Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Axic10

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden color with originally two fingers of fluffy foam due to shaking up the yeast before pouring the rest into the glass. Head settles to half a finger. Good looking Hefeweizen.

Smell: Pleasant aroma of banana, clove and other spices, and a slight citrus character. Very nice smelling beer.

Taste: Banana, bready malt, yeast, clove and spices hit at the end. Sierra Nevada nailed this one.

Mouthfeel: Not quite light bodied but not quite medium bodied. Nice carbonation.

Drinkability: I would put this as the new standard for gateway craft beers, ironically replacing SNPA (IMO). A very enjoyable session beer that won't offend too many palates. A steal of a deal for an $8 six pack, will be bringing this to cook outs this summer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2010 03:29:35 | More by Axic10

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this for 1.99 at my local Beer Nutz! Score!

A - Pours a nice Hazy orange Heffe color with white straw head. Looks pretty standard.

S - Clove is strong and malt produces mild banana smell with wheat backbone. Very nice.

T - The taste is spot on. Overwhelming taste of clove and banana surrounded by a wheat backbone with not bitterness to speak of. Solid brew.

M - Light of course and refreshing

D - I have always been a fan of Spaten's Heffe and I believe this one has just topped my expectations of that probably since it's American and it's more readily available. Would be drinking again.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 18:20:52 | More by DrDemento456

JayS2629

Alabama

4.83/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My favorite Heffe so far. My wife's second favorite only to New Belgium's Mothership.

The thing that is outstanding about this Heffe is how well balanced it is. It has the perfect balance between the clove/spice, banana, and bubblegum tendencies of the beligian yeast both in the aroma and taste. Add a touch of citrus, lemon and orange, a good grainy wheat base and a light, refreshing, clean body with just a touch of creaminess. It pours a nice creamy head with great retention and beautiful lace. A very nice, refreshing summertime drink. Fruity with spice, crisp and clean. Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 23:41:23 | More by JayS2629

bfellows

4.83/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The best American Hefeweizen that I've ever had.
Big beautiful head sits on the cloudy light yellow beer that lets you you its going to have body.
The subtle banana esters give a hint of the flavor, but the grainy nose is the most powerful note.
The flavor is even more luscious than the aroma. Balanced and perfect. Reminds me of the great Hef's of Germany.
The lingering effect on the mouth is mayched only by the lingering lacing on the glass.
The best!

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 20:16:42 | More by bfellows

sharlie

Michigan

4.83/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

If you enjoy hefeweizen beers, this is your beer! Has traces of fruit that are very subtle and mixes well with the spices of other flavors. The mouthfeel has a lighter creaminess to it, without being to heavy. Finding this beer only recently I must say that it is one of my top choices as far as hefeweizen beers go!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 11:57:19 | More by sharlie

SteveO1231

Connecticut

4.8/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz. stubby

Pours a cloudy golden yellow with a super-thick frothy, white head. Perfect nose of over-ripe banana peel, fresh baked honey-wheat bread and lemon zest. The brew is medium bodied with a fluffy texture with a little slickness. Great malt sweetness up front of fresh peaches and wheat, tons of bubble gum/clove notes from the yeast, finished crisp and refreshing with hints of citrus. This beer is absolutely delicious! It is my new favorite summer beer. I have drank at least a case by myself this summer. I guarantee that you will not find a better hefeweizen brewed in the United States.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 01:31:23 | More by SteveO1231

batty

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

poured according to the bottle's instructions to get the most out of this beer.. including yeast. appears a cloudy golden w/ almost-white dense foam that fades a little too quick, but looks beautiful, and good lacing.

smell of nice yeast but not too spicy, mandarin oranges and a touch of lemon, banana in the background with some pale malt. some earthy hop notes.

taste is just exceptional.. my favorite hefe right now. an unassuming presence invading the senses with the perfect balance of citrusy-lemon, yeasty goodness, malt and hop. a bit of mandarin orange late and a touch of the yeasty-funk common to a saison crisping out the brew.

i would prefer a bit more body, but that's probably just my opinion. good for the style, easy drinking, crisp and nicely carbonated. can't think of a moment that would not be great for this beer. session to the extreme and with great character.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2009 00:38:22 | More by batty

CualityC

New York

4.78/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

In brief- this is the finest American Hefeweizen I've ever sampled.

Every summer it seems like half of America's craft breweries trot out a half-cocked Hefe and half of them some ridiculous "WitBier". Leave it to Sierra to show everyone how it's supposed to be done. The beer pours a flaxxen gold, bright and cloudy somewhere in the color spectrum between a Weihenstephaner and a Schneider-Weisse. A typically billowing white head tops the beer after a careful pour into a 20 oz. Hefe tulip glass. All in all the beer is uniformly hazy and gives off a slight glow- pardon the cliche but this beer gives off the beauty of silver lining in a cloudy sky.

The nose is all German racecar Gestalt. Spicy herbal notes mingle with clove and just a hint of farmhouse funk. First whiff announces that this is the real deal, not an imposter American Wheat Beer wearing Hefe clothing.

Taste is exceptional. In classic Sierra fashion this beer pays homage to tradition while also pushing the style forward. There's no doubt it's a Hefeweizen, but somehow it's also American, slightly bigger, slightly bolder then its Germanic counterparts.

Mouthfeel is good, though I'd say this is the one category where the American looses something to the import competition, this beer is just a little more unruly and less refined than the best Bavaria has to offer.

Kellerweis is the lays potato chip of beer, I dare you to have just one. If you're looking for an American Wheat beer by all means try a Pyramid Hefeweizen, the best of that 'style'. But if you're after the best Hefeweizen brewed in America, by all means treat yourself to a Kellerbier.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2009 06:22:56 | More by CualityC

sevopie

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Cloudy, almost opaque burnt orange with a foamy off-white head.

Spicy goodness. There's some banana, clove, some grains, and a touch of lemon.

Crisp citrus on the tongue with a good spicy wheat flavor and a touch of the banana.

Medium on the mouthfeel with a zesty carbonation.

I could drink these all night long. This has quickly become my second favorite hefeweizen behind Weihenstephaner, and even then its very close to that one. I recommend it to anyone any everyone who I talk to, and practically everyone who has then tried it loves it.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2009 10:21:13 | More by sevopie

jkempe11

California

4.78/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

After having been to Germany, I thought I'd never find a Hefeweizen in the States that compared to the stuff I drank there. Sierra Nevada actually proved me wrong, and proved that brewers in the United States CAN produce Hefeweissbier that is just as good as the German stuff.

A - Perfect. Not too transparent, the perfect golden color.

S - Just like a Hefeweizen should be. Bananas, cloves, just the smell of a perfect Hefe.

T - I swear... if you poured me this and a German Hefe in a blind taste test, I might predict this to be better. Amazing representation of the style, a perfect match for a summer day.

M - Creamy and delicious.

D - I could drink this all day. Phenomenal.

Really, this is the best representation of the style I've had in the United States. It may just be that I've been out of Deutschland for a while, but in my opinion - this is as good of a Hefeweizen as you're going to get... ESPECIALLY in the United States.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2009 08:43:35 | More by jkempe11

CrazyP

Connecticut

4.78/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Had out of a bottle, with instructions right on it about pouring 2/3, then swirling and pouring the rest. There's decent amount of yeast at the bottom of the bottle that no amount of swirling could dislodge. Color is golden, opaque. Pours with a big frothy head that dissipates slowly.

S - Truly amazing smell. Bananas and cloves come at you from a mile away. Also yeasty and bready aromas. Barely detectable hop presence.

T - A touch of hop bitterness followed by bananas and cloves. Some resinous hop character.

M - Almost creamy. This is a super smooth, easy drinking beer. I could drink pint after pint of this.

O - This is an outstanding beer. The drinkability is what I really enjoy, along with the perfect balance of hops, yeast, aroma. I have to slow myself down to savor it.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 04:15:01 | More by CrazyP

dfillius

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed in a pint glass. I'm prepared to like this after having Torpedo earlier this year.

A: Aggressive pour (with yeast rousal) yields 1.5 fingers of pillowy white head with great retention. Cloudy lemon gold liquid. Gorgeous.
S: Subdued clove spice, clean malt. Slight banana. Not very complex but pleasant.
T: Bright citrus draped over delightful sweet malt (not cloying) ends with a tart finish. Nice banana and clove emerges later. Wow! Full flavored, I daresay nearly as tasty as German examples.
M: Creamy and smooth. Light in body.
D: Perfect. I want more sips, more bottles, more sixers! Delectable and enticing. Upon subsequent trips to the liquor store, my eyes always seem to drift up to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2009 22:02:36 | More by dfillius

JK4Stout

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Oh, what would we do without quality wheat beer? This beer brings one over just with the aroma. The clove and banana gets the mouth watering from the word go. Next after inpecting the hazy, yet intrigueing chalky amber coloring, you get the real gift; the taste.
A little spice goes a long way to make this enjoyable but not overpowering. It is very light on the palate, and perfect for warm weather drinking. By a 6-er and head out to the porch!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 21:24:36 | More by JK4Stout

brewdoc75

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a standard pint glass. Yeast appropriately swirled and poured.

A: Wow! This beer starts out fine. As I swirl the yeast and pour the last 2/3rds of the bottle in, thick, creaminess pours out. Once in the glass, this hefe looks like a champ. Yellow-orange (close to orange juice) and beautifully cloudy. Awesome, billowy clouds sit on top. The head lasts forever and is lovely. The haze is spot on and lasts. I was out working in the yard and came back 45 min later to finish one of these and it still looked awesome.

S: Let this beer warm up before sniffing. I get a ton of cloves. Some citrus and a hint of sulfur. There is some banana, but not a ton. The citrus fruits seem more present. Very nice aromas, but nothing spectacular.

T: This beer tastes awesome! I first get a nice tartness which quickly leads into a lovely citrus flavor. Some orange and maybe a hint of lemon peel. This then goes to a lovely cloviness. The clove is spot on in this beer. Not, knock you over cloviness, but more balanced out with the other flavors. I do get some banana, but the citrus seems to override this, which is fine by me. The sulfur in the nose isn't there in the flavor, which is nice. Overall, the flavors meld together well making this an epic summer session beer. So much flavor in a beer that is <5% ABV. We need more of these.

M: Light to medium bodied. Strongly carbonated like it should be, but could use just a hint more for the style. Feels smooth on the tongue, but finishes crisp. Very nice.

D: This is an exceptional beer. It is a great gateway beer for anyone, while at the same time it has the complexities to make a beer geek happy. I even think a Bavarian would like this one. I'm so happy Sierra Nevada is expanding their horizons beyond the hoppy beers. I hope we continue to see great sessionable styles like this from them. If you haven't tried this yet, go get some now.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 00:35:02 | More by brewdoc75

itlnstallion11

California

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is an amazing beer to sip on for the Summer months. It is an exceptional USA made Bavarian style Hefe.

A-Poured from a bottle into a pint glass the appearance is a light copper color filled with beautiful unfiltered wheat granules. There is a white bubbly head that does not last long however this is common for Hefes.

S-The smell is full of banana nodes along with a mild caramel wheat finish.

T-Wonderful taste of bananas, followed by a mellow citrus after taste, this after taste does not stick around long, so enjoy it while it is present.

M- the mouthfeel is one of a lighter beer not thick what-so-ever which gives it a great Summer beer vibe. The ending feel is smooth and velvety which make this Hefe extra special in my opinion.

O- this is an excellent Bavarian style Hefe which I will continue to enjoy with friends by a pool in the near months to come.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 04:36:55 | More by itlnstallion11

JimWFromTampa

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: cloudy pale amber with thin head that dissipates quickly

Smell: bananas, maybe banana bread (a sort of faint bready, spicy, banana smell)

Taste: banana, cloves, subtlest hint of bitterness at the end

Mouthfeel: carbonation with a smooth, neutral finish, maybe a tiny bit astringent

Overall, this is about 95 percent as good as my favorite (Weihenstephaner hefe) but significantly cheaper and far more readily available. I could drink this beer all day long without the slightest complaint. In my opinion, It's a better example of the style than a few of the german examples that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 20:09:25 | More by JimWFromTampa

DAllspaw

Indiana

4.73/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep straw color with a very prominent sediment cloud. Good to follow pouring instructions which suggest swirling after pouring two thirds to get all sediment. Nice lacing.

Tasted this after weisenheistephaner as a compare and would give this a slight nod in being a touch more creamy and substantial. Nice body and a slight more sweetness over a more hot finish. Otherwise very similar in many ways. Can't go wrong with either.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 00:59:48 | More by DAllspaw

drabmuh

Maryland

4.72/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. I should start this out by saying that I am both a huge Sierra Nevada fan as well as a hefeweissen fan and they nailed it. The beer is yellow and cloudy, the kind of permanent starch haze you'd expect from a beer like this. The head is white and big, it falls away quick but a thin layer of white bubble forms over the beer for most of it's life. Carbonation is moderate and steady, medium sized bubbles and there is some lacing on the glass.
Aroma is filled with wheat, some banana character, no hop character in the aroma. Invites you to drink. Carbonation is present in the mouth, makes the beer feel fuller than it normally would seem, the flavor is great, some of the etherial fruit flavors you may expect, banana, almost no aftertaste, a slight wheat-like flavor in the back, the bubbles fill the midpalate with good body and a connection of flavors. This beer is very drinkable, I could kill a 6 pack in no time. One of my favorite beers currently.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 03:21:26 | More by drabmuh

charlesbyrd

Mississippi

4.72/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a stubby 12 oz. bottle into a Widmer Bros. pint glass. The bottle gives instructions to pour 2/3 into the glass, swirl the bottle, then pour the remainder.

A: Pours a bright straw-yellow color with orange highlights, and if you follow the bottle's directions, it goes from clear to near-opaque as the suspended yeast enters the glass. A frothy white head sits atop this brew for a few minutes, and lacing is minimal.

S: The aroma is very inviting but complex--a mix of spicy hops, bananas, and bubblegum.

T: This isn't your run-of-the-mill wheat beer. Sierra Nevada has done a great job of capturing the traditional hefeweizen flavor profile. The most noticeable flavor comes from the yeast-again, bananas and bubblegum stand out. I also get a fair amount of wheat at the end. It's pretty complex, but very enjoyable.

M: Closing in on medium body, this beer still goes down smooth. It's fairly dry and gets a fair amount of bite from the carbonation.

D: This is one of my favorite beers at the moment, especially for its drinkability. It comes pretty close to matching the greats like Weihenstephaner, and it gets extra points for its easy availability.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2010 03:30:30 | More by charlesbyrd

TexIndy

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a weizen glass. Had a bottling code that had to use a cheat sheet to decipher - why can't people just use plain dating. It was a cloudy golden yellow color. Plenty of carb streams and plenty of sticky white lace. It had a large white especially after swirling the bottle to stir the yeast up. It slowly settled to a 1/8" constant foam.

The aroma was amazing. Wheat, ripe banana, clove and some other spices. Near perfection and a joy to sniff over and over. The taste followed the aroma and again near perfection. This may be one of the best American hefe's that I've had and easily the best that I can get bottled regularly. Exceeds most imported German hefe's which I find suffer greatly in transportation.

Overall, a new classic hefe. It is extremely flavorful, thirst quenching and easily available = home run for me. Most highly recommend. Will be in heavy rotation.

[heavy;classic]

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2009 21:19:54 | More by TexIndy

iannutter

Colorado

4.68/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I've been using BeerAdvocate for quite some time now and even though I studied in Austria (on the border of Bavaria in Salzburg), I have never written a beer review. However, during my time abroad, I honed my senses for good beer.

This hefeweizen really surprised me, because it only has a few superiors that I've encountered, even in the land of this beer type's origin, Bavaria.

As to the appearance, it appears exactly as a Hefewiezen ought to, albeit without the head retention that is so sought after in craft brewing. However, the color and cloudiness are picture perfect.

To me, the smell isn't exactly anything to write home about, but the second the beer hits the taste buds, an explosion of flavor occurs, telling a tale of citrus and a hint of cloves.

The mouthfeel is rich and velvety, exactly as an unfiltered wheat beer ought to be.

Overall, this is a great American (and therefore cheaper) alternative to the German (Bavarian) progenitors of this style.

Prost!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 06:43:21 | More by iannutter

klewis

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Pours a hazy golden with a big, foamy head. Good retention and lacing.

S: This one throws off a huge smell from a few feet away. Bananas, cloves, mild phenols - it's all there.

T: A perfect blend of spice and banana. Full-flavored and true to style.

M: Light and crisp yet creamy. Moderate carbonation.

D: Nothing will ever beat Weihenstephaner, but without a doubt, the best American hefe yet. Undeniably worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2009 00:17:53 | More by klewis

SirVeza420

Nevada

4.65/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is my new summer beer. I just tried Sierra Nevada's Torpeda IPA brew, about 2 mos ago and that was also great.

Pours well, with a citrus, banana aroma coming out of the gate. Cloudy appearance with a fast dissolving head, as well. It has a nice balance of sweetness and hops, but not too overwhelming in either category. If you don't add a lemon garnish to it, than you can appreciate the balance between the banana, spicy clove, and lemon flavors. I would love too review more, but I have a Kellerweis to finish.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2009 03:15:58 | More by SirVeza420

myost88

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

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

Appearance: Cloudy straw colored body with a 1 finger white head.

Smell: Clove and banana are dominant. Lots of spices, fennel maybe? It smells great. A lot of hefes smell overly spiced, but this one gets its smell mostly from the yeast.

Taste: Banana again. Very yeasty. It has that nice biscuit taste. Again the balance is the key to this great beer. The spices serve to accent the wheat and yeast. not to flavor the beer themselves.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied for sure. Highly carbonated. It dances around your tongue and then goes down smooth.

Drinkability: Ughh? Is their even a question on this one? It's a 5 easy.

Overall: The perfect Hefe IMO. Not overly peppery and the spices are a great compliment to the true hefe taste that comes from the yeast.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 01:52:17 | More by myost88

ebraun

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a pint glass with the recommended bottle swirl. I was rewarded with a perfectly cloudy hefeweizen. This hefe maintains balance despite having a lot of elements cranked up.

A: Cloudy and, as the label says, it "glows" with all the residual yeast. Head dissipated just a tad quickly but had some lace on the way down the glass.

S: Typical banana and cloves with some bottle-conditioning funkiness, which I like a lot.

T: The balance is what is so amazing about this beer. It manages to be both pungent and smooth. Has all the flavors that appear on the nose but with some added citrus and floral flavors. There's a lot going on.

M: It hits you with a pop and then smooths out for a nice long finish that ends dry.

D: Could drink this all day long and with the relatively low alcohol level I might not hate myself in the morning.

Just a really, really well-made hefeweizen. So many in this style are too heavy on the yeast and overwhelm you with the banana and clove or the citrus tones overwhelm everything else.

This one is just right, and then some.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 04:06:27 | More by ebraun