Free State Hefe Weizen

Growler filled five days prior (at the brewpub). Pours a hazy dark straw with a dense, fluffy, meringue-like white head with sticky cascading lace. The nose is of big banana esters and soft, sweet wheat. The banana note is so pronounced it’s almost like straight banana extract or banana Now & Later candy. Light-bodied and wheaty with a lightly astringent sourness at the back sides of your tongue. Soft, light, sour wheat with a solid, yeasty, banana backing and a touch of spiciness (clove?) at the finish. This is a solid hefeweizen. I’d certainly order it again.

Pint @ brewpub. Pours a completely hazy, cannot see through it, golden/thick yellow color. Has a nicely sticky lacing as well. Aroma is candy sweet bubblegum. A bit sweeter smelling than standard Hefe. Taste is slightly less bubblegum and more just sweet candy. With a light herbalness in the aftertaste. Hey I like estery brews and this is definitely got plenty of that.

Poured from a growler into my ,4 liter Kulmbacher glass. Growler was generously transported from the brewpub to my house by csbosox. Pour is hazy straw yellow and orange with a big white head. Nice thick lacing left behind as the head retreats. There are a bunch of carbonation bubbles clung on all sides of the glass. Bubbles rise to the top as well. Aroma of bready wheat toast, perfumey lemon citrus and bubble gum. The bubble gum comes on last but certainly is the strongest. Taste is the wheat, with a touch of lemon citrus and standard Hefe yeastiness. Palate is medium. Overall a nice hefe. Thanks for being my Free State mule, Chris.

Hazy straw yellow with a big white head. Very corny nose. Some spicey phenols, but where in the hell is the banana? Grassy and some pepper flavor. Dry finish. Blah.

Overall pretty mild in the typical hefe spice notes. Not really memorable at all.

Draft: Cloudy lemon. Faint musty aroma. Lightly estery. Notes of white grape, straw, phenol, dough, and banana. Soft mouthfeel, restrained carbonation. Initially it's moderately acidic. Chalky flavors are only slightly countered by a trace of clove and hop. Finishes bland with oodles of pale malts and a subtle wheaty twang. It still needs some work, but is heading in the right direction.

I thought that this was a good interpretation of the style. Unfiltered beauty along with light lemon flavor. More filling than one would expect. Didn't notice any banana, but the clean aspect of that fruit definitely was present. Perhaps that was why it was so refreshing. Update: I did notice a bit of banana this go-round, along with esters, black pepper, cream and coriander.

Soft aroma of malted wheat, a hint of tartness with some yeast spiciness/clove. Very deep golden color, hazy, with average carbonation and head. Flavor belies this beer’s origins as American. It’s like a cross between the German and American Wheat styles. It has the citric, yeasty aspect of the German hefes but the thinner consistency, less opaque appearance and malt flavors are more towards the American side of things. Slightly acidic finish, very quenching and easy-drinking beer. Aftertaste is largely malt. Good summer beer.