Imperial Hefeweizen

Oh, I see, it's above. Too tired to read through it now. Funking out with The Egg.

 

Let it go, my friend -- too far from the right season!

 

Note that I'm thinking of benchmarks specifically as envisioned by American beer enthusiasts from the outside looking in. In that case, yeah definitely Fuller's and their ESB... in fact ridiculously so considering that we started pretending that ESB was a style.

 

One of John Keeling's funniest stories is how Fuller's ESB was once marked down in a US competition for not being true to style.

 

Yeah, I heard that one. The twist in the situation about Fuller's ESB being seen as the benchmark for "ESBs" is that these American beers usually don't strongly resemble Fuller's ESB anyway.

Way off topic now, but if you haven't heard about the Fuller's / Sierra Nevada collaboration that's a spin on Fuller's Vintage Ale, check out my Beer Camp thread in the Releases section here.

 

Speaking of that, I've never been to Germany in the spring (oddly might go for work next month), but they have Maibock festivals in the spring like they do for Oktoberfest correct?

If so, do those tend to be pale rather than darker? I've seen Maibocks in a range of colors, so that's why I ask.

 

http://www.fruehlingsfest-muenchen.bayern/spring-fest-munich/

I've only been once, but they were all pale in Munich -- very much like the Festbier, but different in flavor by a small malt punch (my argument has always been that Festbier is in-between Helles and Maibock in flavor and kick).

I had a couple in Bamberg at the same time that were a shade or two darker, but still golden in color.

But again, we're waaay off the O.P. topic.

 

WHHAAT?!

Over to the Beer Camp thread we go!

 

I thought it was perfect as a beer, in general, but I do acknowledge the fact that the beer has very little resemblance to any sort of traditional German style weizen beer. With that said, it was very different from most other beers I've tried (DIPA's and imperial wheat IPA's that I've tried included), but it really worked. Great tropical and citrus hop nose, nice malt character, and the wheat really helped enhance the mouthfeel, while also contributing some fresh citrus notes that paired perfectly with the hops used. In addition, the beer was very cleanly fermented and hid the alcohol content really well, which resulted in a nice hoppy but very drinkable beer. Also, pretty tough to beat the price tag at just over $4 per bomber.

 

While I certainly appreciate your opinion and perspective, with so many different - unique - styles and characteristics of beer, I find it difficult to label any one beer "perfect."

My favorite Amber Märzen is Spaten Oktoberfest, but doe that make it any more perfect than Schneider's Augustiner or Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale? Not at all. There are too many good beer choices to consider one as perfect -- let alone one that misleads from the start. JMO.

 

I can understand and appreciate that. I think more than anything, I was just surprised and impressed by how much more I liked this than what I was expecting.

 

Well to add something to the topic hopefully... I just bought an Erdinger Pikantus weizenbock... I look forward to sharing it with my wife this week.

I checked out their dates as I bought it even though I had already decided to buy them.

The Erdinger beers had best by dates... I assume they set it for 1 year but I don't have any way of knowing... The Pikantus was listed as best by 1/2017. The Erdinger hefeweizen is best by 7/2017.

The Konig Ludwig hefeweizen is "best by" sep-2017

The EKU Pils doesn't have a date that I could find.
The Flensberger Pilsner just listed 2.4.17... I don't know if it was bottled on Feb 4th this year, or if it was best by 2 April this year or 4 February.

I think that's why I buy most of my beer from ALDI nowadays. I think the beer is fresher because they control the distribution lines.
I don't know how long Wernesgruner sets for their "Best by" dates but I just bought a 6-pack this past week that had a best by date of the end of next February... I don't know old exactly the beer was but I believe it was fresher than most other German beers... And it's more predictable. I've also been enjoying the seasonal beers that have been popping up in the past year. The Maibock, Schwarzbier, Dunkler bock and the like... May not be the best examples of those styles but some of the best imported versions I've found in Texas.

 

It may be a strong wheat beer. But if it doesn't have the Hefeweizen yeast flavor then it's not really a strong "weizen".

It may be a good beer but I'm not excited about how to get yet another beer focusing on strong hop flavor.

The ALDI does still beer... At least they should as long as grocery stores can sell beer in your state.

 

At least 10 years that I can account for, but don't expect known brand names (for the most part).

I haven't been into an Aldi in Wisconsin, so I can't confirm beer sales there, but it is Wisconsin.

 

Aldi does indeed sell beer in Wisconsin. They even used to sell mini-kegs of the Wernesgruner Pils.

 

ALDI hasn't even been in Texas for 10 years so I definitely cannot vouch for what they had back then.

But I did go to the ALDI in Germany multiple times a week in 2008 and I can confirm they sold beer there...

 

Have you seen these lately? Never seen them on this side of the border, might have to check the next time I make a run.

 

Unfortunately, the last time I saw them was several years ago.

 

I've never seen mini-kegs of Wernesgruner... I'd love to though.

In fact I haven't seen good mini-kegs of anything in a long time.

I used to buy EKU Pils, or Bitburger, or others... But now I only see Heineken or Warsteiner.

I guess there just isn't enough room on the shelves with all the new breweries.