Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Damian

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drank on-tap at Charlies Kitchen, Cambridge, MA
Served in a nonic

The beer poured a turbid, yellow ochre color and was topped by a creamy, bright white, one-finger head of foam. Fantastic retention. Short-lived patches of lacing clung to the glass.

Not much happening with the aroma initially. Perhaps some yeastiness and touch of sweet malt. As the beer warmed, spice notes came out. Overall, quite disappointing.

The taste was rather mediocre as well. Doughy malts appeared up front, along with a mild, phenolic yeastiness. Notes of clove came through strong. Some wheat and lemon tartness appeared in the center. The finish was crisp, off dry and quite refreshing.

The liquid was medium bodied. Creamy and slick on the palate with a fine, mild effervescence.

I had high hopes for this beer but was disappointed by its insipid flavor and aroma. Unlike many of its foreign brethren, this hefeweizen lacks both intensity and complexity. Do yourself a favor and pass on this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 03:47:02 | More by Damian

ohmybock

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I heard good things about this brew, and I finally got around to trying it. It pours an appropriate hazy straw color, but the head isn't as big as I would expect for a German-style hefeweizen. The aroma is okay, but it's too light and weak. It doesn't have enough of the traditional clove/spice that I enjoy. There is some of that, but there's also some sour-ish character to the nose. The taste has (some of) the characteristics of German hefes that I look for, but there's also a light addition of lemon along with a stronger tartness than I usually like in my hefes. The mouthfeel is too thin for the style. The more I sip on this brew, the more the watery-ness becomes apparent and disappointing. Still, this beer is a nice, refreshing stab at a German hefe. You certainly couldn't go wrong when drinking one of these on a hot Summer day. Lawnmower and/or session beer? Sure...a fine choice and sooo much better than any macro or some other light ale/lager. To be fair, this is one of the better American-made German hefes I've had in a while. With that being said, I prefer a true-German hefe. I even did a blind tasting with this SN hefe and some German hefe, and I preferred a German version. Oh well, I'm still happy to see SN brewing something like this and doing a respectable job with it.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2009 20:11:52 | More by ohmybock

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out a little clearer than I expected it to. The head was ok at first but died off pretty quick. The smell of the beer had a good wheat base to it with additional fresh grains. The taste I felt was a little on the light side and could have been a bit stronger. The flavors of wheat and some light hops mix on the tongue, there wasn't much of the typical banana or clove in the one. The mouthfeel was a little on the thin side for me. Overall this beer is mediocre, probably one that I wouldn't have to seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 19:53:34 | More by Knapp85

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Revisiting this guy for the sake of memory comparison and to actually formally review it. It's been a while. It pours a mostly clear gold topped by an active column of white foam. The nose comprises heavy clove, banana, and a touch of dry wheat. The taste brings in more of the same, but the clove is toned-down to a sensible level, and some orange zest peeks its way in as well. The body is a light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, a solid hefe, one that's too spicy on the nose and too bubbly for my liking, but one that's still fairly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:39:10 | More by TMoney2591

PreacherBrewer

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance - A deep orange glow appears in my pint glass. This beer sports a fabulous white fluffy cloud-like two finger head. Whispers an invitation to savor it's flavor.

Smell - Fruit comes to mind first: Orange, Apple, Pear, Nectar, Peach. Yeasty. Bready.

Taste - This is a beer that tastes just like it smells. I did catch a little alcohol on the front, but nothing to worry about. After the first sip it was hidden very well. The Orange, Citrus, and Apple Flavors were very present. Then as the beer warmed, a bread and doughy flavor took more charge. There is an ever-so slight hint of medicine going on. Lemon peel is also there on the after taste. As i take my last sips, yeast is very present.

Mouthfeel - This beer sports a Mod-light, to Moderate body which is characteristic, expected and desired for a "heffer" (Hefeweizen). At first the carbonation is tough to notice, but pay attention to the backend of your swallow. It's there, and is quite ticklish on the rear palate. A very nice experience.

Drinkability - A Very likeable beer. The Best Heffer I've tried to date. I do wish for a bit more complexity, but that is just my bent toward other beer styles making a fuss. With that in mind, for it's style, it's a "Class A Act." This is a great early evening summer beer. It quenches your thirst, satisfies your beer craving, and leaves you wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2009 18:29:10 | More by PreacherBrewer

Traquairlover

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12-oz bottle poured into a weizen.

A = Pours a decent hazy orange with a large frothy head.

S = Light cloves, some lemon, not as much banana as I prefer, but still well within the range of acceptable hefe smells.

T = I found the taste slightly disappointing. It is good but the clove and banana flavors are very subdued, while there is a little too much of a watery taste mid-palate. Again, it is good enough to enjoy drinking and is within style, but just not quite as forceful as I would like.

M = Good medium body, smooth and frothy.

D = This is a very easy drinking beer and is a good pick for a hot Summer BBQ or something.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2009 19:37:24 | More by Traquairlover

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Ordered the on-tap version (at 33 in downtown Chico) just a few hours after I tried the bottled version for the first time.

Served in a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Cloudy, goldenrod body with a white, creamy film coating the surface. Head leaves puffy dots of lace occasionally. (Hefeweizens aren't supposed to be sticky, so that's okay.)

Smell: Light wheat and prickly spice in the nose... and that's all. If I had to guess at the spice, I'd say coriander. The entire smell is very faint.

Taste: Lots of banana and spice: coriander and white pepper to be exact. The big wheaty back bone gives way to a lot more sweetness in this version. I remember the bottled version being stiffer and more wheat focused; this tap version is pretty damn sweet. Still good however.

Mouthfeel: The two versions (bottle and draft) are very similar here. This one's a bit pricklier, but other than that just read what I wrote below.

Drinkability: A nice hefeweizen, but I liked the bottled version much better. I've found a lot of the taps to be pretty dirty around Chico, and that might have been the case here. I'll have to try it again at the brewery to be sure.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2009 16:37:44 | More by ThreeWiseMen

confer

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was disappointed with this beer. Maybe I was expecting too much after reading about background and looking at the fantastic pictures from the open fermentation tank.
The appearnce is actually a little less cloudy that most Hefes, but the color is the typical rich gold. The smell is faint banana and clove. The taste just doesn't thrill me. Banana and clove is there but very understated. A little bit of a salty taste. Creamy mouthfeel and very easy to drink. I won't be buying this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 01:03:11 | More by confer

callmeclemens

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle to Hefe glass.

Smelled like Citrus and clove, with a subtle hint of warm Banana. Not much head and what there was disapeared quickly though left a nice lacing.

Again Tasted much like it smelled Citrusy and clove, with perhaps in taste a very subtle banana, andslightly bitter right towards the very end. Went down pretty well. It's a great brew to sit outside and enjoy on a summers afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 12:33:20 | More by callmeclemens

hangh

Alabama

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - rich, golden colored with a fine 1" head that lasts for a good two minutes or so. Nice and cloudy hefeweizen, yeast is well mixed when poured. Nothing sticks to the glass

S - Definitely some clove hops. Pretty mild otherwise, a little bit of fruit undertones but dominated by the clove smell. It's nothing special

T - Slightly tart beginning leading into a smooth prolonged finish. Clove tastes along with some yeast and honey. It's a pretty average hefeweizen taste though, there are others I'd perfer

MF - Medium bodied, lightly carbonated, pretty smooth

D - It's cheaper than some other hefeweizens so I'll probably have it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 01:06:56 | More by hangh

vancurly

Australia

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Best before 12/5/12

a) Hazy pale orange. Big white head, somewhat coarsely bubbled.

s) Wit-like spiciness, almost coriander seed-like. Banana & bubblegum, fleshy smallgoods. Warms to a BBQ steak aroma, and some clove.

t) Stronger clove notes on the palate than nose. Rich wheat flavour; well attenuated, so quite dry.

n) Fairly light for style, I think; not as creamy as some German examples. Perhaps a bit hollow.

d) Very easy to drink; suitable for warm days and a thirst.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 01:37:08 | More by vancurly

zdk9

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Out of the bottle a golden straw color- cloudier than a thunderstorm with a finger of head that doesn't last longer than one.

S- Yeast, white wine musk, corn, honey, flowers, sulfer.

T- Taste is light and slightly bready. I can find some banana if I look for it, especially in the aftertaste, but it's not strong. Stronger is the taste of unbaked bread, and flour.

M- Light, I would take some more carbonation, but this is fine.

O- A fine beer. Not the most flavorful thing I've dranken but tasty still.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 02:20:28 | More by zdk9

dogma46an2

Alabama

3.45/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

fantastic banana notes clove notes ,seemed as though the cold crash filtered out some of the cloudiness . seemed to be cleaner than i expected . smell seemed cleaner than i am used to on a hefe . mouth feel was spot on . taste was great but seemed mericianized for a hefe . bit hoppy .over all not bad though just not great .

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 00:53:19 | More by dogma46an2

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz brown glass pry-top. Proprietary stamp on label above barcode. No freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a tulip. Lots of sudsy, creamy white head atop a translucent but hazy orange gold brew.

Nose: Hello bananas. Bavarian hefe more than Belgian hefe. There's an earthiness to the nose too.

Palate: Crisp with some light acidity to it. The carbonation tries to make it creamy, but that little bit of acid washes it away. Lots of fruity banana and some light yeasty notes. Palate is clean on the finish. Not a lot of texture.

Notes: The lack of texture on the palate makes this a really clean hefeweizen. Not my favorite, but has solid (and correct) flavors for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 05:11:59 | More by SFLpunk

froghop

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours a cloudy yellow with a large white foamy head, and a very good lacing.

smell is of wheat, citrus, banana, and some spice.

taste is crisp, wheat, a touch of citrus, some banana, and spice, ends on the dry side.

overall an above average hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 21:50:49 | More by froghop

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle copped singly from Total Wine and More in West Orange... Copper-colored hue... Minimal head and lacing... Not much to write home about. Aroma reminiscent of cloves, banana peels, and fresh yellow peppers. Crisp, dry mouthfeel with an overall easy level of drinkability.
Good, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2009 02:33:24 | More by dsa7783

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Pours a hazy-golden color with a long lasting white head. Aroma is of yeast, banana and a hint of cloves. Flavors are banana, light spicy hops and creamy wheat malt. Light body, medium carbonation. Quite decent, easy drinking hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 20:41:57 | More by mikeg67

PartyBear

United Kingdom (England)

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Intensely cloudy yellow honey in colour, medium size dense white head. Heavily carbonated.

Aroma: Clear citric notes, with grainy wheat hints. Can definitely smell bananas, kind a banana bread-like. Slightly acidic bready yeast.

Taste: Very bready grain-like flavours. Sweet fruity banana. Lemony citrus, providing a mildly sharp hit. There is a very subtle spicy flavour, possibly cloves.

Mouthfeel: Lively, and medium bodied. Quite chewy.

Drinkability: Easy to drink and enjoyable. Will probably have this again. Not as good as Weihenstephaner, but who is?

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 22:02:20 | More by PartyBear

Wasatch

Utah

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to ybnorml for this brew.

Pours a nice cloudy pale yellow color, nice carbonation, little fizzy white head, with some minimal sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, yeast, with some nice spice notes. The taste is malty, slightly sweet, yeasty, grassy, with some spice notes. Medium body. Drinkable, not a bad brew, but I've had way better.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 02:13:07 | More by Wasatch

thekanna

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Nice slightly hazy gold with about 2-3 fingers of white, frothy head.

S: Relatively light, some alcohol and wheat malts, plus a slight malt sweetness. Not much.

T: Sweet wheat malts, strong yeast taste. Some bananas, slight bit of alcohol, followed by an almost artificial yeast flavoring-like aftertaste.

M: Slightly thin and under-carbonated.

D: Decent for a domestic brew, but the slightly overwhelming, cloying and artificial yeast taste at the end kind of kills it. Still, a relatively easy one to drink a few of.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 05:08:45 | More by thekanna

yesyouam

New York

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis is a cloudy wheat colored beer with a thin white head that has outstanding retention and lacing. It has a spicy clove aroma (oh, and banana). It's light bodied and smooth; a little watery at the finish. The banana/clove flavor is prominent in the taste, but it's not the only thing going on. There is a nice, fruity, wooden bitterness with almost a hint of cassis. This is an ideal Hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2009 13:52:10 | More by yesyouam

Mdog

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Cloudy yellow-gold, good head and lacing.

Smell: Mostly clove, some breadiness.

Taste: A little bit of everything. Some lemon, moderate sweetness with a hint of banana, some spicy clove and pepper.

Mouthfeel: Feels kind of heavy and slick.

Drinkability: Tasty, but due to the heavy feel it comes down a peg.

It's summer, so let's try the new SN wheat. I enjoyed their old wheat, this one has more of the traditional wheat flavor to it but isn't quite as sessionable. Still a good beer though.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 00:23:21 | More by Mdog

Anthony1

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

poured into a perfect pint

poured a hazy straw color. 2 finger head and not much lace.

smells of citrus and east, some spice, lemon, but everything is mild

tastes wheaty nice pale malts and citrus. hints of the banana/clove, but not enough.

easy to drink, would definitly get it at a bar, but not bother bringing more home

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 16:47:10 | More by Anthony1

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a cloudy yellow with a little white head. Nose is banana , clove. Taste is mostly banana, with a bit of clove on the finish. A bit sweeter than I would have liked, its like a sugar dipped banana, pretty effervescent and a lot of wheat. It was good overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2009 01:46:20 | More by barleywinefiend

bigdeuce

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy, wheaty colour. Cannot see through the haze. Nice looking beer. Scents of yeast and wheat shine through. Tastes very crisp, yet lacking some clovey flavour, which I like in hefeweizens. Smooth on the palate. Very clean. A bit thin. Nice beer, needs some "tweaking".

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2010 03:35:19 | More by bigdeuce