Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

dmgeng

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

My first Hefe but wasn't exactly what I expected but still liked it.

A - Cloudy golden yellow. Full white head that doesn't subside quickly. Strong lacing until the last drink.

S - Phenolic with a bread and yeast aroma. Some light grain and some Belgian funk is present.

T - Strong phenolic clove flavor with yeast, bread, and wheat character on top. Has subtle hints of banana and vanilla that settle out after the clove. Some sweetness with the spiciness but without bitterness. Spice from the phenolic covers the light hops bitterness but still a little noble hop flavor underneath. Similar to a Belgian wit or blond but with more clove and less sweetness.

M - Lighter mouth-feel. Has great carbonation for sitting in the bottle for an extended period of time. light body make this brew refreshing without being too dry.

Overall, this is a nice summer brew when it's too hot for a heavier beer. Not my favorite but will harvest the yeast and probably brew a clone in the near future. I suspect that this is a very good example of the style with the strong clove and yeast taste but I know that there are some Hefe's with more banana and bubblegum flavor.

Glass- Pint

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 11:46:16 | More by dmgeng

dwren89

Virginia

4.26/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: very hazy, big fluffy white head, golden yellow with orange tint

Aroma: lemony citrus, banana, clove, light summery aroma,

Taste: balanced flavor, banana and subtle clove taste, with a malt backbone that really stands up without being overly heavy,

Mouthfeel: a little prickly but with a smooth finish, light-medium body

Overall Impression: A refreshingly light German hefe that is very well balanced and smooth to the swallow. Residual tingles remain in mouth beckoning for another swig.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 21:22:09 | More by dwren89

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A cloudy rainbow of colors from amber in the middle to dark orange to yellow on the edges . Poured with a short white foam that quickly reduced to a thick white cap. Sweet banana and wheat malt aromas up front. Spicy aromas grow through the middle but are slightly subdued at the finish, creating a wonderfully balanced aroma. Creamy smooth feel with rich, soft carbonation and a crisp finish. Banana and wheat malt flavors up front with spiciness thru the middle the is subdued by a light lemon hop bite. Tangy hop bite at the end leaves this finishing crisply with bread and sweet banana flavors. Nice balance in aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 17:06:19 | More by IronLover

jesseejames

Montana

4.34/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

When in Germany and unsure of what beer to take off the shelve this is the one. It is always good and moderately priced. It is a nice very tasty beer with lots of complexities for those of you who can discern them. If you want a typical German Hefeweizen this is for you. There are better but those are hard to find. This beer served on tap is a nice addition to any meal.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 20:43:08 | More by jesseejames

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

Missouri

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

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

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

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

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

Analog_kid

Pennsylvania

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

This beer bumped my beloved Yuengling into second place after nearly 20 years. I didn't think that would ever happen, but this beer is that good.

Appearance: After pouring into a glass, this beer forms a beautiful, white, fluffy head that disappears rapidly. Lovely hazy, golden color, nice carbonation.

Smell: Just the smell of this beer is intoxicating! Light sweet smell of bananas, hints of lemon, grain.

Taste: Light-medium body with the taste of banana, and as one reviewer said, oddly enough, bubble gum. Just a delicious beer.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, smooth.

Overall: Like I said, this beer has officially bumped Yuengling into second place. Have absolutely no doubt about this beer if you haven't tried it but see it on a shelf somewhere. Just get it. You won't be disappointed!

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 11:36:49 | More by Analog_kid

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

an opaque orange pour with a solid 2 fingers o foamy white head (stayed for the whole session), nice retention.
smells of lemon, orange, coriander, nutmeg, bready yeast.
a tart citrus taste followed by the spicyness of coriander.. a very mellow hefe, with a clean crisp finish. light body with high carbonation, very easy to drink (a great session ale). i've been sitting on this bottle for a while - it was a gift from my brother in law, and he had his that day out of the bottle. i tasted it then and it tasted bad. i poured this one in a tulip, and it was a completely different beer. it's hard to believe how much a glass can honestly change a beer's character.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 19:04:30 | More by facundoCNB