Best Of Beer Camp: Weizenbock - Beer Camp #37 - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

blackie

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

review entered from notes taken awhile back...

a: poured into a weizen glass, after rousing the yeast, the beer pours a hazy amber the color of dark honey, nice fill, white head that retains as a good layer

s: full malt aroma with a slew of dark breads and lightly toasted sugars, lots of wheat and sweet fruits, huge yeast influence - sweet/spicy clove and lovely overripe banana, bready, herbal noble hops, richly complex and aromatic

m: carbonation around light-moderate, medium bodied

t: a delicious weizenbock - the sweet and bready malt base holds flavors of toasted sugar and grain, heavily yeasted with deeply ripened banana flavors and lots of clove, starts sweet and slowly works towards a finish of grassy noble malts, clove, banana, and more yeast - lingering long, juicy fresh banana bread with a heavily toasted crust

o: a very well crafted example - one of the better stateside samples I've had alongside Victory Moonglow, among others, the best of the beer camp mix

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 03:55:50 | More by blackie

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from tasting notes.

Poured out a hazy orangish-gold color with two fingers of white head that quickly receded back to a 0.5cm lid, leaving medium amounts of lacing behind. Body is on the heftier side of medium thickness, carbonation is on the lower side of medium.

Smells of banana, cloves, lemon zest, and a touch of pumpkin pie spicing with a yeasty garnish. Tastes of banana, cloves, and yeast as well, but also has a medium amount of yeasty bread in the midsip and a touch of drying ABV hotness in the finish.

If only it hid the ABV just slightly better than it already did, and expressed the spicing better upon the palate, this could have been one of the greats.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 00:30:08 | More by WastingFreetime

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - a muddied pale tangerine with two full fingers of creamy white foam. A little aggressive on the pour, but it settles down, leaving dots and spots of lace behind.

Aroma - powdery grain with a yeasty, estery banana peel scent.

Taste - sweet grain and the yeastiness of a traditional weizenbock. On the swallow there is a tang of sorts, not sure if its hops or something else, but it's a good counterbalance to the sweet grain and yeast. A light breath of abv on the finish, ends clean and dry.

Mouthfeel - crisp with some decent smoothness. Nice enough body for the style.

Drinkability - a good weizenbock. Maybe a touch hoppier than most, but it's a good take.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 16:38:05 | More by brewdlyhooked13

merc7186

New York

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Id like to thank MONKEYMAGIC72 for this beer,

I had this beer poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Hazy Orange/Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, Thick White Head, Mild Lacing

S: Banana, Bubble Gum, Wheat, Mild Clove

T: Banana, Wheat, Bubble Gum, Mild Pepper

M: Decent Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Semi Sweet, Mildly Spicy

Overall, a really nice weizenbock and great for the summer months.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 02:06:02 | More by merc7186

Brenden

Ohio

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A cloudy gold-orange brew sits in the glass while a fluffy finger-and-a-half of yellow-tinted head. There's a sturdiness to it, and some patchy lacing is dropped on the glass as the beer recedes.
Plenty of banana in the nose here belie the yeast strain, and other yeast elements come out: clove, light dusty sort of earthiness, and a hint of bubble gum. Gentle spiciness is underlying, breads and caramel added from the malts finishing it out. There's a honey note and a bit of quality dark liquor coming out more as it sits, and more of a slight citrus element in the flavor. A very light floral note lets us know yes, there are some hops in here.
Smoothness makes this beer easy sipping. There's a light nip of crispness up front. Carbonation is moderate in about a medium body.
Some good stuff from the Beer Campers here.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 01:06:43 | More by Brenden

bsp77

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Note: I reviewed this on 5/8/11 under the old listing for this beer before everything was fixed.

Best of Beer Camp #37: Weizenbock

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Weizen glass. Bottled on 1095 (April 5, 2011)

Appearance: Looks like thick orange juice with nice initial white head, which mostly recedes, leaving light lacing.

Smell: Sweet banana and bubblegum, with light notes of wheat, clove and pepper.

Taste: Very sweet, with mostly bubblegum and banana (similar to the aroma). Ends with a light noble hop spicy kick. Not much refreshing wheat or clove characteristics.

Feel: Chewy body with moderate carbonation. Sweet throughout, even on the finish.

Overall: Great flavor, even if it is too sweet. Since I already knocked it slightly on taste and feel for the sweetness, I will be more generous here. But honestly, I expected a little more based on the Kellerweis yeast, which is such a refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 13:43:22 | More by bsp77

bmwats

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a weizen.

A: Dark golden hue. Pours about half finger, bubbly, white head. Settles quickly, leaving a bubbly blanket, and plenty of rising effervescence. Slight lacing mostly retreats into the body of the brew.

S: Fermented wheat, caramel, and raisin.

T: Sourdough roll, with a bittersweet flavor of raisin.

M: Pungent and musty. Full bodied, approaches a cloying quality, dry and mossy finish.

D: The pungency and sweet nature of this brew, dictate a slow pace.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Interesting golden, orang-ish hue. Slight head, and not much in terms of lacing. Full nose of musty, fermented sourdough, with some bitter and sweet components. Full flavor, heavy syrupy body, characterized by sourdough and raising. Almost a little too sweet. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 04:39:09 | More by bmwats

Duff27

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Full inch tall fluffy white head on a effervescent-fueled murky, dull golden colored body. Good head retention throughout and some spotty lacing left behind.

S- Lemony citrus met with clovey esters.

T- Cloves on the forefront finishing with bright citrus notes. Slight funk. Present alcohol, would guess at 7% to 8%abv.

M- Medium to medium thick mouthfeel for the style perhaps, good carbonation.

D/O- Omnom, a nice spring/summer treat. This one was gone before I knew it. Beer camp #37 had enough going on to keep my on my toes throughout the twelve ounces. Put this one out in six packs, I'd buy it.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 03:58:31 | More by Duff27

superspak

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into weizen glass, bottled 4/5/2011. Pours hazy golden orange color with a foamy 2 finger white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace. Minimal wisps of lacing on the glass, with plenty of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big grape, banana, pear, clove, pepper, bread, wheat, herbal, floral, earth, and yeast spiciness. Some pretty nice aromas that are a bit faint. Taste of banana, clove, grape, lemon, bread, wheat, pepper, floral, herbal, earth, and yeast spices. Quite dry on the finish; with small lingering notes of banana, bread, wheat, pepper, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a short bit. Nice balance of flavors with decent complexity. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel as expected. Alcohol is well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Very easy to drink as well. Overall this is a nice weizen bock. Nice flavor balance and very easy to drink. It was not as robust as I was hoping for, and a it feels a bit basic. Enjoyable, but lacks character.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 03:22:07 | More by superspak

harrymel

Washington

3.03/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

4/4 for the pack. Bottled in early April.

A: Pours a hazy apricotesque ale with a single finger of light caramel head. This falls quickly to a sheet of the same. Some spotty lacing.

S: The wheat is king in this nose. Plenty of sweet wheat notes with bready, biscuity malt in the back. Some nice floral notes. The yeast is pretty traditional for the style - earthy, a little sharp, hints of clove. Oddly, the alcohol comes through on this one for me, not good.

T: A little overly yeasty on the palate. The wheat is fun, but adds a little too much sweetness. Some banana. The beer has all the basic parts to make up a nice weizenbock, but they just don't weave quite too well. They seem to all be in combat with one another, rather than weaving properly.

M: Thick with high carb. Long, sweet, wet finish.

O: As above, this has all the pieces, but the puzzle isn't quite finished here. If they took another crack at this, I would give it another go, but as it stands, not quite on the level I would expect for Sierra.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 06:20:44 | More by harrymel

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from 5/2011 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip.
Pours a very cloudy orange amber. Thin white head, but nice lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, wheat , clove and light citrus. Sweet caramel malt, citrus, wheat. Everything comes together for a pleasant flavor combination and finish. Somewhat complex flavor. This is an excellent wheat beer. It leans more towards a hefeweizen to my taste, but really enjoyed it and I'm not going to argue.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 03:05:20 | More by LiquidAmber

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a cloudy dark orangey/amber color bock with a good size foamy head with good retention but minimal lacing. Aroma of residual sugar and light wheat notes with some caramel also noticeable. Taste is a mix between some deep caramel malt notes with some residual sugars with some wheat malt. A bit low on ester for the style in my opinion. Body is full with limited filtration and good carbonation with no apparent alcohol. Not bad though I find that additional focus on ester with less residual sugars would be best.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 18:08:27 | More by Phyl21ca

HalfFull

California

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a classic hazed golden orange into a globe glass from a 12 oz. bottle. More pale than many of the style. Offers an inch of creamy foam with decent retention and good lace. While the cap does settle out somewhat there is adequate carbonation to kick up a good surface film at any time.

Aroma is spicy with clove and some light pepper notes along with a bit of banana and a lemon drenched wheaty bready aroma. Flavor continues with a wheaty lemon twang on the finish along with a light yeast funk. Nice full body with a spicy finish and with a good carbonation though perhaps a bit light for the style. Overall pretty solid offering though not as vibrant as it was fresh, losing a bit on the aroma and the back end. But then not likely preserved as many German bottled versions likely are.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 03:45:32 | More by HalfFull

jwhawkins81

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted on 6/4/11

Aroma - Banana and clove delicious, a very good balance of aromas

Appearance - Cloudy with a good amount of carbonation. A muddy yellow that is darker than yellow but lighter than orange.

Taste - Sharp spice that is pretty much up to style but not as complex as some. Still a very good weizenbock level of spiciness.

Notes - Medium mouthfeel that is well cut with the high carbonation levels. This would be a good Aventinus substitute if readily available.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 17:47:52 | More by jwhawkins81

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle

Appearance – Hazy amber colour with a gigantic size frothy off-white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for a very long time.

Smell - Grains/wheat, lemons, yeast, coriander/cloves, bananas

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a high amount of carbonation and I can taste lemons and yeast mixed with coriander/cloves. There is a lot of of ripe banana flavour mixed with bread/wheat. It ends with a banana and lemon slightly tart and spicy aftertaste.

Overall – Another delicious beer from Sierra Nevada. It has a nice full and sweet flavour that keeps you wanting more. I'll buy this beer again the next time I see it.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 14:43:00 | More by spinrsx

GbVDave

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into an inperial pint.

A: Pours a completely clouded, apricot nectar color with 1/2 a finger of creamy, off white foam on top. Retention was short lived and there wasn't much lace, but it was nice to look at.

S: Initial aromas were strong in the banana and clove camp with caramel and spiced apple cider making an appearance as it warmed a bit.

T: See above.

M: Big and chewy with a suprising amount of alcohol zest.

O: Pretty good. I was a little suprised at how the alcohol played out on my tongue, but the body was thick enough to counter that.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 14:45:28 | More by GbVDave

generalnotsew

Tennessee

4.4/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Fast disappearing heard but with sticky lacing. Color is very murky orange juice. The smell of banana is dominant here with a black pepper twist. Taste is very sweet and slick banana with a bit of a citrus undertone in the back end. Sweet up front and a bit tart and tangy twist. Delicious! Carbonation and slick oily mouthfeel is most balanced I ever had in beer. Spot on. I for some reason had been holding back on drinking these. Now I am going to want more. Great addition to the beer camp series.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 01:22:32 | More by generalnotsew

stewart124

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer camp 12pack

Hazy orange with a whispy white head. Lots of banana and tons of spice in the nose.

Big banana/clove characters and a bigger mouthfeel than I expected. There are plenty of fruity esters and a nice light fruity caramel note. Finishes dry.

A very nice weizenbock from Sierra Nevada.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 22:01:40 | More by stewart124

danieelol

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from a few days ago

Mango syrup appearance, good head and lacing.

Smell is lots of wheat and banana. A little bit of sour, milky malt. Fermenting fruits. Yeast and concrete.

Taste is massive banana and citrus / mango. Quite sour and lemonadey. Very estery.

Mouthfeel is medium and sour with quite a decent amount of carb. Also some sweetness, a little too much.

A well-made Weizenbock; Vitus-style rather than Aventinus-style. Too sweet though.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 13:09:32 | More by danieelol

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy yellow-brown color with a white head. The aroma is full of caramel and bananas, with some brown sugar and wheat mixed in. It smells what I expect a weizenbock to smell like. The flavor is very similar. I get a lot of caramel-covered banana notes with some brown sugar adding some nice sweetness to the beer. The alcohol is well hidden and the beer is easy to drink. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 00:49:33 | More by Mora2000

portia99

Massachusetts

2.9/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle that got lost in the back of the fridge for a couple of months...poured into a Bruery tulip.

A - Pours a well hazed golden orange color with a thin finger of foam cap with a white color. Head dissipates fairly quickly down to a rocky uneven collar.

S - Hmm...not getting much of anything. With a struggle, I pick up some cloves and a bit of wheat...but really not much of anything there.

T - Bubble gum, cloves, wheat, spices, sugary sweetness, a bit of alcohol, grainy and cereally.

M - Tingly mid level carbonation over a medium body. Fruity and bubblegum flavors dominate and linger well past the swallow.

O - Not my favorite style and certainly not one of the best examples of the style out there. Seemed very simple and lacking in complexity and/or nuance. Definitely drinkable, but lacking anything extraordinary. A rare miss from Sierra Nevada for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 22:30:32 | More by portia99

foles

Australia

3.05/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Cloudy, minimal head and carbonation. Typical weizen nose characteristics which die off with the head - some alcohol present on the nose. Some spice, clove, but with overbearing alcohol on the palate.

Not rich enough in flavour to justify its bock status, but hits you with alcohol which is not well hidden. To be honest the regular SN kellerweiss was tastier for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 12:57:04 | More by foles

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle purchased at Siciliano's Specialty Market in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Pours a cloudy golden/amber hue with one finger of eggshell white froth, a few strands of lacing, and lively carbonation in the body. Good appearance.

Smell is banana, clove, cinnamon, yeast esters, bready and doughy malts, wheat husk, lemon rind, slight mustiness, ethanol, and cream. Pleasing aromas.

Taste is yeast, wheat malt, cardamom, marble rye bread, lemon zest, cinnamon, and a mild estery burn with ripe banana on the cough. Pretty solid flavours.

Mouthfeel is thick, fuller than medium-bodied, creamy carbonation, brief citric tang precedes a malty tartness and powdery/chalky finish. Some alcoholic warmth lingers in the throat.

Overall, this is a satisfying strong wheat beer. It's not as spicy as most weizenbocks, and the booze hits harder than I expected, but I would likely buy this again. Worth trying if you ask me.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 04:52:29 | More by cratez

marlinsfan4

Maryland

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

Part of the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp collection. Pours a cloudy light orange color, very little head to it and no lacing.. a bit disappointing. Faint aroma to it as well. Taste is actually pretty good, nice crispness to it and well balanced. The dark fruit-like flavors really come through. Mouthfeel is pretty good, solid beer all around. Hides its ABV well and is quite smooth.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 01:22:21 | More by marlinsfan4

spicelab

Australia

3.85/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to mulder1010.

Murky apricot with a healthy just off-white porous head. Flecks of lace and a slight ring.

Loads of caramelised malt and fruity esters. Rich toffee, banana, clove, glace cherries, cola, boiled candy. The pungency of the wheat prevents it from becoming cloying. Delish.

Rather sweet. Custard apples, banana, fairy floss and clove. Nice flavours, but some darker fruit character wouldn't go astray.

Light to medium bodied. Deceptive carbonation and a touch of dryness. Nice.

Good stuff. A smorgasbord of confectionery aromas and flavours made to order for a sweet tooth.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 07:09:55 | More by spicelab