Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse

Brewed by Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Weizen Bock
Brooklyn, New York USA

Keg. Courtesy Degarth. Pours a cloudy dark yellow color with a big, foamy, off white head. Smells of spicy citrus, some wheat, fruits, and other spices. The flavor is pretty creamy on the palate. Very spicy taste, almost overdone in my opinion. Didnt really get much of the clove or banana I usually do in this style, but was just attacked by peppery spice. Definitely needed more balance to it, and certainly maybe some more bock characters as well, if this is what they are classifying it as. I liked the Schneider version better, but thats no surprise to me.

On tap at Zeno’s Pub - State College, PA. Gentle, blossoming aroma with figs, asian pear, banana cream and almond bits. Curbed with a tangy edge of plant material. A mid-clouded deep straw-gold, with a rocky white foam above. Flavor flows forth with rich, resplendent qualities. There’s a bright, fresh, sweet sugar, clean and alive. Banana flesh mingles in with a sudden burst of hops, that just work so well with the phenolics of the style. These wild, tangly high hops play off the active, bubbly esters and phenols for a fun interplay of mid-colored fruits, chesnuts and candy. This mix brews a certain note of spicy, sweet olive flesh, cured well and nostril pleasing. Backs out with fresh, clean yeast flavor and a delectable smack of lemon and currant hops. Juicy, vibrant and perfectly brewed. Alcohol only adding complexity and depth. Really well attenuated for no stickiness and refreshing dryness. Maybe paler and not nearly as caramelized as I would expect from the style in that manner, but so brilliant in balance, build and execution. Plays more like an Imperial Hefe. Great stuff!

750 mL bottle that says 8.5% ABV. Very large fluffy white head of rather large bubbles. Reduces to a sticky messy head with gobs of sticky lacing. Light citris and wheat notes. Some peaches and spicy yeast. Color is a hazy brownish orange. Zippy and lively in the mouth. Good bitterness up front that melds into some sweet malty notes in the middle. Light roastyness with plenty of spicy, yeasty notes. Pepper and corriander with a bit of orange. More bitterness late swallow from the very resinous hops. Finishes bitter yet slightly creamy and dry with some lingering yeast and wheat notes. A very good brew and one that I am enjoying quite a bit.

Pours deep amber/orange into a tulip. Fluffy head with good retention recedes to skim surface. Resin and pine aromas. Creamy and full with upfront wheat and a lasting grapefruit finish. This is the best Brooklyn has to offer.

On tap at Tyler’s with Magjayran and Turdferguson. I enjoyed the bottled Schneider-Brooklyner, with its more aggressive American hop component. And I dig the distinctiveness of this beer. Handsome cloudy orange pour. Certainly from the aroma you can tell that it’s a different beer. Kindred insofar as it blends the spice and dry-hopping of the style, but different in the profile. The bite of Hallertau is there from the beginning, and the finish is drier. Doesn’t sacrifice the warmth and spice, though. Good one.

Bottled:
Pale brown, VERY muddy (it had the biggest chunks of yeast I’ve ever seen in a bottle) colour. head is big and fluffy. Dry, yeasty, hoppy and spicy aroma. Hoppy, dry and yeasty flavour. Alcohol bitter finish.

Cloudy pale body with a large, chunky white head, lasting with sticky lace. Big hoppy nose with sweet basil, spruce, cotton candy, bubblegum, honey and dough. Really nice fresh, raw hop scent. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter with banana, hay, basil, oregano, pine, flowers, clove and cotton candy. Medium/full body is soft with moderate carbonation.

On tap at Capone’s. Pours very muddy yellow orange with white head and some lace. The aroma is citrus first then clove and strong wheat character. The flavor seems milder that the other version. Clove then banana with some pine bitterness. Medium body. Sprite carbonation. Dry finish. Good.