Strawberry Basil Hefeweizen
Forbidden Root - Chicago

Strawberry Basil HefeweizenStrawberry Basil Hefeweizen
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From:
Forbidden Root - Chicago
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Hefeweizen
Ranked #143
ABV:
5%
Score:
85
Ranked #20,251
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 10.08%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
39
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 26, 2023
Added:
Sep 11, 2016
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  3
Strawberry is among the world’s most popular flavors, combining a simple joyful fruitiness with a wild, primal animal nature. To this wheat beer we add strawberries and the cooling flavors of basil, then push it further into the fruity and spicy realm with a classic hefeweizen yeast strain. The result is creamy, fruity and thoughtfully quenching, always leaving you wanting just a little more.

Food Pairing Suggestions: We like it with fresh mozzarella under the shade of our favorite tree, but suitable for a wide range of lighter foods like fish, lighter chicken and vegetarian dishes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DbbC:
Photo of DbbC
Rated by DbbC from Illinois

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aug 21, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

3.52/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
(5 oz pour at the brewery last week)

This is not a textbook hefeweizen, having little color, aroma, or flavor comparable it to a German wheat beer... Hazy cloudy and the color of strawberry puree (apparently color-enhanced by hibiscus) thinned out by beer... I would have to agree the basil element is all but lost here, perhaps only providing a cool, menthol accent to this fruit-dominant brew; banana and phenol character from the yeast might come into play here, but they're relatively buried beneath/behind the fruit smoothie... this is actually mad tasty and stood out well above the rest of the 7-8 or so 5 oz pours I sampled on this day... a fruit and field beer par excellence (2196)
Aug 26, 2023
Photo of Jmsandberg17
Reviewed by Jmsandberg17 from Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
16oz can pours a rich, cloudy pinkish orange salmon color with a disappointingly small amount of white head that quickly fades away. Smells mostly of fresh and tart strawberries, with only a little malt note. The flavor is somewhat sweet, with rich but not overpowering strawberry flavor as the main note. A decent bit of yeast and malt follow the strawberry, but I taste little to no basil at all. Medium body with medium carbonation feel. The yeast and malt kind of sit on your tongue and bring you back for more. No bitterness.

Fruity but not overdone. Could stand to be a little more light and refreshing and have more basil to it, but it's also great as it is now. Good summer beer that is a little heavier on the mouthfeel and the flavor.
Jun 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.64 by lsudduth from Ohio

Feb 04, 2023
Photo of schoolboy
Reviewed by schoolboy from Ohio

3.94/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Ok, I went for the weird fruity brew on the menu at 101 Beer Kitchen today. It lived up to my expectations.

It came a dirty pink with nice head. The aroma was yummy fruity smells mostly with a bit of yeasty wheat beer smell but all a bit subdued. The taste was moderately fruity with strong enough wheat beer undertones that less adventurous beer drinkers were less happy with it than I was. It sits up will to the shrimp and grits I had for an entre.

Recommended. It's fruity but still a serious wheat beer.
Jun 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.39 by Psquared93 from Illinois

Feb 09, 2022
Photo of Pivopijak
Reviewed by Pivopijak from Washington

3.32/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
draught
Milky, rose/pink look. Rather sour and raw Italian sausage aroma. Funky, medium tart rhubarb and light weizen flavor. Finish. has a bit of a strawberry note to it. Eh?
Nov 13, 2021
Photo of Jule17
Rated by Jule17 from Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
FUNKY
Sep 05, 2021
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.44/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Served from the can in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Just picturing Mr. Fawlty dressed like Gerald from that episode of Hey Arnold. Fun times. Anyway, this stuff pours a hazy ruby red grapefruit topped by a finger of dirty white foam. The nose comprises mild strawberry (I know it says wild on the tin, but I can only communicate what my nose tells me, 'kay?) and a vague collaboration of herbs and spices. Think a strange corner of the kitchen holding both fruit and the spice rack, but you've got a cold. The taste also leads with the strawberry, only mildly tart, and then you get a small rush of the basil before things settle into a soup of these two and some mild, wet cracked wheat. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, I had my trepidations about this beer, considering my history with uniquely spiced and fruited beers, but this wasn't bad. It wasn't quite my thing, per se, but it's fine, not at all objectionable.
Jul 01, 2021
 
Rated: 3.88 by bschmidt_37 from Illinois

Jun 19, 2021
Photo of TommyG22
Reviewed by TommyG22 from Wisconsin

3.42/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Can taste the strawberry and then the basil. The basil gives it a different taste. I will need to give this one a second chance on a day where it is the first.
Apr 09, 2021
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

3.66/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Drank this pretty old didn't see the over 6 month until I tasted it. Not offensive but the wheat body kind of faded into the small sediment chunks in my glass leaving a watery strawberry filled experience that has just a mild grassy hit of what I assume is Basil. Really sad considering the latest reviews are pretty decent. Try it fresh if you can!
Mar 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by rare_bird from Michigan

Sep 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.89 by Gregf51 from Ohio

Aug 15, 2020
 
Rated: 3.69 by prototypic from Ohio

Feb 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by Beerhemoth from Illinois

Oct 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.16 by npachl from Wisconsin

Aug 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.25 by LennyBound from Illinois

Aug 24, 2018
 
Rated: 3.73 by robotic_being from Illinois

Aug 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by jschott75 from Illinois

Jun 12, 2018
Strawberry Basil Hefeweizen from Forbidden Root - Chicago
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 39 ratings