Trader Joe's Bavarian Style Hefeweizen - Trader Joe's Brewing Company

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.08/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle pours a cloudy dark orange color with a moderate cap of off-white head. Decent retention, poor lacing. A litter darker than I would have liked to see.

Nose is yeasty and phenolic, almost to the point of smelling plastic-y. Cloves outweigh the banana it seems. Sweet and malty as opposed to a nice snappy wheat background.

Taste is lemony and sweet with the yeast having plenty of influence, but gets that same plastic flavor that is a bit unpleasant. That said, it is still drinkable and I wont have too much problem finishing the sixer....probably wont go back for more though. Worth the $6 experiment.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 18:09:58 | More by twiggamortis420

metter98

New York

3.53/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is rather dark yellow in color with some amber hues. It's relatively clear and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin white head that quickly died down, leaving a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Strong aromas of bananas and yeast are present in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste is dominated by flavors of banana-like yeast with notes of wheat and hints of sweetness.
M: It feels a little more than light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is rather dark for the style and is absolutely packed with flavors of bananas. It's not as refreshing compared to some hefeweizens.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 17:38:44 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a hazy dark golden orange to copper in color with moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some orange + amber highlights. The beer has a half finger tall off-white head that reduces to a medium patch of very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of carbonation.

S: Moderate aromas of banana with some much lighter aromas of clove and wheat.

T: Overall the beer is slightly sweet with light flavors of wheat and pale malts but that is dominated by overripe banana. There are light hints of clove in the background. Minimal amounts of bitterness but a slightly metallic flavor in the finish.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin/watery.

O: This is an OK beer for the price but is certainly not going to compare well against the German or good American breweries. It is easy to drink but I really wish there was more clove present and that the banana was not quite as sweet. This is about the darkest colored beer of the style that I have come across.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 17:37:08 | More by dbrauneis

McStagger

California

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Bought this by accident. Decided to try it anyways. Haven't had a wheat beer in years.

A: Murky, jaundiced yellow. Very hazy. Two fingers creme brulee head. Decent retention. Decent lacing.

S: Ah, there it is. Banana taffy, clove, all spice, bubblegum and a bit of funkiness. Not my favorite style, but a very good example of what the style should be.

T: More subtle notes of banana, candy and clove in the background. Nice, delicate malt sweetness in the foreground.

M: Soft, delicate. Delightful, honestly. Good carbonation to keep things from becoming flabby. Very approachable.

O: Pretty good example of the style, especially considering the price. Still, I bought this by mistake and won't be buying it (or pretty much any other wheat) again.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 05:42:16 | More by McStagger

barczar

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a tad hazy light brown color with a frothy one inch cream head that dissipates slowly, leaving solid lacing.

Banana, clove, orange, and wheat begin the aroma, which is fairly sweet. Coriander and a hint of diacetyl add intrigue.

Flavor is fairly citrusy, with tart orange and banana leading the profile, accompanied by wheat and lightly toasted malt. Clove, coriander, and white pepper finish things off fairly dry.

Body is moderate, with fairly high carbonation. It's pretty spritzy.

Standard flavor profile for a hefe. Nothing exceptional. Slight graininess.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 03:43:22 | More by barczar

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Celebrator pokal. Pours a light to medium golden amber with a two finger slightly off-white head with good retention and lacing. Classic aroma of whetat, banana, slight caramel malt, clove and yeast. Flavor of wheat, yeast, light caramal malt and banana. Slightly dry and abrupt finish. Light body with decent carbonation for a pleasant mouth feel. A decent low-key hefewezen that won't compete with Weihenstephaner, but a good choice for a widely available decent hefeweizen. This was labelled as a Josephs Brau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen, but likely the same brew and ABV as the Trader Joe's labelled one.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 00:59:57 | More by LiquidAmber

augustgarage

California

3.63/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Best before March, 2013. Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Ayinger Weizen glass.

The liquid is a cloudy gradient of golden poppy, jonquil, with hints of brighter shades. A thick finger of off-white mousse leaves waves of sticky yet thin lacing behind. Good retention.

Yeast-forward aroma with plenty of clove-like phenols...

Spicy palate entry with plenty of tartness from the wheat followed by hints of lemon. The profile grows sweeter as the beer expands over the tongue with a rough mixture of chewing gum and sourdough starter. Finishes medium-dry and refreshing though not as clean as the best examples of the style.

Soft, well carbonated, medium-bodied mouthfeel.

One of my favorite beers produced for Trader Joe's - a reasonable domestic approximation of a classic German style, pairing well with food, all for an exceptional value (less than $1/bottle).

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 00:58:50 | More by augustgarage

Cavanaghty

Maine

2.63/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from bottle into a smaple glass.

Appearance: Cloudy copper color. about two fingers of white head.

Smell: Bananas, wheat, and alcohol.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Medium to light bodied. Grassy taste with alcohol.

Overall: Not really impressed by this beer, I actually expected better from the Trader Joe's selection.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 19:46:25 | More by Cavanaghty

devilben02

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy orange, with a fizzy beige head. The aroma features all of the characteristic notes of a traditional hefeweizen, with clove and banana being most prominent. The flavor is a bit sweet, with the esters coming across as banana pudding and bubble gum, but there was also some dry, must hop character to cut the sweetness at least a little. The texture was light and fizzy, which made the beer go down easy, but it lacked some substance. Overall, this beer is drinkable and had a decent flavor profile, which is about as much as I expected and hoped.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 13:30:03 | More by devilben02

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.1/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a cloudy dark amber color more befitting a dunkelweizen than anything. Head isn't very impressive, a one finger offwhite color lacking the great texture and retention of the best German hefe's.

S: Banana, wheat, brown sugar, and a little bubblegum. Despite being rather subdued, it's quite enjoyable.

T: The esters don't drive this one like other hefe's do, rather it relies on the malt driving the flavor, kind of like an APWA, but not quite. There's enough banana ester to provide a small modicum of complexity, but let's be fair, this isn't complex. It hits all of the style buttons, but it just lacks the X-factor of the best in the style.

M: Slightly flabby, which is never a good thing for a beer like this. It's still pretty refreshing, though, and easy enough to drink on a hot summer day. Well carbonated.

O: It's decent enough. Probably one of the better beers in the Josephsbrau line, but personally, I'd rather spend a few more dollars on a genuinely world class hefe from SN or Weihenstephaner.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 19:09:13 | More by ThisWangsChung

beertunes

Washington

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into 9oz pilsener glass. Poured a very cloudy (and not the typical Hefe cloudy, more of a denser color type of cloudy) brownish yellow with over an inch of white head that had decent retention and very light lacing.

The aroma featured the expected yeast, clove and banana scents, but the wheat scent was very light and showed up mostly in the back. A very subdued aroma in general. The flavors were very similar, all the typical aspects, but very soft and understated.

The body was just on the light side of average. Drinkability was decent, you could easily kill a sixer of these on a summer's day. Overall, a decent enough beer, especially considering the price point. At less than $7 for a sixer, it's worth a shot, just don't expect to be blown away.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 19:42:39 | More by beertunes

BucannonXC5

California

4.08/5  rDev +14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My house on July 8, 2012. Bottle into pint glass. Two fingers of head that dissipated very quickly. Copper brown color. Light white bubbly lacing with no retention.

Smelled banana, caramel and cloves. Also light notes of Circus Candy, bubble gum and citrus hops.

Tasted pretty close to the nose. Got banana, cloves and bubble gum right away, giving way to light citrus notes. Slight Circus Candy as well. Good balance overall.

Light-to-medium body. Thin texture. Average carbonation. Long, relatively smooth finish.

Was pleasantly surprised with this beer overall. Just a really good Hefe.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 06:21:51 | More by BucannonXC5

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle served in a standard shaker pint.

pours a very hazy dull golden yellow with 2" spritzy head that quickly recedes; not much lacing to speak of. nose is solid but not wowing; offers banana and clove with secondary notes of bubblegum and wheat.

taste isn't bad, follows the aroma pretty closely. a bit on the sweet side with the banana, clove, and bubblegum flavors all pulling through. definitely a wheaty presence. reasonably enjoyable. medium-light bodied with slightly above average carbonation.

overall this is a decent, drinkable beer and a reasonably priced one; nothing more, nothing less.

originally reviewed: 04-06-2011

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 21:36:18 | More by BostonHops

Luigi

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a cloudy yellow color with a big fluffy white head. Head retention is great as it sticks around till the last sip. Nice lacing as well.

The aroma is full of the banana nut bread, mild citrus, and cloves.

The taste is what I would want out of the style. Soft wheat, banana and lemon hints, and some spicy clove.

Light and crisp. Very easy to drink

Overall, this brewery has met every expectation one would want out of a Hefeweizen. Great price too!!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 21:10:50 | More by Luigi

sommersb

Tennessee

3.35/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 04-18-2012
Freshness: Best by 06-12-2012
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle
Glassware: Weizen glass
Purchased: Mixpack from Trader Joe's

A: Pours a cloudy, yellow-orange color, topped by a white head standing 2 fingers high. Lacing is OK but seems weak for the style; head retention is low.

S: Standard bananas and cloves in the aroma, plus a bit of lemon.

T: The malted wheat brings a moderate level of sweetness; no perceived bitterness. Overall flavors are fruity, with the same banana and citrus as in the aroma.

M: Prickly feel due to the high carbonation, with a medium body. Finish is fruity and spicy.

O: Overall I'd say this is an enjoyable wheat beer, but nothing outstanding. I'd probably but it again for the good value.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 02:37:49 | More by sommersb

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

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

Hazy amber/orange with a finger-thick, bubbly white head. Lots of banana, clove, cream and lemongrass in the aroma; floral and mildly earthy. citrus, banana and clove spice with a bubbly, sour mouthfeel on the first sip. Evenly light bodied with smooth sugared and sour fruit flavors. Soft spiciness and fermented fruit on the finish. Pretty standard hefe.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 22:06:32 | More by YouSkeete

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.13/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured this Hefeweizen from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. It pored a hazy orangish color. Produced a thick off white head, great retention and left nice lacing on the glass. The aroma was very nice, full of banana and cloves. Medium in body, this brew had a creamy smooth mouthfeel, Malted grain, lemon citrus, spicy clove and yeasty banana flavor. Decent example of a German Hefe but leaves a little to be desired. Overall average beer- Prost!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 02:04:03 | More by GossageBrewery

UCLABrewN84

California

3.7/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best before 2/29/12.

Pours a slightly murky honey orange with a 1 inch foamy off-white head that fades to an oily film on top of the beer. Small steaks of lace form randomly on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of wheat, spices, yeast, and some light banana/fruit aromas. There is a very slight bubble gum aroma that comes out more as the beer warms as well. Taste is of wheat and spices up front with banana and yeast coming through more on the aftertaste. This beer has pretty good level of carbonation with a medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good hefeweizen and another good deal for $1 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:42:39 | More by UCLABrewN84

rodney45

New York

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

A: Light orange and hazy. Creamy thin head.

S: Pilsner malt, wheat, orange and caramel.

T: Wheat malt, and lemon. Caraway, cloves and other belgian spices. A hint of over ripe banana. Finish is dry and sweet.

M: Light to medium body. Medium carbonation.

O: A good hefeweizen. Solid flavor profile for beer thats a buck a bottle from trader joes.

Food pairing: Pair with a breaded and fried talapia over an arugula salad with basil dressing, on a warm summer evening.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 07:43:50 | More by rodney45

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, best by 2/2012,

A: Pours a hazy cloudy amber with a medium white head. Solid lace.

S: Great banana nose with a hint of honey and bubblegum. Reminds me a lot of Mission Hefe.

T: Some tangy lemon upfront. Lots of wheat malt taste, light acidity, bubblegum finish,

M: Light-bodied, very crisp and biting. Mild acidity, very direct.

O: Almost a hybrid of the hefe and American wheat style. Has the flavours of a hefe but with the crisp and acidity play of and APWA. Well made for sure, a steal at $6/6er.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 06:03:53 | More by Halcyondays

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled purchased from Trader Joe's in Omaha, NE.
Best by 3/12/2012.
Poured into a Weihenstephaner weizen glass.

Pours a large head, though perhaps small for the style of fairly small bubbles that form a tight, off-white mass of foam. Declines over a minute to a solid cap, 0.5cm high, on top of the beer at all times. Body is dark orange-brown out of light, lighter gold color when in. Hazy from suspended yeast, carbonation that supports the head somewhat visible.

Aroma of ripe bananas, clove, allspice, dilute wheat malt, applesauce, and some vanilla. Not bad, not bad at all.

Taste opens with wheat malt sweetness on the tip of the tongue, switching to a nice banana flavor mid-palate that lingers throughout the tasting. Also appearing are clove, allspice, and bubblegum. Slight taste of ethanol, surprising for a 5.3% ABV beer. The banana ester is a bit high in the finish, but not overwhelming. A few knocks, but still fairly tasty.

Beer is medium-bodied, a bit watery around the edges, with about a medium-level of carbonation. Carbonation allows for a fairly creamy mouthfeel to develop. Finish is quite dry.

Unless my bottle is way fresher or an improved recipe than what some people are reviewing, this is a fairly underappreciated beer. Actually more enjoyable, as in full in flavor, (or more fresh, not sure) than several export German hefeweizens I've had. If you see it, grab one, and review with an open mind.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 06:17:09 | More by falloutsnow

Amorrn

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

Appearence: Pours a hazy straw color with two fingers of creamy white head. Some lacing is apparent as I drink the brew.

Smell: Strong banana bread hits you first, with mild notes of clove beneath it.

Taste: Definite banana bread and spice notes, with perhaps a bit of grapefruit in there as well. Very pleasant.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, but a bit on the light side. Not amazing but not bad, either.

Overall: For $1 a bottle at my local Trader Joe's, it's a good choice. Not outstanding but a good value with good flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 23:16:17 | More by Amorrn

kojevergas

California

2.93/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into stemware in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Reviewed live.

A: Pours a half finger head of slight cream, bad thickness, and bad retention. Colour is a nontransparent caramel copper.

Sm: Heavy fermented banana is all that comes through. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Banana up front, with clove and spice on the climax over a malted wheat foundation. It's a little heavy on the banana for a hefeweizen; maybe a different yeast is in order. Complex enough and effectively built and balanced.

Mf: A bit too sharp. Certainly overcarbonated, resulting in an unpleasant fizzy coarseness. It's wet and somewhat refreshing as well.

Dr: Quite drinkable and excellently priced. I'd try it if I found it on draught, but it's nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 23:19:57 | More by kojevergas

mwilbur

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from 12 oz bottle into weizen glass.
A: Pours a hazy golden yellow with high carbonation producing a 2 inch billowy white head. Not half bad.
S: Nice clove, banana, and mild sweet caramel malt aroma.
T: Uh oh...nose-dive here. Watery, off balance, and just not tasting right. Jumbled mess of banana, clove, and malt. Not good.
M: Light body. Thin and watery.
D: I was about to be amazed by this beer up until the taste. DP. Bottomline--don't waste your time.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 04:04:18 | More by mwilbur

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: The Trader Joe's Bavarian Hefeweizen has a sandy golden color with a hazy center and a soft frothy white head. It fades to a ring pretty quickly and doesn't bother leaving any lace.

Smell: Banana really dominates the aroma. Some light clove is there as well. Cereal grains provide the support.

Taste: The flavor is more malt centric than the aroma. Bready grains bring a honey sweetness. Moderate banana flavor and some hushed clove spiciness come out of the yeast, but overall it is fairly clean.

Mouthfeel: Very typical mouthfeel for the style. Slightly creamy carbonation, a little bit grainy, sticky sweet, with a light to medium body.

Overall: This is another acceptable beer from TJ's. Better than BMC for sure, but it is not quite up to basic craft beer standards.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 01:22:37 | More by KickInTheChalice