Golden Spike Hefeweizen - Uinta Brewing Company

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked this up at the Whole Foods on Houston St. in New York City last week, having never tried this before. I like unfiltered beers and this certainly fit that bill, in terms of appearance. As so many others have pointed out on here, this is not a true Hefe compared to its German counterparts and this beer certainly put the "Pale" into American Pale Wheat Ale, since that's what stood out the most to me.

This had a pretty typical pour to it, with a cloudy hue and decent amount of head. As opposed to so many other beers of this style, this was not as bright in terms of appearance nor taste. There was sweetness up front like bubblegum that faded into a Kolsch-like sourness in the back. The citrus, grass, banana, and clove flavors that I expected were not to be found here and the mouthfeel was weak because of the lack of wheat in this. No need for a lemon to cut this at all and the carbonation was nearly absent as well, even though this was light enough to be enjoyed without any bubbles to cleanse after each sip.

I bought a whole sixer of this and to be fair, I could have easily downed this one sitting. That's not because of the taste, but due to the low alcoholic content of this beer and how little I could feel it during my drinking session. This is not so much bad as just not true to form and fans of this style will be disappointed here. The bottle design and name of this brew are certainly unique but unfortunately, what's inside of the bottle just doesn't measure up to those attributes.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 05:17:17 | More by JerzDevl2000

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Beer #44 in my great Utah Brew Hunt.

Oh, the things I will do for the greater good. Like, drink pale wheat ales. Bleh.

This is actually pretty decent. Quite a full body and full flavor, though it seems muddled overall. And the carbonation is definitely way too high on this. It's attacking and biting on the tongue.

It certainly hits on the style parameters and is somewhat "there," but doesn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 00:07:16 | More by RblWthACoz

vfgccp

New York

2.13/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Served with a lemon as per the package instructions

A - Mostly clear gold body with little head or lace.

S - Relatively straight forward. White sugar, bright lemon cirtrus, touch of bready malt.

T - Skunky malt with a slightly sour lemon acid.

M - Thin with low carbonation, especially for the style

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 02:24:15 | More by vfgccp

atr2605

New York

3.1/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-pours a cloudy golden straw color with a white head with average retention
S-lemon and wheat
T-hearty wheat flavor met with crisp hop bitterness, bit of lemon flavor in the background. Clean finish on the palate
M-light bodied
O-pretty much what i would expect from the style. Wouldn't seek it out again but would drink it if it was available

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 17:31:14 | More by atr2605

rinhaak

Massachusetts

3.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Sundance, served in a pint glass with a wedge of lemon.

While Golden Spike "Hefeweizen" is not a bad beer, it is fairly bland, boring, and middle-of-the-road. Surprisingly malty with a small amount of citrus up front, I get far more flavor from the pilsener malt than I do the wheat. It is actually pretty far from a Hefeweizen, and, despite the wheat, drinks more like a bland pale ale.

I wouldn't really recommend the beer. It lacks any of the character I associate with a hefe: no clove, no spiciness, no banana, almost no citrus, no brightness in the mouth, almost no aromas in the nose. In short, it's just plain boring.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 03:26:05 | More by rinhaak

flagmantho

Washington

3.68/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a weizen glass.

Appearance: lighly hazy medium golden hue with a thick finger of frothy white foam and a nice effervescence. Good stuff.

Smell: malty with a mild wheat character and a light dusting of hops. Not too bad, and stylistically appropriate.

Taste: malty with a light fruity character up front; slightly citrusy but also with a hint of apple. Bitterness is quite low and hops aren't even as prevalent as in the aroma. An interesting brew.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good level of carbonation and a good creaminess. I like it.

Overall: this is actually a decent beer, though its style is oft-maligned. I didn't go into this expecting a German hefeweizen, and what I found was a mild but pleasing and refreshing wheat ale. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 00:13:11 | More by flagmantho

metter98

New York

3.08/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: The beer is relatively clear yellow in color and has fine particles visible floating in suspension along with a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a very thin white head that quickly died down, leaving some bubbles on the surface and a ring around the edge of the glass.
S: There are very light aromas of wheat in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has light flavors of wheat along with some hints of lemon citrus.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink, but it lacks much in the way of aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 14:17:09 | More by metter98

mactrail

California

3.2/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazy golden in the glass with nice enough foam and lacing. I was looking for the flavor to emerge, but there just isn't much. Just a slight wheaty cereal flavor that shades into tartness. Aroma gives just a hint of malt, and certainly none of the German esters. Soft mouthfeel with lots of carbonation. Poured a 12 oz bottle from a Salt Lake grocery store.

I would have to call this an American light wheat. It's just too anemic and makes me wish for what is often a rich and lip-smacking beer, even at low alcohol contents like this one. Goes down easy enough, however, and it's certainly better than a lackluster lager.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 03:35:34 | More by mactrail

kflorence

California

3.05/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Imported from my ratebeer.com profile - JAN 3, 2008

Pours light orange with minimal head, doesn’t have much of a smell... some wheat, maybe some hops and honey. This beer is very smooth and only lightly carbonated, very drinkable. Tastes very wheaty, with hints of yeast and honey, and maybe very slight hops and some metallic flavor. Overall very drinkable, refreshing, and doesn’t taste too bad, but nothing entirely special.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 05:47:05 | More by kflorence

dtivp

West Virginia

2.8/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy golden amber with a small white head, good retention with moderate lacing.

Aroma was very light with hints of yeast, wheat and lemon.

Taste initially wheat dominated followed by yeast and a very slight hint of citrus.

Mouthfeel was light leaning medium body with moderate carbonation.

Overall this was a barely average hefeweizen.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2011 17:14:53 | More by dtivp

ebrauser

Utah

2.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dull gold with an ample amount of carbonation and a nice white head about 1 finger deep

Aroma: Wheaty and bready with a slight whiff of citrus

Flavor: Wheat beginning quickly fades away to a yeasty aftertaste. Slight grapefruit flavors reside in the middle. Light body makes for a very easy drinking beer with little flavor to make this beer stand out.

Overall: A little bland and non-exciting

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2010 23:27:52 | More by ebrauser

PhillyStyle

Georgia

2.08/5  rDev -32.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Sampled in Cedar City, Utah (7/19/10):

Bottled: 7/1/10:

The beer poured a cloudy, light yellow color with an average white, light head that was not well retained.

The aroma of the beer was less than stellar. Very, very light, with only a hint of what a Hefe should smell like, some bread to it with a very light hint of lemon. No real banana aroma to note.

The taste followed the nose, nothing much to it, some wheat/bread taste to it, with only light hints of lemon and banana. Overall, less than average.

The beer felt light and was probably over-carbonated. Based upon the other aspects noted above, the beer was not drinkable; I did not finish the entire bottle. Overall, this beer is less than average and one that I will not be ordering/buying again.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2010 20:28:27 | More by PhillyStyle

Gavage

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: pours a clear yellowish orange color with a wispy head that breaks apart quickly. No lace develops.

Smell: almost no aroma here as only a hint of lemon and spice are detectable.

Taste: light wheat profile with some soft lemon zest, and a hint of spice. Very one dimensional and light on the flavors.

Mouthfeel: light in body. Lightly crisp throughout. Very short aftertaste here.

Drinkability: this beer just does not fit the style - not refreshing or tasty as expected.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2010 21:44:11 | More by Gavage

digitalczech

California

2.48/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

For a Hefeweizen it has all the traditional elements there, unfilted yellow haze and hints of cloves and banana but there's something there in the beer that makes it seem like it's blended from another beer. The drinkability isn't great either. The beer tends to leave a bland lifeless aftertaste in your mouth wanted another beer to wash it down. The one element I did like about the beer is it did pour a nice head and retained it so I'll give it that. I've had worse Hefeweizens but this one isn't great. I would grab a Pyramid over this beer any day.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 18:15:50 | More by digitalczech

brentk56

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy honey color with a modest cap; a few strands of lace are left behind but disappear rather quickly

Smell: Bready, with hints of banana and lemon

Taste: After a bready opening, the vaguest hints of banana and coriander appear, with a bit of butterscotch underneath; the swallow brings on a bit of lemon, too, but the whole effect is somewhat understated for the style

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate but prickly carbonation

Drinkability: Nothing offensive and readily drinkable, but a far cry from a standard-bearer for the style

Thanks, Douglas88, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2009 17:08:06 | More by brentk56

albern

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

For what it is worth, the labeling has changed on the beer, but from the remarks of the reviewers, the recipe has not. This is a mediocre hefeweizen that is quite light, fairly bland, and uninteresting. The beer pours a slightly hazy blonde, medium carbonation and efforvescence. There is no head on this beer at all. As a credit to the Unita Brewing Co. they do put the bottling date on the label. Why can't more breweries do this to ensure freshness ... I'll never know. The nose is good. There are some nice bready malts in there and a touch of floral.

There is a mild sourishness to the beer. It starts out a bit more doughy and malty and buttery but becomes a bit thinner in body as it settles and takes on more of a thin slightly citrusy wheat beer. There is a slight lemon tang, a touch of clove, and that sourishness that is not endearing me to the beer. It is quite light, refreshing, and a summer light ABV beer. What's missing are the rainbow palate of florals for the style, a bit more prickliness in the mouth, less honey smoothness would help too. It's not the worst hefe you can try, but there are tons better.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2009 21:40:43 | More by albern

u2carew

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle. Consumed on 9/22/09
A) Pours with a wispy head that settles quickly. Lacing is weak. Hazy body. Straw colored.
S) Not very aromatic. Light citrus notes.
T) Not much flavor in the nose. Light, very light, citrus notes. In the finish, nutty and grainy.
M) Crisp. Light bodied. Thin sediment feel.
D) Not too impressed. The flavor was weak and the appearance poor. Did not look like a quality brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 18:27:33 | More by u2carew

rkuhnel

California

3.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From a 12 oz bottle this poured a hazy gold with a medium white head and light lacing. Nose is of wheat and floral hops, and a medium mouthfeel. Flavor of malts and light floral hops. Overall this is what you would call a middle of the road American Wheat.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 00:14:26 | More by rkuhnel

smcolw

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Large chunky yeast in the cloudy light gold liquid. Light head that dies to a single layer of bubbles. No lace.

Strong barnyard stinkiness on the initial pour. Once it mellows, there isn't much to the smell.

My wife who is a fan of Hefe's didn't like this one. I found it to be drinkable but unremarkable. Some wheat and yeast flavors. Mild sourness in the swallow and a notable minor amount of hop bitterness. Neutral body and carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 18:11:44 | More by smcolw

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a hefeweizen glass. Color was a golden amber, with a constant stream of bubbles rising up from the bottom. The head was thin, but lasted a long time. Aroma was a bit sour and skunky at times, also was yeasty. Taste had a small hoppy finish and hints of white bread. Felt ok in the mouth, a little thin and watery, but nicely carbonated. Easy to drink, but not an outstanding choice.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2009 22:31:09 | More by mountdew1

Haybeerman

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Cloudy orange/amber color. Poured a 1 finger white head with fair retention. Inconsistent, broken lacing.

S: Bready yeast and light citrus with not mush else; not what I was expecting.

T: Bready, yeasty and wheat. No detectable hop spices that I was kind-of expecting. Frankly, its a pretty blah beer (but there's nothing offensive).

M: Light body. Medium carbonation. Crisp and refreshing finish.

D: Can drink it for sure, but would have to wonder why. I'm actually wondering if its in the right style since the only common thread to a hefeweizen is wheat?

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2009 21:26:11 | More by Haybeerman

Buggies

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: I had a couple of these on tap. It poured a hazy golden orange with a nice two finger head.

S: A typical wheat smell with a little citrus coming in.

T: Kind of sweet and a bit bready. The taste was definitely interesting. A little hops in the end which was a nice surprise.

I kind of like drinking these. They were lite and refreshing. I even threw in a wedge of lemon a time or two which added a little something more to it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2009 04:33:37 | More by Buggies

kimcgolf

Georgia

2.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle to a highly carbonated orange-yellow with medium thick white head that lingered long and left good lacing. Nose was an almost sickeningly sweet medicinal orange, with a thin metallic mouthfeel and fruity orange flavor. This all led to a short, dry finish.

All and all, not a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 02:56:16 | More by kimcgolf

ATPete

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle. 4%? really?

"Earth, Wind and Beer"

A- Pours a hazy yellow color with a small white head that dissipates very quickly, some of what's left of the head sticks to the side of the glass.

S- Very mellow, wheat aroma in the nose, orange peel, and a nuttiness.

T- Very bright, lots of bubbles attack the tongue initially leaving way to a soft but grainy wheat character mid palate and a burst of hoppy, citrus fruit followed by a soft, quick, slightly boozey, slightly bitter finish. Semi Sweet after taste, light bodied, refreshing and very drinkable. Not bad

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2008 17:55:32 | More by ATPete

rowew

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy orangish color, nice head but it fades quickly. Taste is a bit muddled - some yeasty notes with a bit of wheat. Medium bodied, low to medium carbonation. This is a solidly average wheat - drinkable, but certainly not the best example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2008 15:03:47 | More by rowew