Hefe Weizen
McKenzie Brew House

 

 

A: Hazy, very pale yellow with a large fluffy white head and very nice lacing.

S: Tropical fruit, banana, orange, and a hint of spice.

T: Alot of tropical flavors and banana, with just a hint of spice and clove. A lot fruitier than most Hefes but definately more German than American.

M: Creamy and refreshing with a nice lingering finish at the end.

D: This is a super easy drinking beer. It would make a great starter for someone making the transition from American and Belgian wheats to the German style.

Oh yeah. A hefe to write Dad about. This is a Hefe in the real German tradition. It pours that hazy wheat color with the huge head and the eternal lacing. The aroma is pure wheat with the citrus overtones and the hit of alcohol as the undertone. This is one terrific tasting beer with the real wheatiness missing in many US brewer's attempts at the style. The true test to me is if I can get that bitter citrus taste after swallowing. You can with this one. It is very crisp in the mouth and is definitely drinkable but the search for the perfect Hefe goes on.

When presented to me in the proper glass it was visually a slightly cloudy lemony yellow color that was decently carbonated. The head that sat on top was thick and pillow pillow like and pure white in color. The foam lasted quite some time to mid glass until it fell to a slight skim on the surface. The aromas that came from the glass were light and clean, I nosed banana esters, wheat grains, light to medium spices (clove) and a slight yeasty finish. The flavors that rolled over my tongue were very refreshing, I tasted light bananas, wheat, light cloves, slight malts and finished with a light wisp of yeast on the back . The aftertaste was light and refreshing and light banana/wheat. It was light in body. Over all impression of this beer was that it was crisp, clean, creamy and refreshing all in a glass. I remarked that this beer would be perfect for a hot summer day. It embodied all the things that I am looking for when I am thirsty and it is hot. I enjoyed this beer from the first sip to the last drop.

Starts at 12 Plato/ 1.048 specific gravity and finishes with 5.25% alcohol by volume. A yellowish-orange body is topped by a foamy bright-white head. The effervesence is high and the bubbble are tiny, forming a tight foamy head. It's certainly not as carbonated as most Bavarian versions; but keep in mind that it has to be able to pour at the pub as well! The mouthfeel starts a little bit zesty, but softens and becomes somewhat creamy as it warms across the palate. The yeast character is more restrained than it is in many Bavarian weizens, in terms of both flavor and aroma. The nose expresses some sharp fruitiness, with less banana than many hefe's; and the clove character is limited. The sweetness of the flavor is restrained in comparison; but again, the banana and clove are limited. A sublime weizen. Quite refreshing. Well worth trying.