Hefeweizen - The uncorruptable.

Throwing out a good word for Yazoo Hefeweizen and Live Oak Hefeweizen, two of the best I've found.

 

Agree. Cheers to the OP from me also. Warm weather is coming up. Mmmmm. Smell that aroma. Look at that billowing head. That refreshing flavor. Kellerweis bottles out of a tub of ice at a barbecue right after the volleyball game. Franziskaner on draught on a hot steamy night down at Fell's Point in Baltimore listening to some live acoustic. Hey, I'll have on right now. Where's my hefe?

 

Can't believe no one has mentioned Schneider outside of deriding the HopfenWeisse. The Schneider original is great for spring and fall since it has a little bit more oomphf to the malt. Awesomely refreshing and satisfying after planting a garden or raking leaves.

 

I love Aventinus, but I confess I don't drink the Weisse very much because I have an irresistible preference for the brighter/golden colors of Ayinger, Weihenstephaner, etc.

 

I believe you're thinking of the Old Chico Brand "Crystal Wheat," which I'v heard is only available in California. Not sure it's the same as the old APWA.

There certainly are some better ones, Oberon for instance, but the ones that just seem to be APAs with some wheat added to the grain-bill are pretty mundane.

That was half the reason I called it that -- when I first had Widmer in Portland I thought, "Nice -- a micro Weizen." Couldn't believe how not like a Weizen it was.

Ack!

 

Schneider has a pretty good one of that "style" as well.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/72/763 Much lighter and brighter than the Original.

 

This. The APWA is a great style... as long as you aren't drinking it expecting a hefeweizen.

Boulevard's 80 Acre and Lagunitas Lil' Sumpin Sumpin' are both fantastic representations of the style, imho.

(Sorry, but I had to fix that last part, which I disagree with wholeheartedly)

 

Entered a hefe (see my profile pick) in a homebrew competition. Comment from one judge: tastes like Schneider Weisse.

I think that is the best comment I have ever received in a homebrewing comp, even if it wasnt my highest scoring beer.

 

Im stealing this from someone else, but it is true for me too:

If I was granted beer wizard powers for the day and could make one style disappear forever, it would be American Wheat and not AAL.

 

Tastes like Schneider, but didn't score high? What's wrong with that picture?

One of my first HB entrants was a Weizen and I scored 2nd place! Need to get back into some home-brewing because my wife enjoys a good Weizen now and again... just wish we had a basement.

 

It scored high, it won its class. I had a Schwarzbier put up a 44 once, which is my highest score (it actually finished 2nd in its class, somehow).

I use my basement for most of my fermenting, but its too cool for my hefe. I do the first 72 hours in my kitchen, I like to lean (a hard lean) towards the banana side of the banana/clove balance.

 

Just had this yesterday. Still not a fan of the banana, clove flavor. Very enjoyable, but not my first choice in beer styles.

 

Sometimes I wonder why the hell I still bother trying other hefeweizens, when Weihenstaphaner hefeweiss is so perfect and accessible. It's also a style for which I rarely (if ever) look for creative takes... maybe because I've never been impressed with them, especially any domestic version. The original is just too perfect.

If Weihenstephaner is unavailable to me, Ayinger's version steps in beautifully.

 

What yeast is Old Chico using?

 

I've recently started trying this style and really enjoy it. I see a lot of Weihenstephaner available in large supermarkets that I can't imagine move very fast, is there a rule of thumb of freshness of hefeweizen's?
Thanks

 

Not a big fan of the Old Chico, but that Kellerweis is amazing. Easily the best American made hefe I've ever had. I'd love to see a dunkel version of the Kellerweis!

 

It's pretty hard to beat a nice German Hefe at a summer BBQ.

 

Our house "Chico" yeast.

 

Not sure if it's a rule of thumb, but Weihenstephaner's Hefeweissbier here in Germany appears to have a one year Best Before date. I'd imagine as long as it's within it's Best Before date you're good to go.