The Beer Connoisseur #3 - Hopfen Weisse

Style: Weizenbock
ABV: 8.2%
Brewery: Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
Region: Kelheim, Germany

Appearance: Served in one of my new Sam Adams glasses. Just got these today so I had to try them out. Pours a cloudy orange with a thick white foamy head that reduces to a nice thin layer that sticks around for the duration.

Aroma: Just like most Hefeweizen style beer, this has a sweet banana, bread, and clove nose. Yeast and malt notes accompany it along with what makes this beer unique, a nice hop bouquet.

Mouthfeel: A little heavy on the mouth from the combination of yeast, carbonation, and hops. Finishes dry and a bit tart.

Taste: This is unlike what most people have had before. It's the sweet lovechild of an IPA and Hefe. It starts off sweet and yeasty, quickly leading into a strong hop flavor. It ends with the mild Hefe aftertaste mingled with nice hop flavors.

Drinkability: As with most German beer, watch out. The Germans have made easy drinking brews for centuries. This starts out easy drinking and can end in blackout if one was inclined to put in the time and money. Very smooth and crisp, very easy to drink if you can handle a little hoppiness.

Suggested Meal Accompaniment: A German favorite, bratwurst. You'll need something with a kick to offset the sweetness of this brew. I suggest a bit of brown mustard, onion, and sauerkraut. Great German food; great German brew.

Overall: This is one that was shown to me at a German/Belgian beer tasting and I fell in love with it instantly. It's the perfect marriage of two of my favorite styles of beer. If you love IPAs and Hefeweizens, you need to try this. It's price (locally, at least), is moderate to high at $4.49 for a 16.9 oz. bottle. It is great for a cookout or hot summer evening.


5 out of 5 Beer Mugs