Hefe Weizen
Dillon Dam Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of the seasonals (along with the Raspberry Ale) that was on tap at the brewpub in Dillon when I made a visit at the end of October 2006.

In general, I'm a big fan of Dillon Dam's beers, especially their seasonals, which are usually full-bodied and true-to-style. Ordering their hefe-weizen, I knew that I wouldn't get an American pale wheat brew masquerading as something more flavorful and Continental. (Plus, at the Dam, they've already got Wilderness Wheat on tap).

And sure enough, this is a (mostly) true to style hefe, with a wonderful bouquet and a sweet, though not cloying flavor that is quenching and really easy to drink. I enjoyed the citrus hints in the middle of the palate and also took note of the strong clove presence in the bouquet.

Two points of contention though--this beer is surprisingly transluscent, almost more of a kristal weizen than a hefe, so I'll dock it points there. More annoyingly, I wish that this beer had had a little heavier mouthfeel to it. After two pints, the light sweetness of the beer had gotten to me a bit, and I found myself wishing for something more substantial in its overall feel to match the delicious and powerful sweetness of the brew.

If the folks at the Dam tweak this a bit, they could have a real prize on their hands. And even until then it's still a solid brew worth a look.

Sampled in a pint glass at the brewery over this weekend. Every brewpub we visited in CO had a hefe on tap. Surprisingly, this was the best of the group that we tasted. We had both the wheats at the Dam, but this one was head and shoulders above Wilderness wheat.

Poured a thick looking hazy yellow with fluffy head. Nice retention and lacing. Aromas of the expected phenols and some wheat. Chewy mouthfeel was flavored with just the right amount of banana and clove. Came off as being very sweet and tasty. Lighter mouthfeel than expected, but this made it quite drinkable. Hard to call it a thirst quencher, I don't think the weather broke 80 degrees in August up here.

This one was a nice thirst quencher. It poured a very clear yellow with a nice lace with good retention. It has a really nice citrus falvor probably from the yeast that gives this beer a unique edge. I noticed in the taste hints of citrus, cloves, spices, and maybe banana? This was an enjoyable beer that was very drinkable. Give it a shot.