Craftsman Heavenly Hefe

Brewed by Craftsman Brewing Co.
Style: German Hefeweizen
Pasadena, California USA

Pours with a slightly cloudy golden body topped by a thin head with little lacing. It’s slightly sweet with notes of banana and yeast with a hint of lemon. A little lacking in flavor. Light bodied and crisp.

This beer was served with a lemon, no questions asked (I hate when they do that). The beer is a hazy orange color and it topped by a pale, thin, wispy, white colored head. There is lots of banana in the nose up front, but then it is all clove towards the end. Another draught of the aroma and it is all banana again. This Hefeweizen really has an amazing aroma, it is so appealing and fresh, just about perfect.

The taste is light and refreshing up front. After my first taste, I get a hint of something that seems a bit like toothpaste, but clove and banana are, typically, quite evident. There is a nice, light, wheat-derived acidity here that helps to keep this beer quite refreshing. The acidity, in addition to the carbonation tends to add a bit of a bite to this beer, which helps to balance the fruity phenolic notes. The outstanding thing about this beer is its aroma, the taste does not quite live up to it, but this is still a very well done beer.

<font size=-4>Sampled on Tap at: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Baldwin’s,Pasadena, CA<font size=-1>

My favorite Hefe. Tried at the Bluesapalooza festival at Mammoth Mtn. in 2005. Strong banana and clove aroma. A little spicy. Refreshing to drink.

Poursa cloudy golden hue with a white haolo of a head. Aromas of bananas nuts and a light yeast. Flavors of bananas, wheat and corn.

(Draft: Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena, CA) This is a very well made German hefe, not over the top with any ingredients, all in great balance to allow each to be savored. Spicy, lots of bubblegum, some light banana and clove in the finish, with a pleasant wheat base throughout. Only mildly sweet, so this definitely doesn’t taste like a wheat beer trying to mask a mediocre flavor. Aromas of wheat, banana, bubblegum, mild sweetness. Lighter body to this hefe, mostly because this beer doesn’t try to pack in sweetness. Dark straw color, and fully cloudy in appearance. Off-white head rises to a good size from the tap, slowly settles to a halo with some scattered film inside. A fair amount of lace is deposited at the top of the glass, but none below. A wonderful example of true craft brewing, knowing exactly how to combine all the ingredients in subtle, perfect unison.

On tap at Lucky Baldwins. One of the, if not THE best hefe’s I’ve had. The aroma and flavor of banana, clove, spice, cookies were bursting out of the glass. So smooth and refreshing, it would be easy to drink this all day and night. I only wish Crafstman would bottle their beer or distribute it more widely as it can be hard to get.

Draught at Lucky Baldwins, Pasadena
Beautiful golden straw colour, thick white head, strong carbonation. This beer yells out DRINK ME! Full bodied, yet surprisingly light and refreshing. Taste packs a bit of a wallop for a hefe, very spicy. Fantastic banana aroma, clove, cinnamon and an abundance of other spices seem to abound. I’m glad I hade the Poppy Fields before the Hefe.

This hefe has a great banana/clove nose. The flavor is nice & refreshing but lacks the crispness that I’d expect. All in all, it’s a good heffy