Hefeweizen
Otto's Pub and Brewery

 

 

 

A- pale straw gold color with a 3 finger head and mountainous head and spiderweb lacing.

S- banana and grain.

F- banana dominates with a yeasty sour back end.

M- sour and heavy bodied hefe that struggles a bit on the way down

O- not bad but i have way better hefe;s. it was a nice effort but not buying another.

The appearance on the Otto’s Hefe is a great example of what the style should be. It pours a cloudy orange almost the color of a marigold. They managed to catch that same orange color for the bottle label as well. I got a very minimal head, but I did see some yeast sneak into my glass toward the end of the pour.

The smell on the Hefe is very inviting with aromas of sweet citrus fruits with a touch of spices. I pick up the scent of cloves and I’m guessing there may have been some grains of paradise in this beer. I used grains of paradise in a homebrew last summer which was the last time I came across this similar smell.

The Otto’s Hefe doesn’t disappoint in flavor. I pick up a distinct banana flavor from their yeast strain with just a hint of spice. I like that the spice isn’t as overpowering as some other contemporaries make their hefeweizens. It isn’t overly sweet either. It simply remains a refreshing beer that I could picture myself drinking on a hot day. I really like how the banana flavor really amps up after you swallow and punches at your tastebuds at the back of the tongue.

The mouthfeel on this is nice as the beer dances across your tongue. Although the suspended yeast does a great job of hiding that carbonation that I didn’t see in the visual inspection, it is definitely there as I take drink after drink. This beer has met my expectations of what a traditional hefe should be.

Overall I’m giving the Otto’s Hefe a 3.5 out of 5. The reason I gave it that is because I pictured this scenario in my mind. If I went to a bar and all they had on were hefes would I want this beer over another that I had in the past? Although I liked it and am always glad to try new beers, would I hunt this down to have it again? Maybe. My suggestion is that you pick up a bottle of this and try it for yourself.

 

 

 

 

Had on-tap at Otto's brewery in State College, PA - served in a pint glass.

L: This one pours a cloudy amber with generous white head.

S: Slightly fruity and sweet with the aroma of bananas and yeast.

T/F: A mild Hefeweizen, fruity and refreshing with banana and citrus notes dominating. Faint vanilla on the back end, and bready with wheat as expected. Moderate carbonation.

O: A nice sessionable Hefeweizen and a solid example of the style with a nice mild flavor. Great for a warm summer day. Light, and a beer that non-beer drinkers can get into.

 

DATE REVIEWED: August 21, 2014... GLASSWARE: Weihenstaphaner weizen... OCCASION: catching up on some DVRs...APPEARANCE: dark copper body; very little effervescence; snow white head settles quickly to a sudsy, thin consistency; no lacing... AROMA: warm banana and aromatic bubblegum, with a hoppy citrus dimension; secondary scents like pepper and vanilla can be detected ... PALATE: intriguing balance of soft and strong--smooth mouthfeel but slightly heavier at the throat--revealing an ale character... TASTE: rather nondescript flavor, with lemon hints late and bubblegum, mint and grass--some malty sweetness too...OVERALL: bought as a bomber from the brewery itself, this brew compliments the humid August night well; an easy-drinking, tasty beer that I will seek out when returning to State College next summer....

 

 

Pours a hazed light orangeish brown color with a white head and lace. The aroma has a bit of banana, lemony citrus, wheat and Bavarian yeast.

The taste has banana and citrus notes, clean yeasty flavor like a fruit smoothie. Faint but growing coriander and clove flavors. Light bready notes and a small bitterness round off the finish.

Medium bodied, accessible hefeweizen. Has a good level of strong carbonation and is a well balanced brew. I would have this again some time, but not in elite class.