Brewers Alley Dunkel Weizen

I had this on tap at the brewery. The beer was a cloudy amber color, looking like it had some particles in it, and a thin off-white head. The aroma was largely wheaty and yeast, also some fruity and citrus hop notes; perhaps a bit of maltyness. A good sweetish wheaty taste with some sourness too, touch of fruit flavor as well, maybe banana. A wetter, thicker beer on the palate, with some rougher consistencies, and lighter to moderate carbonation. Pretty solid beer overall, but not exceptional in my opinion.

On tap at the brewpub on 1/19/07: Pours a hazy dark orange copper with a nicely-lacing off-white head. Aroma of bready yeast and sweet malted wheat with a good authentic German yeast strain. Body starts slightly overcarbonated with some light banana sweetness, a touch of citrus, and lots of clove spice. A nice dunkel weiss.

If a Weizen isn’t poured into a proper Weizen glass to release that huge head and all those aromas, I feel that it’s going to start off severely handicapped. This came in the standard brewpub pounder with no head - made it look oily. Just the same a good Dunkelweizen isn’t oftened brewed and this was a nice find. Hazy light brown color. Good malty, yeasty aroma with nice soft banana esters. Smooth and filling with a sweet flavor that finishes with a pleasant wheat tartness. This just need a real wheat beer glass!

The aroma is lightly malty and nicely hopped. I picked up citrus and dark fruits. Hints of Banana, bubble gum and spice. Murky dark amber. The look of upstate New York Autumn cider. Small, creamy head. Quickly diminishing. Good lacing. Quite malty and lightly pungent up front. Very lightly bitter and pungent on the backside. Blasts of citrus fruit (orange peel), cinnamon and caramel as well. Perfectly balanced. Fizzy. Light-bodied with any oily mouthfeel. Crisp, clean, dry finish... fairly short, but very refreshing.

Very cloudy light brown, medium head. Aroma is sweet wheat-banana, quite pleasant. Taste is the same, very drinkable.