The glorious hefeweizen

Anything and everything from Weihenstephaner

 

Ayinger
Weihenstephaner
Dancing Man
Kellerweis

Those are my top four. I would LOVE to try some Live Oak, though. And Harriet Brewing gets an honorable mention. Theirs is tasty too.

 

Dancing Man Wheat and Kellerweis are awesome American-made emulations. Had a growler of Live Oak shipped last week, but unfortunately it had leaked in transit and was completely flat. Franziskaner, Schnieder, and Paulaner are good, no doubt, I still don't think anything tops Weihenstephaner for me, especially considering the great price point.

When the budget/time allows, I'd love to go to Germany and spend an entire day (or more) trying as many local hefes as I could handle. Definitely one of my favorite summertime styles.

 

Agreed that during a hot summer afternoon, nothing hits the spot like a cold hefe!

Weihenstephener Hefe is simply world class
Hacker Pschorr- love the orange marmalade thing this one has going on in the flavor profile
Julius Echter - both the hefe and the dunkel
Vitus
Ayinger Weizenbock

As far as U.S. representations of the style, SN Kellerweis and Brooklyn Weiss are solid

 

Had my first Schneiderweiz in Germany five years ago. Been obsessed with beer ever since.

 

My favorite German versions are Mahr's, Weihenstephan, and Kloster Andechs, but many of the very common ones like Paulaner and Franziskaner are still terrific.
For American versions, Dry Dock, Live Oak, & SN Kellerweis take the cake.

 

Live Oak Hefeweizen
Hacker Pschorr Weisse
Schneider Weisse

 

This is a style that you really have to try all the classics first, rather than some random watered down, boring American Wheat Ale, and then claim the style is not for you; I've seen people do this, because they don't know what research is. Ayinger, Weihenstephaner: start with these two brands.

 

The hefe is the prettiest beer. It's also how I got my screen name. If I could make a beer it would be a brilliant hefe and I would call it Utopia Jane. Upon it's sight alone a good hefe should make you exclaim "Uotpia!" (or words to that effect)

 

lagunitas doppel weizen is pretty damn tasty

 

Dancing Man Wheat - everyone else is playing for second place!

 

Three Floyds really needs to tap Drunk Monk again. Also Dancing Man, Schneider Original, and the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier are other favorites of mine. (

 

Homemade hefe is the best hefe.

 

Are you limiting the opinions to just Hefeweizens here? I noticed Aventinus and Vitus mentioned and, while they're both delicious, I consider them Weizenbocks and, therefore, somewhat different beasts altogether.

But while I'm going on about it, the Weihenstephaner and Hacker-Pschorr hefeweisses are some of the best, with Paulaner not too far behind. A couple good domestic ones are Ebel's Weiss from Two Bros, Heifer-In-Wheat from Stoudts (when it's good), and the Penn Weizen.

And I've had the Kulmbacher Kapuziner Weissbier once and I feel it rivals the Weihenstephaner.

 

hofbrau hefe gets no love

another fantastic hefe

almost as good as weihestephan imo

 

I really enjoy Schneider Edel-Weisse (Tap 4).

 

OP told us to go ahead and bring in all the other types of German wheat beers, which is why they were mentioned.

 

Wow, pretty strong statement. I will have to re-visit this one. When I had it, I thought it lacked that depth of flavor that the Weihenstephaner had.