Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

AleDrinkToThat

Tennessee

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Huge, foaming white head that settles slowly and laces nicely. Golden orange hue, with a beautiful wispy cloudiness.

S: Lemon and banana highlights, with a slight clove scent and a strong hops bouquet.

T: The citrus and banana hit immediately, and the hops takes over soon afterward. Very flavorful and satisfying. A hint of the alcohol in the end.

M: Not too much carbonation; smooth and sweet. The tartness of the lemon along with the sweetness of the banana and the hop spice blend quite nicely into a very flavorful Hefe.

D: Very drinkable; A great example of a good macro Munich Weissbier, from one of the oldest breweries in the Deutschland. It translated pretty well to America, but I would be much more excited to have it from the source.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2008 16:30:42 | More by AleDrinkToThat

kvnstfrd

Missouri

2/5  rDev -50.7%

05-23-2013 13:10:57 | More by kvnstfrd

tectactoe

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap at the Oak Cafe. Pours a soft shade of gold with some honey-yellow that shows itself when held up to any amount of light. There's a very light translucency to the beer, although it's still mostly hazy as I would expect most original hefeweizens to be. The frothy, off-white head settles quicker than expected, despite its large size. Moderate lacing was left behind.

There are plenty of fruity esters in the aroma of Franziskaner's Hefe to please those who enjoy their German beers a little sweeter or fruitier. Some spice and clove are definitely there, just a bit more buried than usual. The ripe banana, soft wheat, and residual sugar-like sweetness are in overdrive, along with maybe a slight hint of cereal grains at the very tail end. As with most hefes, the yeast steals the show, and that's how it should be.

Slightly to my surprise, the flavor of Franziskaner's Hefe as it hits my palate is a bit lighter and less robust than the aroma; they don't "pop" or rock my palate like I know they are capable of, and it's mildly upsetting. The flavors available on my tongue are pretty nice, however, consisting of a bit of banana and light pear and goes hand-in-hand with an ever-so-faint tartness. Yeast esters go wild, as well, including spice, clove, and a touch of white pepper.

The yeast profile plays nicely with the huge wheat-and-grain background upon which this beer is built. Somewhere around the middle, a pretty mild mustiness comes into play - my guess would be from the hops, and they seem to be of the Noble variety, although I'm just throwing that out there. The smooth and creamy mouth feel of this hefe feels nice, although the body could stand to be a bit thicker. Medium-heavy carbonation with a yeast-filled and wheat soaked aftertaste.

Very enjoyable and easy drinking - this one will go down like a champ, no doubt. It's a bit sweeter and less spicy than I personally like my hefeweizens, but I'm sure there are people out there who find this profile more suitable for their palate. As always, your mileage may vary. This is still a great-tasting and well crafted beer, although when stuff like Weihenstephaner's Hefeweissbier is just as available and around the same price, it would be hard to choose this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2013 11:31:21 | More by tectactoe

Isotope

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-23-2013 02:28:44 | More by Isotope

Rdc67

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-22-2013 20:17:16 | More by Rdc67

Bikeboy1

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-22-2013 19:26:35 | More by Bikeboy1

bf7

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-22-2013 17:00:16 | More by bf7

Localdrinklax

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-22-2013 03:41:57 | More by Localdrinklax

Lagerquestrian

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-21-2013 22:55:41 | More by Lagerquestrian

tviz33

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle served in a weizen glass.

A- This is about as good as it gets. Two inches of soapy white foam and an opaque orangey yellow body.

S- Bananas, clove, and maybe a little bubblegum. It's a little spicy and sweet on the nose, and my mouth is watering.

T- This hits the mark perfectly. The smell is a great indicator of how this tastes. Perfectly balanced flavors of banana, dark fruits, and spice. I can't find much to complain about.

M- A very complimentary feel to this beer. The carbonation is just right for the body, which is pretty much medium.

O- For $9 a sixer, this is going to get purchased more often. Very-well rounded beer and is awesome on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:32:01 | More by tviz33

johntfox

Florida

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-20-2013 23:46:57 | More by johntfox

falconxman

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-20-2013 15:08:56 | More by falconxman

DMB

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-19-2013 22:54:24 | More by DMB

Nikonjim

5/5  rDev +23.2%

05-19-2013 15:26:23 | More by Nikonjim

Psychromatic

Alabama

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-18-2013 10:12:33 | More by Psychromatic

Rekrule

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -20%

05-17-2013 11:29:15 | More by Rekrule

djre4orm

Virginia

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-16-2013 20:50:24 | More by djre4orm

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-16-2013 20:42:54 | More by ElizabethEleanor

JoyHelfrich

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

05-15-2013 05:29:06 | More by JoyHelfrich

njpencook

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

05-15-2013 02:40:49 | More by njpencook

jkn09

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-13-2013 13:35:40 | More by jkn09

pcsnyder

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

05-13-2013 00:39:40 | More by pcsnyder

Asics

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

05-12-2013 09:38:53 | More by Asics

JamesStreet

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

05-10-2013 20:48:55 | More by JamesStreet

Bill235

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-10-2013 00:21:00 | More by Bill235