Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

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

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

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Hazy straw yellow with dust at the bottom. Massive head and plenty of visible carbonation.

S: Aroma of pale wheat malt , coriander / belgian wit yeast strain.

T: a great Hefeweizen that will please for years to come. One of the originals and classics and not to be messed with. Spatens shining crown in my opinion. Bubblegum, wheat, blueberry hints and doughy yeasty esters that make this a super complex beer at 5%. Highly drinkable. What is not to like?

M: Medium body for a hefeweizen and highly carbonated.

O: Again, a classic I have had many times and will have again. Easily drinkable. A perfect summer or springtime weather beer that will not be offensive to your friends who may not be huge beer drinkers. If you havent had this, you clearly should visit your beer roots. I like my hefeweizens a little thicker, but this is hardly a fault of this beer. It has been around for ages.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:00:22 | More by alpinebryant

bbluemzbeer

California

5/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

THis is a great wiesse beer. The price point is chepaer then the other wheat beers in my area. A six pack was around 8 dollars at trader joes.

Apperance: A yellow and dark gold with thick head

Smell: Banana and Clove and somehint of buublegum.

Taste: It is very smooth. I tastedf banana and some of clove and spice. Awesome taste! You need to try

Mooutfulness: Creamy with no stinking to your mouth and simply refreshing.

Overall: I can buy six pack easy in my area for reasonable price of under 8 dollars six pack compare to single beer price of 2.50 of other German Hefeweizen. Also , the taste is world class and most refreshing beer I have ever drank.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 16:35:53 | More by bbluemzbeer

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Franziskaner glass on 4/13/13

Dense honey color with more of a pineapple juice appearance at the stem. Regardless, this is cloudy (though it retains a semblance of clarity). Three finger head with the foam cresting the top of the glass. The head drops slow, slowed by a continual stream of rising bubbles; as it recedes a scalloped half-moon forms along one side. Settling eventually into itself, the foam appears akin to smooth, rolling hills. Lace is a solid thin film with thicker areas protruding intermittently. Retention is strong; even toward the bottom of the glass it hold about 1/8th inch.

When I first poured the beer the aroma was nothing but fresh baked banana nut bread. It was perfect. As the beer opens, the wheat takes on a dusty penchant and there are hints of clove, perfume and pollen. Whimsical notions of crisp apple. Overall, the aroma is full and well-mannered.

Lush and reasonably dry, toasted wheat is the dominant flavor by a wide and comfortable margin. Lightly buttered baked bread augments the back half while modest banana and clove notes work through the middle. It is the banana that carries the finish with a slight dusty wheat presence.

The feel is light and leaning toward the watery side of things, though I am not inclined to label it thin. Carbonation is on the moderately high side; it is also quite full, maximizing the body-bolstering aspects of carbonation without being harsh or pesky. The carbonation seem right in line with the feel of the body.

There really isn't much to complain about. I need to drink this more often.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 15:12:31 | More by Ryan011235

sajaffe1

Alabama

4.59/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A- Poured from a bottle . Very cloudy gold to amber color. Fair amount of lacing. Big fluffy head is retained very well
S- Cloves, yeast, lots of wheat malt that smells like fresh wheat bread. Slight citrus. Fair amount of banana in the nose.

T- Tastes a lot like it smells. Good bit of clove with a bit of banana. Lots of wheat flavor. Some grain.

M- Smooth body. Dry finish. Just excellent.

O- Solid beer that i plan to drink again for sure. I might have found a new favorite for the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:35:20 | More by sajaffe1

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

3.89/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a weizen glass. Very cloudy dark golden to orange color. Good lacing and carbonation bubbles. ! finger white head. Great retention.

S- Clove and taffy. Yeast. lots of wheat malt. Slight citrus. Small amount of pepper in the finish.

T- Follows nose pretty well. Good amount of clove with some banana. Quite smooth. Lots of wheat flavor. Some grain. Probably the most dominant flavor here, but not too overpowering. Good balance with a nice crisp and pepper finish.

M- light to mid body. Dry finish. Warm touch at the end. Good carbonation.

O- Solid beer that i would gladly drink again. Not my favorite of the style, but still a very enjoyable hefe.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 03:40:55 | More by Bosoxfan20

Smurf2055

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Into a weizen glass at Uber in Seattle.

Pours murky golden with about two to three fingers white head.

Smells are subtle but straw, wheat, and light honey. Very fresh.

Tastes crisp and fresh. Subtle flavors but what you expect from a weizen.

Palate was smooth, crisp, and refreshing.

Overall, a very good example of what a hefeweizen should be.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2013 21:24:49 | More by Smurf2055

abrethanson

California

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a six-pack at BevMo! to compare against my first homebrew (German Hef). Have not had this classic for a while.

A: Incredible head. Maybe too aggressive on the pour (or the car ride home) but poured about a 4 finger head. Light fluffy head. Looks like a smurfs hat or dollop of whip cream. Love it. After (3) weeks in the bottle the retention, consistency, and thickness of my homebrew got a lot better (than 2 weeks). Crystal clear golden sunburst. My homebrew is sunburst but hazier than our LA smog. Mine looks more like a homebrew where the Franziskaner looks more like commercial beer made for commercially minded people.

S: Citrus, yeasty, cloves. Smells a little metallic.

T: Heavy on the citrus, orange, rind and under-ripe banana on the back end. Heavy on the cloves for this one (lingering), probably the cooler serving temp. As it warms up more banana, but still seems under-ripe. Homebrew was a ripe banana bomb especially when allowed to warm up. Cloves very present in homebrew as well. Homebrew seemed a little maltier / sweeter / flavorful than the Franziskaner which has a much cleaner / crisp profile.

O: Decent and refreshing on Easter Sunday of a sunny Orange County beach day! Have not had this brew for a while and excited to compare against my homebrew. I vaguely feel more of a banana / creamier presence when pouring off the tap v.s bottle. Thought mine stacked up well against a more than worthy opponent. There is hope yet ;)

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 22:57:38 | More by abrethanson

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

This was probably the first beer I bought that I truly loved, so I've been meaning to revisit this one for a long time. 12 oz bottle into a weizen glass.

A: Pours a darker amber color that seems both less hazy and fizzier-looking than others in the style. The head is a beautiful five-finger pale cream color. It has one of the softest-looking textures I've ever witnessed in ANY beer head, and retains itself reasonably.

S: This one is relatively clove-forward, with the general malts being the secondary aromatic feature. It seems like this one comes off 'drier' than most.

T: Differing from the nose, the flavor itself is quite banana-forward to start. The banana esters will fade to a midtaste/finish of lactic cream, wheat, and cloves. No real depth here, just a solid no-frills hefeweizen.

M: I wondered if the feel would be dry due to the lack of a sweet nose - and I was wrong. This is a creamy, semi-sweet weizen, and pulls it off well. The thickness of the texture conceals the high carbonation somewhat, but as the carbonation fades, it seemingly becomes dry - very nearly to the point of being watery. On the plus side, it becomes more drinkable this way.

O: I don't know if this is quite the beer I fell in love with...ah well, it's still good stuff. And it's available practically everywhere to boot.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 20:52:31 | More by ThisWangsChung

CloudStrife

New York

3.95/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a very cloudy light orangish gold with a 1.5 finger dense white head. After a minute or two it dissipates and leaves a 1/8" on the sides and a film across the top. Can just make out a some lively carbonation.

S: Pretty authentic hefe. Wheat, a banana like yeast, a touch of other malts and a hint of booze. Almost a light fruity aroma like lemon as well.

T: A tasty beer. At first I get some nice wheat with a blend of banana and yeast, similar to the smell. Also there is a good bready or crackery malt too. Alcohol is well hidden.

M: Nice and light on the tongue but has a pretty substantial mouthfeel. A very refreshing beer.

Overall always a great hefe and pretty widely available. Always recommend it to those getting into craft beer as it was one of the first I really liked.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 23:45:45 | More by CloudStrife

vkv822

Oregon

3.79/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz : tulip

Hazy, golden with a light orange hue and an incredibly thick, creamy off white head with great retention.

Weizen yeast, banana and clove upfront, wheat.

Wheat upfront, with banana in the finish.

Medium+ with foamy, mild carbonation.

A well done hefeweizen. Just enough banana flavor to be appreciated and no become overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 09:17:40 | More by vkv822

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This beer pours deep/cloudy orange with a very healthy head. The foam holds on for quite a while. It started with about four fingers, but two fingers retained for quite a while.I really enjoy the nose in a quality Hefeweizen in general. This one stands out with the best of the group. You get the banana and bubblegum with this bouquet. I like the the way this beer smells.The flavor is very refreshing. The banana and coriander really comes out with each sip. I like the balance.This is a very good summertime beer. I will need to pick up some in about four months.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 20:23:31 | More by ummswimmin

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, no bottled-on date.

A: a pretty hazy straw yellow body. head is bright white and frothy. retention is great.

S: orange juice and a little bit of vanilla. sweet sugars. kind of smells like a creamsicle.

T: very sweet. orange juice. not that estery, definitely more on the wheat flavored side. chewy, very chewy. a slightly peppery finish as well as even more wheat.

M: a very smooth, subtle effervescence for carb. light/medium bodied.

D: a good, easy drinking hefe, but not my favorite example of the style. just wish there was more hefe yeast esters.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:15:56 | More by Jimmys

PorterLambic

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Arrives looking like a glass full of squozen grapefruit, cloudy with a fluffy white head. Decent retention but the head is a bit small.
Smell is malt, spice (pepper and clove mostly) with no real hop presence detected.
Taste is malt, spices (the same clove and pepper) with light hops.
Smooth, fairly full bodied for the style with a light effervescence. Really good, a standard for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2013 03:44:24 | More by PorterLambic

TheMarkE

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Cloudy gold, pours with a huge head of foam. Excellent lacing. And did I mention all the foam? It eventually settles and nicely coats the glass.

Smell: Banana, wheat, bubblegum, clove.

Taste: Banana, wheat, bubblegum, clove, and yeast. A hint of citrus, but not a big hop presence.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and highly carbonated. Did I mention the foam? The banana and wheat flavor stays with the tongue after you swallow.

The Verdict: Very good. I prefer a fresh hefeweizen from one of the local breweries when I can get it, but this is a fine example of what a hefe should be. Refreshing, earthy, and full of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 23:21:32 | More by TheMarkE

jucifer1818

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: a thick billowy head covers this clear hazy brew. Lovely colors dominant this hefe, and it looks quite nice
4.5/5

Smell: this smell is excellent, and its one of the strongest smelling hefe's ever (at least in my experience). Strong, strong smells of banana and clove, both in equal high strength, mesh together into a highly refreshing and pleasant experience, showing the brewery skill in manipulating the yeast to give off a equily strong balanced beer smell.
to me, that balance is perfection
5/5

Taste: Also, this is a great example of the beer balance. It has a nice malty backbone (odd of a hefe), and extremely strong, pleasant banana flavors with a strong spicy clove finish. This is a truly great flavor
5/5

Mouthfeel: this one is much less watery than a traditional hefe, with a nice slick feeling on the tongue, balanced by a strong carbonation bite.
4/5

Overall: I'm giving this one a 4.5/5
Its a truly amazing hefe brew that comes very close to being almost perfect (for this brews style). a excellent beer to have with breakfast, or after a hard days work, I cant recomend it enough

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 22:19:30 | More by jucifer1818

MrCee

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

Nice foamy head. Almost explosive in its headiness. Cloudy light caramel color, almost orange. . Very nice light color. Light taste but still bold. Tangy but not sour. One of the best liquid bread weiss biers. Very nice thick feel. Light earthy smell. Light on the alcohol. A great solid buzz.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:34:45 | More by MrCee

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Into a weizen glass. A big foamy head on top of a cloudy, medium straw colored body.
Big fruit smell: banana and lemon lead the way.
Low bitterness, medium maltiness. Well balanced with some fruit notes.
Soft texture, medium body with low carbonation. Really nice.
A benchmark brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 02:52:18 | More by Fatehunter

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This brew was served from the tap at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY. It arrived in a Franziskaner hefe glass, glowing a cloudy honey coloring. It held a two finger white head of creamy bubbles that showed nice retention. This left spots and swirls of lacing around the glass, with a final film and wisp of foam across the top of the liquid. Carbonation appeared lighter, with big haze throughout, and no sediment. The aroma was of massive banana esters, juicy fruit gum, coriander, and bittering orange and lemon peel. On the back there was warm, spicy walnut bread to hold up against the big wheat and lightness of pale malts. Cloven phenolic bite came out with warmth to help cut any prior bitterness nicely. Our first impression was that this tasted like a liquid banana bread. The flavoring opened with pale wheat and orange pulp, sweaty saltiness, and a bittering yet sweet ester bite off the bat. The middle showed vanilla, clove, light cinnamon warmth, and that same wheaty heartiness to the peak. The finish was with that sweetness of banana bread, the same walnut smoothness as in the nose, and a lightening of the malts with watery paleness. The wheat, however, still predominated, soaking the palate with a final, wet boozy flash of warmth. The aftertaste breathed of wet wheat, sea salt, mineral water, more spice of clove, generic esters, and light orange flesh sweetness. The body was medium, with a soft, flowery feel. The carbonation was medium, and the mouth was left wet and satiated. There was nice slurp, cream, and froth to each sip. The abv was appropriate, and the beer was easy drinking.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the aroma. There was just such fresh banana and nutty character, making for a very warming and inviting start to things. The flavoring was sadly washed a bit by the end, but this guy is definitely a staple for the style, and highly representative of the stylistic guidelines as a whole.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2012 22:48:24 | More by TheBrewo

Osirus

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I love this beer on tap at my favorite German Restaurant, Black Forest Mills in Highland Mills, NY or from a half liter brown bottle into a tulip glass at Richie's in Fort Montgomery, NY.

Appearance: Golden to organgy yellow. Cloudy as it should be. Stirring up the sediment from the bottle is a must.

Smell: Heavy on the banana. Lighter on the clove than some but that is to my taste. THe smell of bread wheat comes out. Let the beer warm a bit to get all you can from this one.

Taste: Sweetness, bready, smoothness of wheaty bananas

Mouthfeel: Medium heavy carbonation. Medium body.

Overall: I cannot find a thing wrong. Sweet and banana-y like I like them! I am going to build a homebrew recipe to replicate this with one minor tweak....I am going to add some oats to build a little more creaminess into the body. This with a good sausage platter is a world class treat. I like this beer with sharp cheese but the German food platters are just too dang authentic not to have with this.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2012 17:20:25 | More by Osirus

dougbassett

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another one of the "1001 Beers You Should Try Before You Die" -- I think this the second one I've reviewed.

Appearance is fantastic, it's probably the textbook example of what a German hefe should look like: a dark golden-yellow pour with a white fluffy head that just lasts and lasts forever. The nose is surprsingly light but it's banana, cloves, orange juice and maybe some other mystery citrus roaming around somewhere at the bottom. (More like a citrus punch, in fact.)

The mouthfeel is a little light, that helps with the refreshment but maybe a bit more body would help push the flavors forward. The immediate impression is a banany-grainy hit, that settles down some into a banany-citrusy sort of thing, very mild, though. It finishes very dry and clean.

Likable, although there are better hefes out there. This is one of the easiest ones to get in the states, though.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 21:52:38 | More by dougbassett

FLima

Brazil

3.38/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dense foam and amber-cloudy colour. Tastes clove, faint cinnamoon, and banana, not so sweet. Very yeasty, my bottle that had less than a month for running its valid period, was already presenting some white flutters, though not protein flocos but yeast. Not so swwet, which is good.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 02:50:44 | More by FLima

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

one of the most recognized hefes around, and one of the more delicious mainstream ones. it pours a very thick and dense golden yellow color with a lot of frothy white head that lasts the whole glass. is smells very fruity, and not just from the lemon on the rim it is always served with. its also got some orange and some flowery smells happening. the flavor is more yeast forward, spicy and peppery in just the right proportions. the wheat malt is heavy but refreshing somehow. the finish is long and zesty. the mouthfeel is kind of different for a wheat beer here. its thicker than most because of the remaining yeast, but its also made light by the prominent carbonation and mild citrus acidity. overall this is a good beer to drink when going to non beer places because its pretty good and it seems to be everywhere.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2012 16:51:02 | More by StonedTrippin

jak3676

Virginia

4.8/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Franziskaner - Weissbier

Always one of my favorites, my wife surprized me with a gift in the fridge this afternoon. It sure was great. I can't get enough of this beer, and even better with a few grilled brats. I've loved hefeweizen ever since getting sent to Germany with the Army in the 90's - it was beer like this that kept away from all macro-brews throughout my college life. After some great Hefeweizen, I just couldn't back to bland, tasteless American Lagers.

This beer pours a deep, golden color, a very cloudy blond-light brown. The 12 oz bottle filled my 500ml weizen glass to nearly the top with a thick off-white foam that went down fairly quicky, but not without lacing the sides all the way down.

It's a very flavorful wheat beer taste, slightly sweet, slightly malty, slightly heavy, but all in a great combination. You'll want to be sure to give the bottle a few swirls before you finish your pour to ensure that you get all the unfiltered wheat that you've paid for.

As I finished my brew and typed this up, some fruit fly decided that he couldn't take it anymore and finished himself off with a dive into my glass. While I switch to my covered stein and pour anothe, I just can't be too upset. That's the way I'd like to go too.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 23:23:13 | More by jak3676