Weihenstephan Cans!!!

Helles: 01.13.2022
Hefeweissbier: 11.20.2021

 

The lighter thinner body seems to be a consistent observation, feel like I’ve read it in most reviews. I’m looking forward to see how it is this weekend as I too finally picked up a four pack this week.

 

A NBW post?

Cheers!

 

Yes sir, of course! I'm curious to see if I also perceive it as lighter bodied.

 

so long as I come across a not super old original consider it done If I get to it I’ll tag you.

 

I promise I'm not you, but I can't promise that I don't suck at comparing beer - 1 out of 2 ain't that bad. I had both beers a while back but one thing I know I suck at is taking the time to compose a post. I'll have to force myself.

 

Considering it looks like the usual Weihenstephaner beers are dwindling around me (based on recent trips to my usual go-to retailer), I have to wonder if I'll ever see the new one.

 

@jonphisher - you can decide if you want to skip this post until after you have had your beers.




Over the last month or so, I did multiple blind side-by-sides with both of the canned Weihenstephaner beers. I did 2 with the Weissbier (plus a quick/sloppy one) and 3 with the Helles (plus a quick/sloppy one). Some tastings were done with just two beers and some had additional beers added to the mix. I tend to do stuff like this multiple times and in different configurations because I'm more interested in seeing trends than snapshots.

A word on head: I've done side by sides with the same beer in a can vs bottle before, but lately I've given greater focus to head in this context. @herrburgess once questioned if you can get the same "proper" Weissbier pour from a can vs a bottle. In hindsight, I think his question was a very good one. Note the head difference in the top pic. I think this was a case of the beer being more agitated from pouring from a can... and the beer from the bottle having more CO2 in suspension after the pour. Dumping the beer from these glasses aggressively into second glasses gave the bottled beer a big head. This wasn't limited to the Weissbier. The canned Helles poured with a bigger head than the Original Premium unless I poured the canned beer gently.

I was curious about the canned Weissbier with regard to bottle conditioning. I would hope that Weihenstephaner would not put out this Weissbier without can conditioning... but it's not like I saw them state they were doing this. I decided to include their Kristall Weissbier in one of the Weissbier tastings (using opaque cups).

A note on beer age: Assuming that both canned beers use 1 year for their best by date (which is a guess), then here were the packaging dates. I got them as close to each other as I could. Having some Weissbier packaged only 1 day apart was nice.

canned Weissbier - 11/19
bottled Weissbier - 11/18 & 12/16
Kristall Weissbier - 9/1
canned Helles - 11/19
Original Premium - 12/17 (I think I had older ones in some of the tastings as well, but I forgot to note them)

First let's talk about the Weissbier. This was a surprise. I really expected the Kristall to stand out... and I was very surprised by how it did not in this instance. I actually could not distinguish it from the normal Hefe. One very important thing to note - due to my personal drinking preferences, I kept the yeast in the bottle/can when I poured these beers. If I poured the full contents of the bottle/can into the glass, I would assume that the Kristal would stand out much more. So keeping that in mind, the canned beer was the odd one of the group in the first tasting despite it being the same beer as the standard bottled Hefe. It was lemony compared to the bottled beer's breadiness. On the next tasting, I was able to successfully pick out the canned beer due to the same perceived difference. Wanting to change things up, I bought a bottled Hefe with a newer packaging date and I was still able to pick out the canned beer. For my tastes, the bottled beer was always the preferred beer. Perhaps the difference was due to the canned beer preserving the beer better (despite me liking it less). Perhaps the difference was due to differences in carbonation and how that impacts flavor. Regardless, I was surprised by how consistent my reactions were.

Now let's talk about the Helles. If I remember correctly, most of the talk here has been about how that beer lacks the malty richness and fuller body of the Original Premium (in a big way). My take on the beer wasn't the opposite of that but it still was quite different. I found these two beers to be very similar to each other. At times the Helles felt like a lighter beer, but this impression wasn't totally static. More than anything else, these two felt like they were cut from the same cloth... and this was especially the case when adding other beers into the mix and comparing the two Weihenstephaner beers to another brewer's Helles. From my POV, the two Weihenstephaner beers are brothers.

Now let's talk price for a moment. Looking at a few stores in my area, the 4 packs of cans are basically the same average price as the 6 packs of bottles. If all of these beers were packaged using American standards (12oz 6pack=72oz vs 16oz 4pack=64oz), these cans would be a poor value. But, they are packaged with European standards (11.2oz 6pack=67.2oz vs 16.9oz 4pack=67.6oz), so the price is actually fair from a total volume standpoint.

Personally, I prefer the bottled product. Not only did I mainly prefer the bottled beer (in one case definitely, and in the other case perhaps marginally)... but I also prefer getting 6x 11.2oz bottles compared to 4x 16.9oz cans. The cans are not even a welcome addition to the market for me because they compete with the bottled product from the same brewer... and this will reduce sales of the bottles and therefore slow down bottled product turnover. While some folks subscribe to the idea that cans keep product fresher as a rule, I do not subscribe to this. I simply want beer with a more recent packaging date.

@JackHorzempa
@TongoRad

 

For now I will @zid...I did my NBW draft for the helles last night but if I can I will grab an original today if it’s in stock. Regardless I look forward to reading your thoughts.

 

That is a really good point that I never thought about.

 

perhaps they are seeing if sales increase with the cans and they will continue to offer more canned offerings? May be unlikely but it’s possible...

 

I know one way to increase sales, for the Hefeweissbier at least. Just slap the word "hazy" on the side of the bottle/can.

 

To be fair Weihenstephan are not strangers to this kind of marketing.

 

It would seem that the craft beer future is hazy!?!

 

Hopefully.

 

Has anyone done a side by side of Weihenstephaner Helles and Paulaner Original Munich Lager? I have not but drinking the latter right now so reminds me of the Weihenstephaner..

 

Tag, you're it!

Cheers!

 

What? You don't have access to both??

 

What!?! Are you tagging me back!?!

Cheers!