Tall Tale Organic Wheat Ale
Nelson Brewing Company

 

Poured from a 650ml bottle. Pours a hazy pale yellow colour. This beer smells amazing. It says it's a "wheat ale" on the label, but it's a traditional still hefeweizen. There are pleasant aromas of banana, citrus and spice. Taste offers up tart apple, banana and a hint of spice. It's nice and dry and refreshing. Very carbonated, light bodied and easy to drink in hot weather.

 

 

Appearance- Pours a cloudy straw with two fingers of foamy white head.

Smell- banana, clove, yeast, spiciness. Pretty solid aromas for the style.

Taste- Similar flavours as noted in the aroma above. Lovely balance of banana, clove, spices, yeast and wheat.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Nice tingle from the carbonation.

Overall- A nice crisp and refreshing hefe by Nelson. They nailed all the key flavours for the style. Very sessionable for the summer season.

650ml bomber. Another entry in Nelson's Organic series, this time with a stark high-wire circus-esque theme.

This beer pours a hazy, cloudy, pale golden yellow hue, with lots of rising effervescence, and two fingers of tightly foamy, cushioned white head, which leaves a few swaths of randomly spectral lace around the glass as it genially wafts off.

It smells of decent sweet banana, laid-back yeast, and flattened citrus esters, pale doughy malt, a hint of clove/coriander spice, a mild vanilla pod earthiness, and a faint leafiness. The taste is pleasantly rounded bready, doughy, somewhat wheaty malt, banana pudding, zesty clove, sedated yeast, diluted vanilla, a softened lemon citrus twinge, and subtle earthy, leafy hops.

The bubbles are pretty restrained and unassuming, the body a solid enough medium weight for the style, and generally quite smooth, with an even nod towards an introductory creaminess. It finishes off-dry, the sturdy pastry malt, and various fruity friends faring well, as the spice and hops fade to a suitable fallback position.

I gotta say upfront (sort of), that this brewery's big bottle offerings of late have been less than enthralling. However, they've kicked it up a notch or two here, with a rather palatable imitation of the greats - well-rounded, fruity, spicy, and quite easy to drink. Kudos, it's always nice to see the beginning of a (hopefully) new stride.

Hazy, light straw with a nice white head, good retention & lace.

Initial aroma of sulfur gives way to cloves, vanilla and a hint of lemon zest.

Flavours of wheaty biscuits, lemon zest, vanilla and clove.

Light to moderate mouthfeel is very smooth with a light acidity providing a crisp finish.

Personally, I like a banana bomb, but this is still a really nice hefe. It's great to have another fresh, local option!