Hofbrau Hefeweizen

Why I tried this: We were watching the Manchester United v Chelsea game for the UEFA Champions league at World of Beer UCF with Jerry, one of the owners. Manchested United won, so we needed a victory beer. A 22oz of Hofbrau it was.

Smell: Mostly of wheats and grains, with a little bit of lemon. Very fresh smelling, and quite nice.

Taste: About the same as the

smell. It had an earthy flavor to it, on top of a bit of lemon and some mild sweetness I couldn't place. The beer was very crisp and refreshing.

Overall, I'd give this beer a quarter full glass. It was a good hefeweizen, but there really isn't too much to say about it. It has your usual wheat and earthy taste/smell to it, with a hint of lemon and a sweetness to balance out. It was drinkable, but not overly flavorful. If you are looking for something a bit stronger or more complex, this might not do it for you. Otherwise, would recommend.

--Jeff

Paulaner Hefeweizen

Why I tried this: Josh from World of Beer recommended I try this since it wasn't already on my list, and it was supposed to be a pretty good hefeweizen. Sign me up.

Smell: Had your typical wheat scent, with a hint of clove spices, and something sweet I couldn't pick up. Very nice.

Taste: The first thing you get is an immediate taste of banana, followed up with barley wheat and a slight spice. The sweetness of the banana lingers all the way down, and the beer is just supremely creamy and smooth.

For a pretty attainable beer, I was expecting a more watered down and mainstream flavor. Instead, what I got was a top notch hefeweizen that failed to disappoint. The smell is quality, and the taste simply delicious. The banana and wheat mix very well, providing a strong taste in a creamy, smooth beer. Overall, this beer gets an empty glass award. Highly recommended!

--Jeff

Brooklyner Weisse

Why I tried this: I've really been in the mood for hefeweisens lately, and this was the only one on draft that I hadn't tried yet. Our waitress Panda said it was good, so I went with it.

Smell: Wheat and spice, perhaps clove. Also had a hint of citrus smell to it.

Taste: Pure, unfiltered wheat with a citrus bite. Very good, very drinkable and refreshing.

Brooklyner Weisse was a pretty good hefeweisen. Brewed in New York, this 5% ABV Bavarian wheat beer had quite a few things going for it. It was drinkable and refreshing, making it an excellent beer to drink during spring or summer. It had a pleasant, spicy and fruity smell. And, it had fairly good flavor. I've had better Hefeweisens, but this did not disappoint, and so I award it with the almost empty beer glass rating. I'd probably get this again if it were still on draft.

--Jeff

Franziskaner Dunkel-Weiss

Why I tried this: I had recalled Scott mentioning this brand several times, and saw this particular beer on draft at World of Beer. It was described as a mix between a Dunkel and Hefeweisen, which sounded right up my alley.

Smell: It has a strong scent of yeasty wheat on top of roasted malts. I can also detect a hint of fruit and spices. Very pleasing.

Taste: Has a strong, roasted, malty flavor. There are undertones of wheat, followed by a hint of cinnamon, which was a pleasant surprise and explained the spice smell. Overall, one heck of a taste.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this beer an 8.5/10. Franziskaner's Dunkel-Weisse is one heck of a beer. It has what you like about a hefeweisen, mixed with what you'd expect in a dunkel. You know you're in for a good drink once you take a whiff. At 6.0% alcohol, you couldn't taste any over all of the flavor, which was great. I'd definitely get this beer again, and strongly recommend it.

--Jeff