, bananas, spice, sugary malt sweetness. The flavor was a bit muted, but still quite nice. Banana bread is in there. Awesome mouhfeel. Quaffable and zesty, smooth and lush. A great drinker. I could drink this everyday.
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