Sweaty Betty Blonde - Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub

BigCheese

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle from a mix pack. Its been a very long time since I've had a wheat beer, been kinda craving one, this should be interesting.

A: Lemonade color, almost white, very cloudy, minimal head, no real lacing, could be due to non pristine glassware.

S: Theres that wheaty yeast I've been missing, very sweet with some banana in there. Also has a sweaty/barnyard laundry smell, must be why they call it sweaty b

T: Wheaty/yeasty up front, lot of non-sour lemon (i.e. fake lemon), quite sweet.

M: Low carbonation but for the style seems a bit heavy/rich in body. Alcohol not dominating, not as sessionable as many of this style though.

O: I'm not crazy about the style but this is one of the better offering for the style. These types often taste "cheap" this one doesnt. That said I wont seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 02:43:57 | More by BigCheese

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours very pale yellow with a bit of haze and a big white head. No retention, no lace.

Bubblegum/banana/yeast/clove notes. Some nutty wheat. THis works.

Not super strong in the flavor dept. Sweet wheat, some yeast, some grain and a little husk bitterness. Finishes with light bitter, carbonated water, and sweet wheat.

A little thin, but still ok.

A decent one, although flawed. The balance of flavor is there, just lacks strength/intensity of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 01:54:41 | More by OtherShoe2

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.03/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A bright gold pour, 1/2" head, admirable the way it tried to stick around. A lemony aroma, but not much else to speak of.

Easy going taste, discernably wheat, mild flavors of banana and lemon, grass. Hopping is prolly around 30 ibu. Relatively balanced, mildly sweet, a little metallic bitterness creeps into the mouthfeel, what was once a small dallop of tartness gets progressively more aggressive as the metal exerts itself. Made me wonder if this was part of the weird pallet of boulder beer come into Reno recently.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 00:24:00 | More by Beerandraiderfan

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Freshness date stamped on bottle neck... Thanks Boulder Beer! Poured into a pint glass.

Pours lemon-peel yellow with a billowy white snowy three fingers of head. For an APWA, the head lasts like a champ. This is a very light colored beer, and appears like it is going to showcase some nice crackery wheat-malt flavor.

Smells as expected, very light yeasty notes (without bite) and some pale grains. Good so far.

There is more yeast flavor than expected from the nose or from the style guidelines, but this isn't a bad thing. As I hoped there is some wheat flavor and it displays a bit of cracker. The yeast is nearly like a mild European style wheat ale, and it blurs the line between this style and that. Well done.

The mouthfeel is light and highly carbonated. The body seems to come as much from the carbonation as from the ingredients.

Conclusion: Fine work by Boulder Beer. This is a very light beer and I think it would work amazingly on cask in the summer, or out of a growler at least (less carbonation). For some reason I always had the impression that this wasn't a worthwhile beer, and I am happy to be corrected. Boulder Beer sticks mostly to mainstream styles, but they do them well.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 22:39:48 | More by allforbetterbeer

Windigo

Virginia

2.03/5  rDev -41.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Sweaty Betty is definitely a dishwater blonde...she's sorta weak altogether. Now look, if you do not like the traditional skunk of a heffe...then you may actually enjoy this. The appearance when poured was cloudy and not in a good way. The nose was a metallic skunk reminding me of fennel. The head was short-lived at best but it kicked up high initially like a wheat should. I expect a fruity experience from an American wheat....totally disappointed as were my Beer Geeks.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 21:11:15 | More by Windigo

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

4.18/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - She's a blonde alright. Clear and yellow with a moderate amount of rising bubbles. The head is relatively short-lived as it started out around a half inch and receded to a mere trace at the surface.

S - Bananas and a hint of clove make for an inviting aroma. This is a fine characteristic.

T - A tasty beer light in the malt area and firm in the fruity banana notes.

M - The feel is rather smooth and even bordering on silky. It goes down very easy and doesn't have a rough touch on my lips, tongue or throat.

~ This is a fine sessioning beer. The flavor is good and the rest of the beer makes it an easily consumed beverage that I would certainly recommend to friends and would like to see offered in 12 packs.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 00:48:12 | More by cdkrenz

FosterJM

California

3.35/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

832nd Review on BA
Bottle to Weizen
12 oz

Enjoy By 10/20/11

Thanks to @beertographer(via twitter)

App- A dark cloudy yellow and fades a few colors down to a watery lemonade color. A two finger fast receding heat with a good amount of sticky cling.

Smell- A mix of small light Wit notes. A bit coriander and spice with some pale malts and a tad bitter hopping. A little bit of lemon as well.

Taste- I'm really torn here, its not that far above being average to warrant a 3.5 but not don’t want to say its average but Ill say it was very crisp a bit lagerish in taste at points but not so much as to call it bad. A bit more of the wheat comes out in the taste and has a touch more lemon vs the spice of the wit I smelled.

Mouth- A light bodied beer with a high carbonation level. A crisp lemon and wheat residual flavor.

Drink- This was pretty tasty for an extra. I’m not normally the biggest blonde fan so I was skeptical at first but after seeing the reviews and bottle closely. Its more pale wheat above all else. Good beer for a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 17:57:26 | More by FosterJM

output01x

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. capped bottle (Enjoy By 10/20/11) into a pint glass.

A strong pour yields a 2-finger off-white head that fades after a few minutes to a thin, clumpy dusting and thin foam ring. The body is an extremely cloudy straw gold. Some light lacing can be noticed throughout consumption.

The nose is dominated by wheat with notes of lemon zest, banana, and clove. A light floral hops aroma is also detectable. The nose is not super-strong but is decent.

Similar to the nose, the taste is primarily wheat with lemon zest, orange peel, banana, and, of course, clove. Some light honey and biscuit flavors are also there. Also like the nose, the taste is not as strong as some other beers in this style, but it is complex and enjoyable.

Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation, this beer has an easy-drinking quality about it. The body, while not thick, definitely has a meatiness to it that really helps the flavors stand out. The carbonation is a little fizzy but does not seem to detract from the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 01:01:18 | More by output01x

chinchill

South Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle dated 23 Dec. 2010 served in a pint glass on a hot day.

Straw color. A moderate pour produced only enough head to cover the top, and that quickly reduced to a thin small island and ring. The beer was only slightly hazy at first, but some sediment in the bottom of the bottle was added with visible effect. Visible carbonation ranging from fine to coarse.

S - a slightly pungent aroma mainly featuring wheat and yeast. Faintly floral and fruity. Not much, if any sign of hops.

T - not a big fan of wheat beers, on the whole, and this one has a unmistakable wheat element, yet I found the beer to be somewhat appealing and drinkable ... not a glowing endorsement, for sure, but about average for style. My main gripe is that is lacks hop presence, even in the faintly hoppy finish.

M - There's some crispness, a thin body, and a slightly dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 21:13:39 | More by chinchill

GarrettB

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sweaty Betty is Boulder Beer’s entry into the wheat beer style. I personally love wheat beers - they’re refreshing, taste like a meal, and have a wonderful consistency and high standard between breweries, with enough flexibility in style and character to make each one different. Boulder Beer’s wheat feels less like a unique brew than others (Easy Street Wheat, for example, tastes very different) but remains an deeply satisfying beer. The aroma is strong and seducing, packed with lemon, white grapes, and the by now familiar coupling of banana esters and a touch of exotic clove. The flavor is less thrilling, losing much of its depth in a haze of heavy carbonation. I mostly detect wheat and corn tortilla flavors, gradually panning out to include some banana on the tongue, but tragically little. The Sweaty Betty is still a fair sample of the style, and I hope to set it aside and drink it in comparative calm and quiet. However, as a coaster-dampener for a cool summer evening it fared admirably, even if not spectacularly. The memory of that evening belongs to the grill and the sunset, not the beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 20:54:38 | More by GarrettB

Tballz420

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It pours out a pale straw colored beer, pretty cloudy, with a small and short-lived white head topping it off. The nose consists of wheat grain and pale malt, with some hints of floral hop and lemon zest. The taste starts off with pale malt, a fair amount of wheat grain, a bit of sweetness, and finishes with a splash of lemon juice, and a light, floral hop background. A bit of spice as well. Maybe just a hint of banana as well, a taste I more often associate with Hefes than filtered wheats. Light mouthfeel and pretty refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 19:58:54 | More by Tballz420

secondtooth

Indiana

3.85/5  rDev +11%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pale gold in complexion, with a nice white head and minimal lace.

Nose is sweet honey and biscuits. Solid.

Tastes clean, with a little graininess and honey. I get a kiss of citrus from the mild hops at the finish, too. A nice touch.

A bright and easy-drinking session ale -- quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 15:21:34 | More by secondtooth

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sweaty Betty, which thankfully in no way resembles its name in smell or taste, begins with a spicy, peppery, banana-and-clove-laden aroma that closely resembles a Belgian, but is separated by a bit more spice and wildness, and a hint of effervescent lemon.

On the tongue, the first notes are almost Flemish sour, but quickly turn into a clove-and-banana festival, accompanied by lemons, oranges, and berries. There is a not-very-subtle smack of good banana bread in here, eaten alongside a bowl Grape Nuts cereal. Small hints of bitter, citrusy hops waver around the edges, becoming more prominent late in the mouthful. The aftertaste is where most of the wheat flavor comes in, thick fields of wet grain sprinkling the tastebuds, as well as a continuation of the hops. Mouthfeel is medium-light, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is quite good beer, and unique enough in flavor to set itself apart from many of its peers. The brew is balanced and flavorful, and would, I suspect, be quite thirst-quenching in mid-summer. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 02:24:24 | More by jondeelee

pinotboy007

Virginia

2.53/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Would love to meet the gal who inspired this. :)

Nevertheless . . .

A-Quick, bright white head evolves and vanishes, with no lacing. The beer itself is a clear, light straw color.

S-As it warms it starts to gain some complexity but it's nothing exotic with some of the usual bubble gum aroma.

T-Pretty straight forward which given our 100 degree heat of late, is not a bad thing. Some minor wheat inflection and a tad bland, to be honest. Not much aftertaste, but if you're having mussles or some shellfish this would work.

M-Nice up front but thins out a bit much in the middle, leadign me to belive this would be good with shellfish on a warm day.

O-Not bad. I'd buy it again for some sort of summer event.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 19:19:56 | More by pinotboy007

SouthFLBeerLover

Florida

3.13/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Very light yellow color with a small head that dissipates rather quickly.

S: Not much going on there. I prefer wheat beer that you can really smell the wheat in it.

T: Not bad, but not great either. Could be little more wheaty, after all this is a Pale Wheat Ale.

M: Small bubbles. Slightly watery.

O: An average wheat beer that goes down smoothly on a hot summer day, but by no means one of the better wheat beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 22:00:48 | More by SouthFLBeerLover

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.88/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a Pint glass.

Look - light golden color, clear, with about a finger's worth of off-white foam that dissipates quickly.

Smell - typical wheat beer smell, but more floral and sweeter than I've noticed from other wheats.

Taste and Mouthfeel - typical wheat beer taste too, but pretty smooth and subtle, not overwhelming at all. Texture is very well-balanced. Doesn't seem to have many or any added tastes, except for maybe a slight citrus flavor, to detract from the wheat.

Overall - not a bad brew at all, and I think a good representation of a wheat ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 03:33:50 | More by Nerudamann

danmcg62

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A-Pours a semi clear golden blonde with minimal head retention.

S-Lemons with other citrus fruits.

T-Thin lemon taste with no real hop character. Grainy, straw taste as well. Just OK.

M-As with the taste it is very thin and watery.

O-Overall this is an OK wheat beer. Would drink this on a hot summer day, but probably wouldn't actively seek it out again. There's better wheat beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 22:05:44 | More by danmcg62

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a standard pint glass; very thin head that dissipates very quickly, color is pale straw with decent carbonation, nothing outstanding here.

Smell is light bread and biscuit, hint of maltiness and a hint of banana and spices.

Taste is mild bread and biscuit flavors, more noticeable hints of spice, clove and yeast flavors and hint of banana. Everything is light, but decent tasting.

Mouthfeel is light and well balanced, a little crisp from the carbonation but good for this brew.

Overall, a solid brew, but nothing above normal or setting it apart. Quite drinkable and decent taste, a little off and light on the nose with average presentation.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 00:11:06 | More by mvanaskie13

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Clear yellow in color with an inch and a half of foamy head. Carbonation looks good.

S - Smells of light grain, sweet malts, banana, clove... wtf? Is this a hefeweisen? Even the yeast smell is there

T - Not bad for a pale wheat. Expected just hops with slight heavy grain or wheat but got some sweet overripe banana and a bit of spicy yeast. Surprised the hell out of me (How did they do it without the hazy color?)

M - Pretty much the best part really light to medium which is pretty nice for the ABV

Overall wow to surprised those expecting to review to style? Fail for the brewery. But for a guy expecting the typical blonde. It drank rather well. Kudos guys this is a nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 04:57:19 | More by DrDemento456

vfgccp

New York

2.88/5  rDev -17%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A – Pale banana yellow. Thin white head.

S – Yeast, hay, wheat. Just a hint of banana sweetness.

T – Tastes like a light hefeweisen. Banana, wheat, orange zest. Lime-like acidity on the backend. Touch of coriander.

M – Light body. Shade watery. Underwhelming carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 15:29:09 | More by vfgccp

jsh420

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

best by may 23 2011

pours hazy straw yellow with 1+ finger white head that faded fast and left no lacing

smells very faint - i pick up a little banana

taste is much better then the nose - light wheaty grains and banana

mouthfeel is light crisp and very refreshing

overall - this might not be the best or even in the top 10 in pale wheats but i could knock back many of these on a hot summer day - this is on par with goose 312 without the lemon

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 02:35:47 | More by jsh420

Bendurgin

Maine

3/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured this into a pint glass. This one appears a hazy pale yellow color with about a finger of creamy white head. The head dissolves down to a thin layer of foam pretty quickly.

Kind of grainy in the aroma with a little bit of spicy hops in the background. A little bit of a banana aroma to this also. Toast malt flavor with peppery hops. A little bit sweet to finish in it. Nothing really exciting going on here, but also nothing offensive going on here.

The feel is light and the carbonation is a bit prickley. Overall, nothing bad but nothing great. I don't see myself going back to this one, but I wouldn't turn it away.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 01:49:00 | More by Bendurgin

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Sweaty Betty pours out like a typical wheat beer with some haze but also seems a bit lighter in color. The aroma smells soft like wheat and some banana. The taste is on the light side, almost too light for a wheat beer in my opinion. The mouthfeel is very drinkable and easy going. I just wish this beer was a little bit more flavorful. It really doesn't have many bragging rights. There are better wheat beers out there than this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 01:06:22 | More by Knapp85

TheWhiskerReview

Tennessee

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy golden yellow with a moderate white head and a lively carbonation which helps retain the head thoughout most of the brew. The nose is bright with mostly wheat- influenced flavors- aromas of banana, peach, white clove- and maybe a faint touch of hoppy flowers. The palate is medium-bodied and creamy with a smooth delivery and flavors of banana, lemon and vanilla leading to a moderate, fruity and mouthwatering finish. This isn't my favorite style, but it's done well for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 01:59:08 | More by TheWhiskerReview

ZeroSignal

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, bottles 12/10, poured into SA Pint

A - Pale, somewhat hazy straw yellow with a scant, tight white head. Lacing and retention is minimal.

S - Light in the nose...mostly clove and coriander

T&M - Lighter bodied and crisp. Has the typical "softness" associated with higher wheat content. Clove and coriander from the nose carry through into the flavor. Faint hint of a spicy, peppery nature, with a touch of fruity sweetness in the finish. Aftertaste has a light yeasty chalkiness.

O - This is my second beer out of a Boulder Mix Pack, and I'm starting to sense a pattern. Is this an amazing beer or a shining example of the style? No. Is it highly drinkable and relatively enjoyable? Yes; in fact, I could see giving this to some non-craft beer drinking friends and probably have them enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 03:14:54 | More by ZeroSignal