Streitberg Hard Wheat
Oettinger Brauerei GmbH

 

Came across this interesting (and inexpensive) beer at the local Aldi. I’ll try any craft beer at least one, so . . .why not?
Yellow can to a tulip glass, copious off-white foam and effervescence. Mustardy, amber color. Smells of classic wheaty, estery notes of banana, bubble gum, cloves and citrus. Taste is sweet biscuit, light malts, some citrus twang mid note, some clove, banana, zest and some residual sweetness, banana and malty biscuit. Hops are pretty subdued – a muted counterpoint to the sweetness.
Mouthfeel, medium bodied – in large part due to copious carbonation. Good astringency and pleasant residual sweetness. ABV is well hidden, easily quaffable. Excellent beer and at an incredibly reasonable price. Pretty solid – I’ll go back and buy a case to have handy for post COVID soiree.

Pours a cloudy, deep amber coloration with a large foamy head. Smells of doughy, slightly bready malt, some citrus hops and distinct estery yeast notes of banana and clove. Taste follows the nose, with a good balance of doughy malt, citrus hops and fruity/spicy estery yeast, with notes of lemongrass, banana, clove and a hint of black pepper. Finishes with a light bitterness and some citrus, banana and clove lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a light/medium body and carbonation.

This actually makes for a pretty decent hoppy Weizenbock with a good balance of doughy malts, citrus hops and estery/spicy yeast, with no obvious flaws, except perhaps for a slightly thin body and mouthfeel. The problem with discounter wheat beers like this is that, as opposed to IPAs and Stouts, there are plenty of better options available at the same price, so there is little reason to buy them apart from better access really, While this is good, I'd much rather have a Schneider Hopfenweisse, which really isn't that much more expensive, but admittedly harder to find for me.