Coruja Alba Weizen
Cerveja Coruja

Pours a light fizzy smaller head, lower retention, fair lacing, very hazy bright golden yellow color

Nose lots of bready doughy wheat, wheat grist, some vanilla cake, little honey, I think I get a touch of chlorinated water, light citrus and fruity esters, big banana

Taste brings more doughy wheat, bready dough, vanilla cake batter again and a little honey cake, citrus and fruity esters with more banana as well, and a little vanilla icing on orange cake, touch of bitterness and spicy hop notes, getting a touch spicy later, dry slight gritty finish

Mouth is med to lighter bod, soft doughy wheat creamy feel, typical of a good hefe, medium-higher foamy carb

Overall a pretty solid hefe, not great but for a brewery in Brazil where it;s hard to get good ingredients and pander to the macro skunky light lager population this is nice

 

Bright golden color with a thick head with eternal retention and strong apparent carbonation.
Aroma with initial intense banana, cloves and some cinnamon.
Flavor of both wheat and barley malts, noble hops, yeast, relatively mild banana, spices and citrus notes. Dry aftertaste with a mild but perceivable bitterness from its 18 IBUs.
Light to medium body with good carbonation.
Nice to see a local Weizen with its own personality and great balance. This is refreshing and definitely less cloying than average Hefes given a better balance between barley and wheat malts, less yeasty and hoppier.

 

 

 

 

 

Not only did I just taste another Coruja beer, but I also was lucky enough to drink it in the company of one of the brewer's of Coruja, who was present during much of my time at Empório São Patrício. Coming from a 600 ml bottle, on to the beer:

Cloudy blonde with a good fluffy head and a good show of lacing around the glass. It has a soft nose, more of a blend of malted wheat sweetness and a dash of clove, not much in the fruit department....that will have to wait during the taste category.

Soft, ripened bananas, assorted baking spices (especially clove), and a trail of malted wheat make the profile for this hefeweizen. I would say it's right on target for the Bavarian style. Close to medium bodied, plus a spark of carbonation.

It's good to have a quality alternative in the stable, and Alba Weizen is just that for Coruja. The brewer received a few complimets after I gladly finished my portion of the bottle.