Hefeweizen
Port City Brewing

Hazy but not opaque yellow, thick, mousse-like white head, outstanding retention, thick bands of lace. In other words, what a hefe should look like.
Slightly underripe banana, a hint of apricot, slight clove, cream of wheat underneath
Tastes like it smells, slightly tart
Light bodied but fluffy, could use more carbonation, but I don't think a standard 12oz bottle would hold that
Really good hefe

Pours a hazy blonde color with a generous head and lacing
Aroma has clove, banana and spice hints
The taste follows the nose with a clove, banana and spice flavor
A medium bodied well carbonated beer
A well done Hefeweizen

 

From a bottle. Pour has a fluffy white head with a hazy pale golden straw color. Scent is very much a Hefeweizen: a bit of yeast/wheat on the nose, some spice (clove), and a nice dose of banana. Taste has the the banana and clove fighting up front, followed by a yeastiness, then hints of the spice winning out. Feel is on the lighter side but with a smooth feel that makes it punch up a bit. Aftertaste is delightful, bringing just enough of the various flavors with a touch of bitterness at the end. Definitely one to pick up and try if you can!

Can dated 9/8:
The pour has a matte golden body, turning yellow bruised banana with a swirl and dump as the can suggests. A healthy white top hat of a head sits above. There was a nice haze, but you can still see things through the body sitting in a thin hefe glass, especially at the thinner bottom. The head is creamy, but lacing is only fair.

Before I get to trying to describe the nose, it gives up a little bit of the wheat and banana one might expect. Upong further inspection, there is a pretty nice mix of grain and banana in the nose, with the fruit taking the lead. There is also a moderate amount of spice - clove and maybe some coriander. There's also a little bit of a crusty bread, wheat husk, and a hint of Noble hops.

A medium-light body comes with a lovely, creamy feel. The carbonation is muted, but it's far from flat and there's a little bitter bite with a hint of spice that adds some texture. The wheat and bread play more in the flavors than the aroma. The banana is there, but it is just playing along, and there's maybe a few specks of lemon zest. The grassy to spicy bitterness is interesting and quite nice - clove is pretty pronounced.

This beer is a bit more bitter than many craft versions I've had. There's a modest sweetness up front, but by mid-taste it's been balanced out with a grain husk kinda countering bitterness. The grass is taking hold about this point and the spice sticks a toe in the ground shortly after. By the end, the late and lingering notes are actually somewhat bitter.

There are a lot of hefeweizen boxes checked by this beer - but its spice and relative to expectations above average bitterness increased my enjoyment.