Egerer 1788 Super Weizen
Privatbrauerei H. Egerer

Cans of this stuff started showing up at my local, and it’s Weizen, a Weizen in a 500ml can – which I think is unusual for a German brewer (they are sticklers for… well everything, and Hefeweizen’s have always been bottled AFAIA). The can is also a striking sky blue – bit of a nod to the Bavarian flag there – it certainly stands out whilst looking a bit horrifically-garish for German tastes. So here we are Super Egerer, look we know that you’re not going to be a Weihenstephaner or a Schneider-Weisse, but at @ $16 a 4-pack we’re not expecting much, and who knows this little [big] blue can might actually contain a half-decent Hefeweizen… let’s not hold our breath [lest we asphyxiate].

Poured from a 500ml can into a Weihenstephaner Weizen glass… feels a bit naughty using the Weihenstephaner branded glass without drinking their Hefe, oh well.

A: Clear golden body and a luscious white 2 inch head-that-wont-quit (though now I have to wait for it to go down, hurry up!). Leaves a bit o’ lace inside the glass. 7/10.

S: Stewed ripe banana funk, hint of clove spice, and a slight burnt caramel tone. A touch of alcohol in the aroma too, not much, but enough to make one remember why Weihenstephan and Schneider-Weisse are so highly renowned – it takes talent to brew a 5.2% ABV Weizen and cover up the alcohol, it’s not exactly a flavour packed style like an IPA or RIS so you’ve got to account for the ABV. 7/10.

T: Clean profile: upfront stewed banana, hint of clove, burnt caramel tone, finishes with long dry, mild herbal hop bitterness in the aftertaste. Problem is that alcohol note does come through and it needs a bit more of those banana/clove/caramel flavours to cover it. Not the best flavour profile for a Hefeweizen, bit too clean and dry, needs a bit more density – comes across as a bit of a Hefe/Lager-hybrid. 6/10.

M: Mouthfeel is lacking too compared to other German Hefeweizen’s out there: medium-bodied yet watery, with a thin almost flat carbonation – where’s that classic Weizen creaminess? 5/10.

D: Yes it’s no Weihenstephaner/Schneider-Weisse replacement – we knew that was going to be the case, but let’s do the math [I hate math!]: $8 per 1 Litre versus $14 per/L (Weihenstephaner) and $16 per/L (Schneider-Weisse Tap 7) – in the case of Schneider-Weisse it’s double the cost of Egerer! Is it double the goodness? In the case of my scores: no. So buy Egerer, it’s quantitatively cheap. 6/10.

Food match: Still could down a pork knuckle with this, QED: Pork knuckles go with everything/anything.