German Hefes

keep it going!

1 - Weihenstephaner
2 - Andechs
3 - Ayinger
4 - Schneider (Tap 7 as it's now labeled)
5 - toss-up / sub-in Sierra Nevada here!

 

#1.Franziskaner
#2.Schneider Tap 7
#3.Schneider Tap 4
#4.Weihenstephaner Hefe
#5.Something like Maisel

 

It's a tad bittersweet.

While I love the concept, it's unfortunate the majority of the answers are still imports.

There's some US versions mentioned, but they're too few and far between. I would love to see more brewer's nail this style/brew it in general, but unfortunately there simply isn't a market for them in the US. If anything, it's become worse in the last four years.

 

Wow since this started some years back Live Oak, the best USA hefe I have tasted, has been put out in cans, and I no longer have to trade for growlers to get some. Just thought I would throw that in to the ring.

 

Clearly my sarcasm was too subtle... If you can't beat 'em join 'em...

For German classics I prefer Ayinger then Weihenstephaner.

For American options I prefer Straub Hefeweizen (you read that correct, Straub) and Sierra Nevada Kellerweis.

 

Randy, I am a HUGE fan of Straub Hefeweizen. I posted the below recently:

I like Straub Hefeweizen even more than Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen.

You can read more here: http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-543.315625/#post-3885934

Cheers

 

Outstanding beer.

 

1. Schneider Original
2. Ayinger Urweisse
3. Weihenstephan dunkel
4. Weihenstephan hell
5. Ayinger Bräuweisse
6. Huber Original, Huber Dunkel, Schneider Blonde and Andechser's Weizen
... (a gap)
Kuchlbauer and Franziskaner.

Both Weihenstephans are a masterpiece of balance, while Schneider and Ayinger have more character. Huber is a bit of a secret tip, I like them. A guy from Freising (the city where Weihenstephan is located) once said to me "In Freising, nobody drinks Weihenstephan. They all drink Huber." - now I don't think Huber is better than Weihenstephan's Weizen stuff, but they're a nice treat for a change.

I left Tap 4, called "Festweisse", "Mein Grünes" or "Edelweisse" out, since it is unusual and not a classic Hefeweizen.

In my opinion, after Kuchlbauer, which is still fine, the Weizen are just not worth drinking anymore.

 

The only one I've had from Germany so far has been Schneider Weisse Tap 7, but I definitely enjoyed that one (and will most likely be getting more in the not-too-distant future, especially with their 16.9 ounce bottles costing the same as some 12-ounce bottles in the same store!) Different from what I was expecting though -- as a few other posts have mentioned, there's not so much of the banana-like flavor in that one compared to the other hefeweizens I've had.

Of the American versions I've had so far, Sierra Nevada's Kellerweis has been my favorite -- it's too bad the only way to find it around here is in the summer packs (not that I wouldn't buy the summer pack anyway; last year's was great! but it'd be nice to be able to get just Kellerweis, just Kolsch, etc. in six-packs rather than only being able to drink them 3 at a time from the variety pack. XD)

 

Well, Schneider's Original is not a classic "helles Hefeweizen", it's more like a semi-dark "Urweisse" and has a more spicy character. Which is exactly what their admirers love about it.

 

That sucks about the Kellerweis. I can get the 6 packs here, but they are out of code most of the time.

 

Ahh, that makes sense. I do remember noticing the color of that beer was a lot darker than the other hefeweizens I've had, too -- leaning more into the orangey/light-brown range more than yellow/golden.

 

1 weihenstephaner
2 Paulaner
3 franziskaner
4 ayinger
5 hofbrauhaus