Olde Hickory Hefe Weisen

Brewed by Olde Hickory Brewery
Style: German Hefeweizen
Hickory, North Carolina USA

Draft sample at Knoxville Brew Jam. Poured a hazy light yellow color with a moderate frothy white head that diminished slowly with good lacing. Moderate spicy citrus clove aroma. Light to medium body with soft carbonation. Medium spicy sweet flavor with a light to medium sweet finish of moderate duration. Good soft drinkable brew.

Date: April 12, 2003
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Hickory, NC
Appearance: opaque light yellow
Aroma: big banana aroma
Flavor: light and refreshing flavor, touch of banana and clove, a letdown after the wonderful aroma

Date: July 18, 2006
Source: Taproom
Score: i to ii
Aroma: faint banana and clove aroma, whispy white head
Flavor: big clove flavor with a hint of banana

Aroma: 4/10; Appearance: 3/10; Flavor: 4/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 8/20
Rating: 2.1/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

on tap-pours a thin white head and cloudy straw color. Aroma is wheat, musty, clove, banana. Taste follows aroma, wheat, musty, clove, banana. OK effervescence

From a 1.3 gallon mini-keg. I thought it was pretty weird that Olde Hickory sells their brews in these little kegs and not in bottles. I had to pick one up, and I figured this would be a good one for a hot spring day. The pour is extremely cloudy, very milky. It looks almost like an orange shake or something. The head is pretty tall and firm, though disappearing after a few minutes. A little expected scents are noticed, bubblegum, some cloves, but not enough of it. A little rougher, papery hops are detected. Very light hefeweizen here, it’s got the feel of a golden ale perhaps but with some very light yeasty character to make it identifiable as a hefeweizen. The finish brings out more of the papery hops and finishes slightly sweet and slightly sour. Very lackluster take on the style, though it is fairly clean and certainly does the trick on a hot day. I was hoping for a little more.

From notes 2/22/05: Pours a cloudy golden color, almost indefinable from their Brown Mountain Light beer, if not for the aroma to give away the hefeweizen character. Thin airy head. No lacing. Aromas, although giving off the staple hefeweizen notes, are mild and average. Bubblegum and clove seem to be the scents that most want to rise from the beer to greet your nose. Some banana, but not much. Flavors are more of the same, with a bland slightly average character. Thin mouthfeel. Lackadaisically drinkable.

Pale hazy yellow, almost white. Large frothy head. Faint clovey aroma. Fairly sweet body. Not a of character, but lacks that vegetal tendency that many hefes seem to have.

Draught at the brewpub. Slightly hazy, yellow. Thin white head with only scant lace. Nose and flavor is as expected: estery bananas and cloves with a dash of citrus. Banana really comes out in the flavor. Very good hefe.

(Knoxville Brewers’ Jam). Pours a cloudy lemonade color with soapy white head. The aroma is zest, pine, and, hrm, is that Murphy’s Oil Soap? I’m not a fan of hefeweizen, and this one isn’t going to change my mind. I taste lemon detergent, grass, banana peel, and cardboard. Not impressed, but of course, my tastes lie elsewhere.