Schell Hefe Weizen

Brewed by August Schell Brewing Company
Style: German Hefeweizen
New Ulm, Minnesota USA

From the history of this brewery I wish I could have tried this beer 100 years ago. Todays version is a typical american stlye weiss. Lacks spicy/banana aromas and flavors. Very light in color and even lacks a head.

Tried again recently, gave about the same rating. One of Schell’s best efforts. Poured with a fairly hazy light yellow body and a thin white head. The aroma has a little bit of bananas and clove. There is even a hint of mango. The taste is sweet with banana and a little bit of citrus. A very mild orange taste in the finish. There is a hint of the clove spice. This is interesting, like a good cross between a German style Hefe Weizen and an American wheat.

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle from Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in St Paul, MN. Pours a semi-hazy golden brew with a thick white head that slowly dissipates to a fine film and white ring with some spotty lacing. Aroma of mild banana esters, golden grain malt with wheat, a touch of cloves, and some tropical fruit. Taste is smooth, medium bodied, with a nice hefe banana flavor, some cloves, honey and some fruit. Finish is semi-sweet, mild clove and banana aftertaste. Nice!

Hazy gold color with a thin head. Big banana aroma and a bit of yeast. Strong wheat flavor. Definitely some citrus and banana. Not world class, but perfectly solid.

On tap at KJ’s party. Pours cloudy gold with an enormous white head that cannot be contained by plastic Schell’s sampling cups. A very surprisingly competent banana aroma and flavor. This is a very thick and delicious hefe that I would drink again on tap. Nice lemon notes to the finish. What’s up with Schell making such good beer lately?

All the standard qualities I expect for the style are there, but definitely subdued. Some banana and citrus aroma. Flavor is slightly sweet, not much wheat. A little thiner than I like for the style. Refreshing, good.

Cloudy amber gold with small white head.Yeasty fatty nose and taste with some citrus overtones. a poor effort

This is the first year this brew has gone out as "Hefe Weizen", in years before, it was merely "Weizen". Has the recipe or approach changed at all? Perhaps. Appearance: hazy, bright straw yellow color, with a large, pure white head that's swift to settle. Aroma: Great lemony, citric notes right off the bat, fresh, alert & alive, spicy, with a bunch of banana, too. Key note started as lemon, but banana dominates. Nice, tasty, tangy texture, though the finish is brief. Body is light, leaning to medium. Taste is smooth and fruity, easy and refreshing. Not a mind-blowing weizen by any stretch, but it's a decent enough stand-in. I may return to it again throughout the summer.