Freestyle Wheat Beer - Independence Brewing Co.

Dubblebock

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +39.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I'll begin by confessing right off that I'm a big sucker for wheat beers. Maybe it's the Texas heat that gets me in the mood for these types of beers, maybe it's my love of Tex-Mex food, I dunno. Whatever the case, it always seems that I get a severe hankerin' for a nice wheat beer right around this time of the year. And by golly, the Freestyle Wheat is a winner all the way around.

I like the label for starters. It's got a drawing of a guy jumping off into Barton Springs pool, the spring-fed gem that showcases Austin's Zilker Park. Very appropriate for a warm-weather seasonal style like this.

The beer itself poured beautifully. It had a massive, creamy head that took a while to dissipate, leaving a nice, sticky lace to follow the beer down the mug. Semi-cloudy straw color. The nose was sweet and bready.

The taste was just wonderful. Expertly balanced, the wheat malts blended effortlessly with the hops. There was a definite orange-peel character to the main flavor, tempered by a dry cracker finish that was easy and smooth. Simply put, one of the best examples of the style that I've ever had.

Great mouthfeel, it just rolled onto the palate. Exceptional drinkability. I'll be quaffing this one all summer long. I'll toast Independence Brewing on this beer, it's definitely a star in their lineup. It's the perfect beer for backyard barbecues, Tex-Mex sitdowns, or backyard porch-settin'. I highly recommend you go out and find you a sixer if you're in the Austin area.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2006 03:47:19 | More by Dubblebock

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

05-10-2013 00:28:27 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

Xadoor

Texas

5/5  rDev +55.3%

03-22-2013 16:29:44 | More by Xadoor

phishbone23

New York

2.75/5  rDev -14.6%

01-25-2013 14:27:03 | More by phishbone23

barbellsNbeers

Texas

4/5  rDev +24.2%

12-13-2012 14:13:46 | More by barbellsNbeers

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev +16.5%

10-14-2012 16:21:39 | More by t0rin0

ReyG006

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -14.6%

09-17-2012 12:35:33 | More by ReyG006

Hopmodium

Washington

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

05-25-2012 00:40:22 | More by Hopmodium

drummermattie02

Texas

3/5  rDev -6.8%

12-21-2011 03:46:47 | More by drummermattie02

duff247

Texas

3/5  rDev -6.8%

12-18-2011 06:15:10 | More by duff247

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

side glass lace, good cloudy appearence, lots of carbonation. Very light, lots of yeast with a touch of some lemon maybe, light in aromas, not in overall strength of smell. Very very nice, light palate with a bigtime yeast presence. Lots of grain with a hint of lemon or some other kind of bitter hops, great flavors. One of the best haefe flavor profiles I have tasted. Crisp, clean. very nice carbonation. Great overall feel.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 05:46:25 | More by mikesgroove

jheezee

Texas

3/5  rDev -6.8%

12-08-2011 05:55:24 | More by jheezee

ATXRyan

Texas

3/5  rDev -6.8%

11-17-2011 19:19:02 | More by ATXRyan

SWMeyer4141

Texas

2.78/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Drank straight out of hte bottle.(3.0 Appearance should be fair)

Smell-Light wheat aroma, some sweetness

Taste-Wheat up front with a sweet middle and a slightly bitter finish. Kinda boring. Wheats aren't my thing, but I've had some decent ones, this ones kind of dull, and got old real fast

Mouthfeel-Smooth and Drinkable. Light bodied, carbonation sneaks up on you.

Overall-Love to support texas beers, and this beer is not the worst I've had. However I like to try and review to style, and this below average.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 01:32:21 | More by SWMeyer4141

JMad

Texas

3.2/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I drank this from an hexagonal glass...

The color is hazy pale gold with a thin filmy white head that was very small. It smells of lemon, wheat and butterscotch, the aroma is very light. The taste is kind of weak, I picked up some sour wheat and lemon, that's about it. I thought this beer was slightly metallic, light bodied, low carbonation, and a dry finish. I thought this was a very mediocre example of a wheat beer, it was just lacking flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 23:31:58 | More by JMad

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had a bottle after a long bike ride and while it was a satisfying lawnmower beer, it was quite simple and plain. There was a sweet pale wheat bread flavor with a vaguely fruity yeast character that only seemed to muddle things up. Drinkable but uninspiring.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 23:58:09 | More by tempest

DoktorZee

Alberta (Canada)

3.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap into a pint glass.

A - Fairly traditional/expected unfiltered wheat beer appearance - yellow and hazy. Practically no head and no lacing.

S - yeasty/toasty malts

T - very subdued; a few sour fruit overtones resolving into a significant but generic toasty malt.

M - light and crisp, but lacking a bit of oomph

D - Quite drinkable due to its lightness and non-specific character, but that's also a fairly big drawback

A so-so beer; not something I'd have again given a range of choice.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2011 16:45:33 | More by DoktorZee

bisonkron

Texas

1.8/5  rDev -44.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Appearance - Light golden color. Did not pour with any head, seems I got a bad bottle, one without much carbonation.

Smell - This may not be saying much, due to the fact that I have a below average sense of smell, but I could not smell anything, which is usually not the case, and I do not believe anything but the beer itself was hampering me smelling it.

Taste - Much like the smell, I did not find must as far as taste goes here. I could tell it was a wheat beer, but just barely, I may have gotten a bad 6-pack, which makes me want to stay away from this brand in the future.

Mouthfeel - Flat and extremely watery, it was hard to tell I was drinking beer at all.

Drinkability - I would not have another. Very bland, even for a light wheat beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 02:06:06 | More by bisonkron

Ek0nomik

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured In: Snifter
Attained through a trade (Thanks Neil!)

Appearance: The pour unleashes 4 fingers of frothy head with fairly good retention. The color is a golden wheat and sunshine straw. The beer has been filtered as it's quite clear which I wasn't expecting. There's a few splashes of lace on the side of the glass that look quite fragile.

Smell: The nose has a touch of spice including pepper and clove, but mostly grains from the wheat.

Taste: Grains from the wheat start off the tasting with some clove and pepper coming through near the end. The bitterness seems a tad above the normal wheat beer.

Mouthfeel: Thin bodied, carbonation is right for the style. I enjoyed it after it sat for a bit so the carbonation could die down.

Drinkability: I believe this is my first Independence beer, but there's more to come. This was a very drinkable beer, seems like a low ABV.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 01:52:35 | More by Ek0nomik

ktrillionaire

Florida

2.55/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Provided to me by a BA who shall remain nameless to protect his identity. Thanks, unnamed BA.

A - Gold with a scant white cap and no lace. Lots of flecks of sediment floating around in this otherwise translucent brew. But that is not all: the label is insane. I actually can't believe it passed regulatory muster; it shows a shirtless teenage boy frolicking in the pool, not exactly appropriate booze-marketing fodder. This is serious insane. Why did they want this label? And who the hell made this 'art'? Some say they've only got three things in Texas... judging strictly by this label I would say that this brewery seems to have at least two of them.

S - Cheap, sweaty and lemony.

T - To quote Ben, who is sharing this with me. "This is what I remember beer tasting like when I was six years old and I took a sip of my Dad's beer... It has all of the elements that you usually cannot find in a craft beer."

M - Uggghhh. But refreshing.

D - Spectacular in its ineptitude, from the ultra-bizarre label to the look and finally the taste. But it is refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2010 05:46:48 | More by ktrillionaire

jzm2500

Texas

3.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a great, great summertime beer. Prominent toasty malt and just enough sweetness. This is a very balanced and refreshing brew. It's not complex, and I'm not complaining. Drinkability is superb. I've only ever had it straight from the bottle, so I can't comment on appearance.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 15:53:56 | More by jzm2500

MurphyMacManus

Texas

3.63/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz. bottle into pint glass.

A: cloudy gold with a white head that died within seconds of pouring.

S: Citrus, other fruit (apples, pears), and wheat funk. If the head had lasted longer than 10 seconds, I might have more to say.

T/M: Wheat malt, low bitterness; apple- and pear-like fruitiness is up front and easy to miss. Slight pale malt sweetness and a citric note in the middle. Carbonation is present but not heavy. Was expecting more carbonation and more of a head. Finishes with wheat twang.

D: Highly drinkable, even without proper carbonation levels.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 00:20:41 | More by MurphyMacManus

Mora2000

Texas

3.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to thirdeye11 for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a clear yellow color with a white head. The aroma is lots of wheat. The flavor is wheat with a little bit of sweetness. There is something a little bit off about the flavor, but I can't figure out exactly what it is. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2010 03:32:50 | More by Mora2000

omnigrits

Texas

3.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Wheat beers are not to my taste (in fact some of them make me want to chunder) but every now and again I try a new one just to keep my palate abreast of all beer styles.

I think I'd have to say that this one is the least wheat beer-like wheat beer I've tasted so far. I understand that there's a minimal amount of wheat in this brew so I guess that would account for it.

Pours a clear pale straw colour with plenty of bubbles rising through the pint. Head's a bit thin but lasts. Strong smell of fruit over an obvious wheat base. Apples and pears are suggested. Good amount of bitterness. Finishes very dry and crisp. Body could be a bit more full, I think. I reckon wheat beer drinkers would find this refreshing on a hot Texas summer day.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2009 22:33:48 | More by omnigrits

BeanBone

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: A somewhat hazy, golden-orange body with a nice, near white head. Great curtains of lace.

Aroma: Sharp citrus and some apple cider notes over a wheat base. Almost reminiscent of an apple pie at times.

Taste: A solid cereal-like wheat backbone is very much in charge here, and is heavy on the cereal-grain flavors. It reminds me of Weetabix, which is certainly not a bad thing. There's a little hop character towards the back, but this is certainty a wheat-forward beer. The aftertaste keeps the cereal flavors going.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with good carbonation. It dries a little in the finish.

Drinkability: You really can't fault it here, this is quite quaffable.

Verdict: A unique take on the American Pale Wheat Ale style, Freestyle is a likable beer for me. It has more of a spotlight on the wheat than most beers in this category, which offers up a nice change of pace that I appreciate. Still an easy and refreshing drink, this would be great on a Summer's day here in the Lone Star State.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2009 18:50:57 | More by BeanBone