Isabella
Good Word Brewing & Public House

Appearance: Dispensed a hazed, pale, yellow-orange body with a creamyish, lasting, white head.

Smell: Wheat malt, a bit of graininess. Light lemon. Banana, but not particularly much. Spicy phenolics, though not particularly much of that, either.

Taste: Wheat malt, again showing some graininess. Lightly sweet. Lemony citrus. A nice albeit light bitterness, some soft florals. Mild spiciness. Medium degree of banana esters.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Rather crisp, easily drinkable. Given the subdued phenols and esters it is a restrained hefe.

Isabella is crystal clear and pale gold (SRM 2-3). Three inches of loose, white head gradually recedes while a massive swarm of chaos reigns from within. The last couple of ounces pour in the yeast and turns the Pretentious Glass Company mustachioed Weizen glass cloudy.

As expected, there is clover and banana, though it is modest in comparison to the strong, musty yeast and straw. The overall impression is somewhat dusty.

The banana is also faint in the flavor, with clover being even more difficult to discover. There is a modest wheat flavor. The sweetness is mild and there is only a hint of bitterness. The finish is also mild, passing quickly, and leaving a faint trace of its former self.

This one has a light body and explosive carbonation. Alcohol is light, but about as expected. The texture is smooth and hard.

An easy-drinking, decent Hefeweizen. While there is no can date, and the beer is good, it also clearly has some age. I am enjoying it while the wind howls outside.

Appearance: Pale gold, cloudy. Frothy white head with good retention.

Aroma: Clove and fruity esters, banana.

Flavor: Follow aroma. Spicy and herbal with clove and banana notes. Bready malt. Low bitterness. Very light, hardly noticeable tartness.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, creamy. Low astringency. Moderate length, soft finish with a slight trailing bitterness.

Overall: I drink a lot of Hefeweizens, mostly German imports. This one is very well executed. Hard to tell this one from imported versions in a blind tasting. It pours to a cloudy pale gold color with a thick frothy white head that sticks around. Aromas are traditional clove and banana. You might note a slight sweet fruit note that does not present itself as a flaw. Flavors are spicy/herbal hops on a bready malt backbone. Very slight tartness. Low to moderate bitterness. Mouthfeel is very traditional medium bodied, soft and creamy. A spritzy, effervescent carbonation punctuates the medium length finish followed by a low trailing bitterness that does not build. Probably the best Hefe made in Georgia. Excellent!

Anyone say juicy fruit?