Sudwerk Hefe Weizen

Brewed by Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch
Style: German Hefeweizen
Davis, California USA

Slighty hazy gold with a small white head, i didn’t swirl the bottle. Grainy wheaty, yeasty aroma with only a tiny hint of banana; Malty, banana, flavor, but not the best hefe, flavor better than the aroma.

Where’s the hefe in my weizen? I was wanting something a little less filtered. Does not compare with other examples of hefe. This is more of an American wheat ale. Light, easy drinking, quenching summer beer. Disappointing, frankly, because I truly like some of Sudwerk’s other offerings.

Crystal clear yell.....hold on. Okay, I poured some back in the bottle and swirled to pick the yeast. The yeast is always flocced out in this beer, which makes me wonder if they filter and use a different bottling strain? Then again, I don’t ever remember being very hazy at the brewery either. Okay, now it’s a hazy white-yellow, looking more like a wit than a typical weizen. Light banana but pretty much devoid of clove. This smells more like a witbier as well, but only sort of. Some breadiness with walnuts exuding, but not too much wheat character. Flavor is initially quite sweet and the yeast starts to come through a little bit more, but still not much. Mostly light banana but also a vinylly-rubbery edge. It’s a palatable enough beer in its own right, but certainly not what I have in mind when thinking of a hefeweizen. Too sweet, mostly.

Bottle: Pours a light hazy yellow color, light head, average lacing. The nose is very strong with chunky yeast smells, but not the sweet ripe banana and dusty clove that I’m so fond of, it’s a flat dull smell with coriander and dung notes. The flavor is a bit lacking, doesn’t have the hop or the sweet hop, just a thin wheaty body and an average forgetful finish. Not quite where it needs to be.

Poured a hazy yellow with off white head. Very yeasty aroma, with some fruit. Nice mouth feel. A very light smooth hefe.

On tap at the brewpub. Cloudy pale light yellow in color with a white head. Extremely yeasty in the aroma and smells meaty. Strong banana ester flavor. The finish is quick, but leaves a tingling burnt palate. I thought it was enjoyable due to the uniqueness, but the real german bottled hefes have the edge.

Tap @ The Graduate. Hazy pale yellow color. Extremely thin bodied for a hefe, but nice palate. Smooth, fine carbonation. Very citrusy (without a slice of lemon) and good. Lots of esters, yeast, and citrus. I’d drink this again.

Muddy yellow color. Creamy. Smelled citrusy sweet. Tasted sweet with a slight kick. Bready and malty flavors. Good, but too sweet for my taste.