Newport Storm Summer Hefeweizen
Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co.

 

 

 

Looked promising in the glass. Hazy yellow to gold, with a decent foam head. Spicy hops in the nose and in first sip. Flavor was typical, characteristic of a hefeweizen, but not too complex. Frankly, that's probably what they were going for here. Very drinkable, if a bit one-dimensional. I enjoyed it with a turkey burger. Paired well with food.

 

 

 

A: Frothy, and firm chalk white head is 0.5 inches high, and very sturdy. Lightly tarnished orange coloring shows a bit of haziness and rapid ascent of macro-bubbles. Nice land band finishes out.

S: Perfumy scent of lemony tones, pleasantly soft and fresh is backed against a soft wheat backing and fresh grains. Neutral yeastiness.

T: Flavor is bright oranges with some zesty citrus peel that really pops against a fresh wheat and grain base. Spicy hops provide a crisp bite of hop bitterness per style.

M: Crisp mouthful, light to medium body, light creamy wheat texture.

O: A nice level of zesty citrusy orange hop bite provides an almost hoppy wheat like feel, the yeastiness is kept reserved, and provides for a good summer time quencher with a crisp feel. Nice drink-ability factor, with a bold, crisp nature per style that is sure to refresh.

 

Either trade throw-in or one-off buy at bottle shop. I can't remember. Best by date says October and I hope that means 2017. Poured into ale glass. Beer is a slightly hazy copper with lots of white foamy lacing and a cap and ring. Faint smell of citrus and yeast. That's about as good as it gets. Taste is very light orange and grapefruit with a fair amount of wheat and a slightly bitter finish, but quite watery. Light bodied, moderate to strong carbonation. Refreshing because of the water, but not quite as crisp as one would like. There are many better options out there.

 

 

 

Almost soda, but with grapefruit up front and then vanilla in the finish. There's a mild wheat character running through it, but I probably wouldn't guess this is a hefe in a blind tasting. No thanks.

Newport Storm "Summer Hefeweizen"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, notched best before OCT/NOV and sampled on 3 AUG 2016
$2 @ Wegmans, Collegeville, PA

Appearance: Typical. Head retention and lacing could be better given the style.

Aroma: Yeast. Clove. Phenolic... medicinal. Malt/wheat. Orange-like citrus. Citrus pith.

Flavor: As the aroma suggests. The phenol is a touch distracting. Clove-like, spicy, grassy, and a touch chalky as well (is that the yeast itself?). My guess would be that this yeast comes from Weihenstephaner. On the dry side with a lingering bitter and chalky phenolic finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light in body with a standard to slightly above standard carbonation level.

Overall: A little harsh across the board, but particularly in the finish.

 

Pours a nice darkish goldish orange colour with a semi-thick foam head which settles moderate in time.

Smells of hops and citrus notes.

Like the smell indicates, it has a mildy bitter hoppy taste with a note of citrus, orange fruit.

Moderate carbonation makes it bubbly but also smooth. Pretty good for these hot summer days.

 

 

Pours an opaque deep gold producing nearly 2 fingers of foamy, white, lasting head that leaves a little spidery lacing. Aroma is thin for the style: wheat & dough with a clove note & hints of orange, banana, floral hops & faint coriander. Taste is wheat & dough as in the nose but with weaker hints of banana, clove (much less than expected) & orange which become more prominent in the finish. Coriander & floral hop hints more prominent than in the nose (also arising in the finish) but hardly enough to mention. Not especially fruity but more so from mid-sip into the aftertaste. The aftertaste is a thin mirror image of the finish & rapidly dissipates. Mouthfeel is light bodied with moderate carbonation, crisp, prickly with pepper, becoming progressively dry from mid-sip.