Beer: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Brewery Location: Freising, Germany
Beer Style: Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.4%
It is just plain hot outside! My favorite summer beers are American wheat beers, IPA's, DIPA's, and my first summer love drinking experience started with German hefes. My beer progression started with drinking imports (Yes, I was that guy) and I went through a period where I drank nothing but beer from Germany. One of my stayovers from that period that I always come back to is this beer. The German hefe style is always something I gravitate to in the warmer months of the year. This beer is a really great price as well for the sized bottle you get. I think I paid like $2.39 for it or so. Compared to what I pay for bombers and singles this beer is a steal! The brewery also claims they are the oldest brewery in the world, and that they have been brewing beer for over a thousand years. I didn't take time to check that out, but I will take their word for it.
I hardly ever use my weizen glass, but I love how this beer pours exactly from the bottle to the very top of this glass. This beer pours a wonderful golden straw color that is quite hazy with a huge billowing white head on this beer. Perfect hefe scent on this beer with dominant scents of wheat, lemon, banana, and some clove. The flavor takes over with the wheat in the malt, banana, clove, bubblegum, and a touch of lemon. This has a very interesting flavor profile on it, and everything works very well together. The mouthfeel is very creamy and light and slightly effervescent. The alcohol is not noticeable at all in the mouthfeel. The drinkability is superb and about a fine as you will get for a summer beer.
This beer sets the standard for me when it comes to German hefes. This beer is a testament to what kind of product a huge brewery can send to the masses. This beer is available all over the world and is readily available in most US states. This beer is also brewed in the traditional German Rheinheitsgebot (at one time the oldest consumer protection law in the world, but it was repealed a few years back) and what a fantastic job with just four ingredients with no adjuncts or fillers. This beer is available on tap a few places around town, and my favorite place for a pint of this beer is at the Rathskeller in the Kellerbar. This is just a great beer all around.
Cheers!
Matt
5 comments:
Hell yeah. I don't think I had had a drop of Weihenstephaner before a month or so ago and now I can't get enough of it. For now it's even pushed out Two Hearted as the go-to beer in my fridge.
I just had some at Rathskeller last night after Brew Ha-Ha. I definitely needed something on the milder end of the spectrum and it hit the spot after an afternoon out in the heat!
From what I've heard, there is official documentation that Weihenstephan is almost a thousand years old, but unofficially it may be as much as 300 years older than that. Amazing.
Weihenstephaner is absolutely one of my favorite beers in the world. And because of beers like this, I really can't get into the American wheat beers as I find them much too bland in comparison. All of those flavors are directly from the yeast I might add. I am a homebrewer and have actually brewed 1 specific recipe 3 times.. yeah, the hefeweizen using Weihenstephaner strain of yeast. Let me tell you something, when that fermentation takes off, whatever room your fermenting beer is in starts to smell of bananas and clove and the wait becomes unbearable. Good stuff!
I fucking love this beer.
Hey Matt,
This is a great blog. I was looking for a read good read like this! I hope you cover more stouts and dark beers.
-J
Thanks for reading. I do cover stouts and porters, but not much in the summer. If you go back during the winter months you will see more of them.
Cheers!
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